4.—(1) The Secretary of State may, if she thinks fit, cause to be slaughtered any offspring animal.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (5) below, where the Secretary of State proposes to cause an offspring animal to be slaughtered under this paragraph a veterinary inspector shall serve a notice of intended slaughter in Form OC 2 on the person appearing to him to be the owner or person in charge of the animal specifying the premises at which the animal is to be slaughtered.
(3) Following the service of a notice in Form OC 2 an inspector may insert or administer an implant for the purpose of electronically tagging an offspring animal.
(4) No person except an inspector shall remove or otherwise interfere with an implant inserted or administered under sub-paragraph (3) above.
(5) Where an animal is presented at any premises for slaughter for human consumption and a veterinary inspector is of the opinion that the animal is an offspring animal, the Secretary of State may cause the animal to be slaughtered without any notice in Form OC 2 being served on the owner or person in charge of the animal before it is slaughtered.
(6) Where an offspring animal is slaughtered in accordance with sub-paragraph (5) above an inspector or officer of the Secretary of State shall, as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, give notice to the owner or other person in charge of the carcase of the slaughtered animal that the animal has been slaughtered as an offspring animal.
(7) If an animal to which a notice in Form OC 2 relates is moved from premises under a licence issued by an officer of the Secretary of State which is subject to a condition, the notice in Form OC 2 shall, providing the animal is moved in accordance with the condition, cease to have effect on the expiry of the period in respect of which the condition applies.
(8) A notice in Form OC 2 may at any time be withdrawn by a notice in Form OC 3 served by a veterinary inspector on the owner or person in charge of the animal to which the notice in Form OC 2 relates.