S.I. No. 424/1997:

ABATTOIRS ACT 1988 (ABATTOIRS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1997

ABATTOIRS ACT 1988 (ABATTOIRS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1997

I, JOE WALSH, Minister for Agriculture and Food in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sections 20 , 61 and 63 of the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (No. 8 of 1988), hereby make the following Regulations:

Part I PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

1. ( a ) These Regulations may be cited as the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Abattoirs) (Amendment) Regulations, 1997.

( b ) The Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Abattoirs) Regulations, 1989 and these Regulations may cited together as the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Abattoirs) Regulations, 1989 and 1997.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 27th day of October, 1997.

3. In these Regulations the "Principal Regulations" means the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Abattoirs) Regulations, 1989 ( S.I. No. 152 of 1989 ).

4. The provisions of these Regulations and the Principal Regulations other than: Articles 59(1)(2)(3), 60(1)(3), 66(3), 67, 69, 70, 72(1), 73, 77(1)(3)(5)(a)(b), 78 and 79(3) shall apply to the slaughter of ostriches and other ratite birds.

Part II

5. The Principal Regulations are hereby amended by

( a ) the insertion in Regulation 3(1) of the following paragraph:

"ratite bird means the running birds, ostriches emus and rheas.

( b ) the insertion of new Parts IV and V as follows:

Part IV

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ABATTOIRS SLAUGHTERING OSTRICHES AND OTHER RATITE BIRDS AND THE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT THEREIN.

1. The abattoir shall have suitable safe unloading facilities and where necessary shall have suitable unloading ramps or banks that are level or with the minimum possible incline and with no step or steps, for the safe unloading of ostriches or other ratite birds from transport vehicles.

All unloading facilities shall have non slip surfaces and shall be designed to avoid the risk of ostriches or other ratite birds slipping, falling, or of being trapped, bruised or injured, and to avoid ostriches or other ratite birds escaping.

2. All yards, lairage pens, lairages, passageways, races and areas used for ostriches or other ratite birds must: -

( a ) have non slip flat surfaces with no steps, and

( b ) be free of obstructions or projections, and

( c ) be designed to avoid ostriches or other ratite birds slipping, falling, or of being bruised or injured, or of being trapped, by the legs, neck, wings or other parts of the body, and to enable ostriches or other ratite birds to be penned and moved without avoidable excitement, distress, difficulty, pain or suffering, and

( d ) have walls or suitable rails and gates, at least 1.8 metres high in the case of ostriches, and at least 1.5 metres high in the case of other ratite birds, for the secure confinement of ostriches or other ratite birds and must be designed and constructed in a manner that will prevent their escape.

3. (1) A suitable covered lairage pen or pens of adequate size shall be provided, for at least one day's kill of ostriches and other ratite birds and shall be designed with comers angled greater as far as possible, but never less than 90 degrees. Ostrich and other ratite bird pens shall be protected from adverse weather conditions, and equipped with self filling drinking bowls, at an appropriate height, but within easy reach and easily accessible to ostriches and other ratite birds. Ratite birds shall be penned separately with their own species.

(2) Suitable feeding troughs installed in suitable locations at a suitable height, in a manner that ensures they are easily accessible to the animals and not liable to be soiled, must be provided where the veterinary inspector permits the overnight lairaging in lairage pens of individual consignments of animals on a case by case basis.

4. Where ostriches or other ratite birds are to be held overnight in pasture pens, in accordance with Regulation 19(3) suitable secure pasture pens must be provided, at or near the abattoir of adequate size, surrounded by suitable fences or walls and gates at least 1.8 metres high in the case of ostriches, and at least 1.5 metres high in the case of emus and rheas, constructed in a manner that will ensure animals will not escape or will not be trapped or injured. Pasture pens must be equipped with shelters that will adequately protect the animals from adverse weather conditions; and must be equipped with suitably located self filling drinking troughs and suitably located feeding troughs that are easily accessible to the animals and that are not liable to be soiled.

5. Ostrich and other ratite bird races or passageways of a suitable width shall be provided, from the ostrich or other ratite bird lairage pen or pens to the stunning pen or box, to enable ostriches or other ratite birds to be moved by walking, without avoidable difficulty, excitement or distress and without bruising or injury from the lairage pens to the stunning pen or box.

6. The entrances to races, passageways, crushes, pens and stunning pens shall be funnel shaped, where necessary, to encourage and facilitate the easy entry of animals more readily.

7. Suitable long guide poles (not made of wood) and with suitably shaped durable "V" shaped or "C" shaped heads made of a reasonably soft durable material, with no pointed or sharp surfaces or ends and constructed in a manner that will avoid causing bruising or injury to the ostriches and other ratite birds, must be provided, and may be used by handlers to guide the animals, and to gently push away or fend off obstreperous animals.

Crooks may be used to gently crook and lower or catch the neck and head of the animals for hooding or stunning only, in a manner that causes no pain bruising or injury.

8. (1) A slaughter area, meaning a suitable distinctly separated area, within the slaughter and dressing area or room, or a slaughter room, of adequate size and height, and with suitable facilities for the stunning and bleeding of ostriches and other ratite birds, in accordance with these Regulations, must be provided and used for these purposes only.

(2) Ostriches and other ratite birds may be slaughtered in the same slaughter area or same slaughter room, as other animals, provided such slaughter area or room complies with Regulation 12 of the Principal Regulations and these Regulations.

(3) Where the slaughter and defeathering of ostriches and other ratite birds are carried out in the same room, a separate room of adequate size and height, and with suitable facilities, separated off from the dressing area, by doors, must be provided and used for such slaughter and de-feathering and such room must comply with the provisions of this Regulation and Regulations 9 and 10.

9. The slaughter area or slaughter room (for stunning and bleeding) shall be equipped with the following equipment and facilities:-

( a ) a suitable stunning pen or box in a separate stunning area for ostriches and other ratite birds that will confine and restrain ostriches and other ratite birds for stunning in a humane and secure manner that will avoid their bruising and injury, and shall be designed to permit and facilitate

(i) the application of loose shackle chains to one or both legs immediately before stunning, in a manner that permits the animal to remain standing, or during or after stunning where effective quick humane and safe means of shackling are carried out, unless other humane means of shackling approved by the Department of Agriculture and Food are used, and

(ii) the effective immobilising of the animals head and neck, for stunning, and the correct positioning and application of the stunning instrument, and the accurate and efficient stunning of the animal, in a humane manner, and

(iii) the immediate hoisting and suspension for bleeding of the animal immediately after stunning, and if necessary the immediate opening of the stunning pen sides, front or doors, to facilitate rapid hoisting and suspension for bleeding after stunning.

( b ) stunning equipment in good condition and in good efficient working order, and suitable and approved for the humane slaughter of ostriches and other ratite birds, in guidelines issued by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

( c ) suitable corrosion resistant shackles, and loose shackling chains of sufficient length to enable animals to remain standing when shackled live, and a hoist and continuous rails for bleeding, that communicates with the defeathering room and the dressing rails in the dressing room, or area and that is of a sufficient height to ensure all parts of the ostrich or other ratite bird, including the head, does not come in contact with the floor or other surfaces, when hoisted and suspended.

( d ) a separate bleeding area where blood must be drained to a separate suitable blood draining system, or collected in suitable leak proof containers.

10. (1) A separate suitable defeathering room of adequate size and height, separated by doors from the slaughter dressing, skinning and evisceration areas or rooms, and with a suitable rail system for the suspension of animals (including the heads) above the floor, and suitable facilities, (including suitable containers for the collection of feathers) shall be provided for the plucking and defeathering of ostriches and other ratite birds unless the requirements of paragraph (2) are complied with.

Where scalding or wet plucking and de-feathering is carried out, a separate area and suitable facilities and equipment to ensure efficient complete wet plucking and de-feathering must be provided.

(2) ( a ) a slaughter, stunning and bleeding room may also be used for plucking and de-feathering, if of adequate size and height, to carry out these operations, and to comply with Regulations 8, 9, 10, 20, 21, 22 and 23 of these Regulations, provided blood is collected in a suitable manner in the bleeding area and is not allowed fall on the floor of the de-feathering area and provided the room complies with the requirements for a defeathering room at paragraph (1); a separate de-feathering area, adequately separated from the stunning and bleeding slaughter area must be provided in the slaughter room, if also used for de-feathering.

( b ) a separate pig scalding and dehairing room may also be used to pluck and defeather ostriches or other ratite birds provided the room is of adequate size and height, and satisfies the requirement of paragraph (1) for a defeathering room, and provided it is stringently and thoroughly cleaned and clean, before and after such use.

(3) The room in which ostriches or other ratite birds are plucked and defeathered shall be fitted with a mechanical air extractor fan and vent, for the removal of down and dust from the abattoirs atmosphere during plucking and de-feathering operations.

11. A continuous communicating overhead rail system shall be provided and suitably positioned and used to suspend ostriches or other ratite birds, including the head and neck above the floor, in a manner that avoids contact with any surfaces, in the slaughter area or room, de-feathering room and dressing, skinning and evisceration area or room, to enable ostriches or other ratite birds to be moved by rail, between the aforesaid areas and rooms, for bleeding, plucking, dressing, skinning and evisceration.

A transfer hoist must be provided and used to transfer carcasses to the dressing rail after skinning and removal of the legs at the tibial tarsal (hock) joints, unless the transfer can be otherwise carried out hygienically without risk of contamination or without removal of the carcass from a suspended position on the rail system.

12. (1) A separate dressing area or room of adequate size and height shall be provided for the skinning, evisceration and dressing of ostriches and other ratite birds, and must be located in a separate room, to the room used for de-feathering, and shall be arranged to provide (i) a skinning area with adequate space for skinning operations and (ii) an evisceration area, with adequate space for evisceration operations, spatially separated and connected by a continuous overhead rail for dressing animals, suspended above the floor at a suitable height and in a suitable position. A door or doors shall be provided, between the dressing area or room and the room in which de-feathering is carried out.

(2) Ostriches and other ratite birds may be skinned, eviscerated and dressed in the same dressing area or room as other animals, provided it is a separate room to the room used for the de-feathering of the ostriches and other ratite birds.

(3) Suitable containers or other hygienic means shall be provided for the retention and identification of viscera, with the carcass, for veterinary inspection, and suitable barrows and containers shall be provided for waste offals.

13. (1) A suitable cold room of adequate size and dimensions, shall be provided, for the refrigeration of ostrich and other ratite birds carcasses and red offals immediately after slaughter to an internal temperature of 4 degrees centigrade or cooler in the case of carcasses, or parts of carcasses and at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler in the case of offals, intended for human consumption.

(2)The cold room must be equipped with rails, or hanging frames, and hooks, trees and other facilities for suspending and hanging carcasses and red offals (hearts, livers, neck) hygienically without risk of contamination, in a manner that ensures carcasses, red offals or meat do not come in contact with the floor, walls, doors, fittings or other surfaces, and that ensures the free circulation of chilled air around carcasses.

(3) Ostrich and other ratite bird carcasses and red offals must be stored in a separate cold room or in a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals provided such cold room is large enough to enable such carcasses and red offals to be stored in a separate area, and provided such cold room is maintained under refrigeration to chill and store such carcasses and red offal at the aforementioned temperatures in accordance with these Regulations.

14. Where the carcasses or meat of ostriches or other ratite birds are cut up, or wrapped or vacuum wrapped or packaged at the abattoir:--

( a ) cut up meat that is not wrapped or packaged must be stored at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler in a separate cold room equipped with a centigrade thermometer, or in separate refrigerated accommodation equipped with a centigrade thermometer, of adequate size and capacity or in a separate area of the cold room referred to in Regulation 13 or of a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals if of adequate size to provide such a separate area for the storage of such meat in a manner that will avoid its contamination,

( b ) wrapped or vacuum wrapped meat wrapped in food grade plastic wrapping only, must be stored at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler, in a separate cold room equipped with a centigrade thermometer, or in separate refrigerated accommodation equipped with a centigrade thermometer, of adequate size and capacity for the storage of such meat only or alternatively, if permitted in writing by the Department of Agriculture and Food, it may be stored in a separate area of the cold room referred to in Regulation 13 or of a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals adequately and spatially separated from exposed fresh meat or carcasses, in a manner that will avoid contamination, if of adequate size to satisfy this requirement, unless such permission is withdrawn,

( c ) packaged meat must be stored at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler in a separate cold room equipped with a centigrade thermometer, or in a separate refrigerated accommodation, equipped with a centigrade thermometer of adequate size and capacity, for the separate storage of packaged meat only,

( d ) deep frozen meat must be stored in accordance with Regulation 27, at an internal temperature of minus 12 degrees centigrade, or colder,

( e ) all meat referred to in this Regulation, must be stored in a manner that will avoid its contamination, and cold rooms must be equipped for the storage of such meat, and its containers, off floors.

15. A vermin proof skin room must be provided and used for the storage of skins of ostriches and other ratite birds unless removed from the abattoir on the day of slaughter.

16. A separate vermin proof feather storage room, must be provided and used for the storage of feathers, unless removed from the abattoir on the day of slaughter, or unless stored as waste, in a vermin proof waste room or covered skip or container, in the waste area.

Part V

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ABATTOIRS SLAUGHTERING OSTRICHES AND OTHER RATITE BIRDS.

17. (1) Ostriches or other ratite birds may only be slaughtered in an abattoir, on days when no other species of animal is slaughtered in the abattoir.

(2) Abattoir premises and equipment used to slaughter ostriches or other ratite birds, and other species of animals, must be stringently and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before and after they are so used, and must be maintained in an absolutely clean condition.

(3) Persons employed in the abattoir, and involved in the handling, reception, unloading, movement, lairaging, care and slaughter of ostriches or other ratite birds, shall have the knowledge and skill necessary to perform all such operations and duties humanely and efficiently, in accordance with these Regulations.

(4) The farmer supplier of the holding of origin of the ostriches or other ratite birds shall be obliged:--

( a ) to give and supply the farmer suppliers declaration prescribed in Schedule 11 to these Regulations, to the abattoir occupier with each consignment of animals, or

( b ) to immediately remove the animals from the abattoir after arrival, and to return them to the holding of origin when there has been failure to supply the farmer supplier's declarations, except where the veterinary inspector otherwise directs.

(5) The abattoir occupier shall be prohibited from accepting ostriches or other ratite birds at the abattoir for slaughter, without the declaration of the farmer supplier of the holding of origin of the animals, prescribed in Schedule II to these Regulations.

(6) The abattoir occupier shall be obliged to retain and keep on file or record the farmer suppliers declarations referred to in paragraph (4) at the abattoir, for at least 3 months from the date of slaughter of the animals, and shall be obliged to make such declarations available for inspection to the veterinary inspector on the day of slaughter, and subsequently on request.

18. (1) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be loaded with care, by walking off transport vehicles in a calm, humane, unhurried, safe manner that will avoid their excitement, slipping, falling, bruising, pain, injury or entrapment in fitting or any cruelty and in a secure manner that will avoid their escape.

(2) Ostriches and other ratite birds must be moved and handled with care by calmly driving, leading, guiding, or herding and walking the animals, in an unhurried, humane, safe manner, that will cause no avoidable excitement, distress, or suffering or any bruising, pain, or injury or any cruelty and in a secure manner that will avoid their escape.

(3) The use of electric goads to drive or move ostriches or other ratite birds, is prohibited.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 57 of the Principal Regulations,

( a ) long guide poles with suitable heads to guide and gently push away or fend off obstreperous ostriches and other ratite birds, as referred to in Regulation 7, may be used by abattoir staff provided they are used to the minimum for these purposes only in a manner that does not cause pain, bruising or injury, to the animals, and provided they are not used to strike, prod, beat or otherwise abuse the animals,

( b ) crooks may be used to gently crook and lower or catch the neck of the animals for hooding or stunning only, in a manner the causes no pain, bruising or injury.

(5) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be penned in the lairage pens referred to in Regulation 3 at the abattoir or in adjacent pasture pens, referred to in Regulation 4 with their own species, until the time of slaughter, and shall not be overcrowded in pens, and shall have a sufficient clean fresh supply of wholesome drinking water available at all times, in self filling troughs during such confinement.

Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be given reasonable time in pens after transport to rest or settle down, before slaughter. Ostrich or other ratite birds that are tired, distressed or agitated after transport, or for other reasons, shall be given time to rest and settle down before slaughter.

Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be suitably and adequately protected against adverse weather conditions, and precautions shall be taken to ensure animals are not subjected to any unnecessary stress, suffering or cruelty.

Ostriches and other ratite birds hostile to each other must be penned in separate pens.

19. (1) Ostriches or other ratite birds shall be slaughtered without undue delay, on the same day as they arrive at the abattoir, except -

( a ) when the veterinary inspector requires their resting before slaughter, or detention.

( b ) when animals are permitted by the veterinary inspector to be held overnight in lairage pens in the abattoir in accordance with Regulation 19(4), after which they must be slaughtered without undue delay on the following day.

( c ) when animals are held overnight in pasture pens, in accordance with Regulation 19(3).

(2) Ostriches or other ratite birds shall not be kept overnight in pasture pens, otherwise than in accordance with paragraph (3), or in lairage pens in the abattoir, otherwise than in accordance with paragraph (4). °

(3) When ostriches or other ratite birds are held overnight for slaughter, the animals must be penned in pasture pens with their own species and must be provided with an adequate quantity of suitable wholesome food, clean fresh drinking water and adequate shelter for sustenance and protection against adverse weather conditions.

(4) The veterinary inspector may, at his discretion, permit overnight lairaging of ostriches and other ratite birds in lairage pens in the abattoir as referred to in paragraph (1) (b), for one night, in the case of individual consignments of animals, on a case by case basis, provided the animals are penned with their own species, and provided the animals are given adequate and sufficient space to move around, feed, drink and rest without difficulty or distress, and where an adequate supply of wholesome food and clean fresh drinking water and suitable adequate shelter is provided for such animals.

(5) The abattoir occupier shall be obliged to give prior notice to, and obtain the prior permission of the veterinary inspector when animals are to be held overnight in lairage pens in the abattoir (but not in the case of pasture pens referred to in Regulation 3) and must satisfy the veterinary inspector that the provisions of paragraph (4) will be and are complied with.

20. (1) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be slaughtered in a separate slaughter area or slaughter room, in a humane efficient safe manner.

(2) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall not be brought to the stunning pen or box unless they are to be slaughtered immediately.

(3) Ostriches and other birds shall be slaughtered defeathered and dressed, one at a time, unless such operations can be and are carried out in an efficient humane orderly clean hygienic manner, in accordance with these Regulations, in a manner satisfactory to the veterinary inspector.

(4) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be confined and restrained for slaughter in a suitable stunning pen or box in a manner that will

( a ) facilitate and ensure their secure confinement, restraint and ease of handling, in a humane manner;

( b ) facilitate the hooding of the animal, and the catching, holding, lowering and restraint and effective immobilisation of the neck and head for stunning;

( c ) facilitate the safe and efficient loose shackling of the leg or legs immediately before stunning in a manner that permits the animal to remain standing until stunned, or during or after stunning where shackling can be carried out in an efficient quick humane and safe manner or facilitates any other system or means of shackling approved in writing by the Minister;

( d ) facilitate the correct and accurate positioning and application of the stunning instrument to the head before and during stunning, and the humane and efficient stunning of the animal;

( e ) facilitate the immediate hoisting of the animal immediately after stunning, for bleeding, and if necessary the rapid opening of the sides, front, or doors of the stunning pen or box after stunning to facilitate such immediate hoisting;

( f ) not cause avoidable excitement, distress, suffering, pain, bruising or injury to the animal;

(5) Ostriches and other ratite birds shall be stunned, and slaughtered in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

21. Ostriches and other ratite birds must be -

( a ) hoisted rapidly and suspended, for bleeding, immediately after stunning, over the bleeding area in a manner that ensures all parts of the animal, including the head, when hoisted, does not come in contact with the floor or other surfaces;

( b ) bled as soon as possible after and within 60 seconds of stunning, by sharp knife incisions, by a complete ventral cut across the lower side of the neck immediately below the head, in a manner that ensures the severance of the carotid arteries and the jugular veins, on both lateral sides, or by sharp knife incision or thoracic sticking of the main arteries and blood vessels at the base of the heart at the thoracic inlet or breast below where the neck enters the chest, in a manner that ensures the severance of the main blood vessels of the heart, or both such aforementioned incisions, in a manner that ensures profuse rapid bleeding;

( c ) blood shall be collected in containers, and shall not be allowed fall on the floor, unless the bleeding area is used for bleeding only, has a blood collection and drainage system, and is not used for defeathering or any other operation or activity;

( d ) bleeding shall be carried out for as long as necessary, until bleeding is complete, and the animal is dead.

22. After bleeding, ostrich and other ratite birds must remain suspended on hoists, rails or other hanging devices at all times for defeathering, skinning, evisceration, dressing, movement and storage of the carcase in the cold room in a manner that ensures no parts of the animal, including the head, or the carcase comes in contact with the floor or other surfaces.

23. (1) No plucking or dressing operations shall be carried out, on the ostrich or other ratite bird, until the animal is bled and dead, and bleeding is complete.

(2) ( a ) plucking and de-feathering must be carried out in a separate room in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 10;

( b ) a mechanical air extractor fan must be switched on and used during plucking and de-feathering operations, to remove down and dust from the atmosphere of the de-feathering room.

(3) Plucking must be carried out, without delay, after bleeding is complete, on the suspended animal and plucking and defeathering must be complete, including the removal of all tail and wing tip feathers, unless the wings are cut off and removed at the radius-ulna elbow joint and discarded.

The head shall be cut off and removed and identified with the carcass and retained for veterinary inspection, in the defeathering room, or alternatively should be enclosed and tied in a protective transparent plastic bag, for cutting off and removal in the dressing room.

(4) Feathers shall be collected into containers and not plucked or allowed to fall on the floors, and shall not be allowed accumulate in the plucking area, and shall be removed during plucking operations as necessary and at the end of each days slaughter, from the plucking room.

(5) Defeathering must be carried out in a manner that will avoid contamination or the risk of contamination of carcasses or meat.

24. (1) Ostriches and other ratite birds must be dressed (meaning skinned, eviscerated and dressed) in a separate dressing area of the slaughter and dressing room, or in a separate dressing room, separate from the defeathering room.

(2) All doors between the defeathering room and the slaughter and dressing room, or dressing room, must be kept closed during slaughter, plucking and dressing operations.

(3) Ostriches and other ratite birds must be suspended for skinning, evisceration and dressing in a manner that ensures no part of the animal, including the head, or carcass comes into contact with the floor or other surfaces.

(4) Skinning shall not be commenced or carried out, until defeathering is complete, and shall be carried out immediately after complete defeathering.

(5) ( a ) skinning, removal of the head, (if not removed in the de-feathering room) and legs at the tibial tarsal (hock) joints and transfer of the skinned carcass to the dressing rail must be carried out without delay, in a separate skinning area of the dressing area or room, hygienically;

( b ) skinning must be carried out hygienically in a manner that avoids soiling or contamination of the carcase, red offal or meat;

( c ) after removal, the skin shall be removed from the dressing area to the skin storage area outside the dressing area. If the head is removed in the dressing area, it shall be identified with the carcase, and retained in a transparent protective plastic bag, for veterinary inspection;

( d ) after skinning is complete the neck should be removed and shall be hygienically hung, retained and identified with the carcase for veterinary inspection;

( e ) skinning must be complete before evisceration or opening into the body cavities, is commenced.

(6)

( a ) after skinning and removal of the legs, head and neck are completed, and transfer of the skinned carcase to the dressing rail, the carcase shall be moved to the evisceration area of the dressing area for evisceration;

( b ) animals shall be suspended for evisceration and evisceration shall be carried out, by complete removal of all viscera of the thoracic abdominal and pelvic cavities, without delay after skinning and shall be completed, within 45 minutes of slaughter;

( c ) evisceration shall be carried out in a clean hygienic manner that avoids soiling or contamination of carcasses or meat;

( d ) before evisceration

(i) the bung (meaning the anus vent and rectum) must be carefully freed by knife incision from its surrounding tissues and bagged (enclosed in a plastic bag) and tied off or ligated, in a manner which prevents leakage of contents from the digestive or urinary tract, or contamination of the carcase, and

(ii) the oesophagus must be exposed, freed and stripped from its natural connections and tied off or ligated, to prevent leakage of digestive tract contents and contamination.

( e ) care must be taken during evisceration to avoid incision or puncture into the digestive or urinary tract, or leakage of their contents, or contamination of the carcase, red offals or meat;

( f ) evisceration shall be carried out by opening the sternum, abdomen and pelvic cavity along the mid line, from the sternum to the tail, with or without the removal of the clavicle, or by any other means approved in writing, by the Department of Agriculture and Food;

( g ) the liver, heart and kidneys shall be hygienically hung and retained with the neck and identified with the carcase of origin, for veterinary inspection. The carcass and offal and viscera of each animal shall be retained for inspection, until veterinary inspection is completed;

( h ) if not inspected immediately after removal from the carcase, viscera, retained, and identified with the carcass for veterinary inspection must be removed to the offal inspection room;

The crop or intestines shall not be opened or incised into, in the dressing area or room.

( i ) cutting of the skinned eviscerated dressed carcass, to separate the thoraco abdominal part, from the pelvic part and both leg thighs, may be carried out in a separate area of the dressing room immediately after evisceration is completed;

The bones and waste portion of the carcass must be placed in waste barrows or containers for removal.

( j ) care shall be exercised with evisceration, so as to ensure that--

(i) there is no unnecessary incision or rupture of any organ during dressing and evisceration, and

(ii) offal for human consumption is removed from the carcase in such a way, as to avoid contamination of the offal or carcase, and

(iii) after removal the carcase and viscera are handled in a hygienic manner.

( k ) the head, the legs below the tibial tarsal joints, the skin, and the following viscera, namely the trachea, lungs, oesophagus, crop, intestines and kidneys shall be excluded from human consumption.

( l ) trimmings, legs and other waste shall be deposited in waste containers and removed during dressing operations as necessary to the waste room or waste area in a manner that avoids contamination of carcasses, red offals, meat or premises.

(8) Where ostriches and other ratite birds have been microchipped, such microchips must be removed from carcasses and meat.

25. (1) Immediately after the completion of evisceration and dressing, carcasses and their red offals, identifiable with the carcass of origin, must be clean and free from contamination and fully dressed, and must be refrigerated without delay and stored at an internal temperature of 4 degrees centigrade or cooler in the cases of carcasses or parts of carcasses, and at 3 degrees centigrade or cooler in the case of offals intended for human consumption.

(2) Ostrich and other ratite bird carcasses must be suspended on rails or hanging frames, for refrigeration in cold rooms in a manner that will avoid their contamination and ensures free circulation of chilled air around carcasses.

(3) Ostrich and other ratite bird carcasses and red offals and meat must be stored in a separate cold room or in a separate area of a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals if large enough to comply with Regulation 13, in a manner that will avoid contact with the carcasses or meat of other species, and that will avoid contamination.

(4) Offals intended for human consumption, or parts of carcasses or meat, must be hygienically hung in the cold room, or alternatively must be stored in clean food grade containers, with both the meat and containers stored off the floor, in a manner that will avoid contamination, and will ensure the free circulation of chilled air, and refrigerated storage of the meat, at the aforesaid temperatures.

26 If ostrich or other ratite bird carcasses or meat are cut up, or wrapped or vacuum wrapped or packaged in the abattoir -

( a ) carcasses must be refrigerated to an internal temperature of 4 degrees centigrade or cooler and red offals at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler during such cutting up, wrapping or packaging;

( b ) they must be cut up in a separate temperature controlled cutting room maintained at 12 degrees centigrade or cooler in accordance with Regulations 79, (l)(2)(4)(5), 82 and 83 of the Principal Regulations;

( c ) splinters of bone and blood clots must be removed from meat, and all scraps and bones from cutting must be placed in containers, and removed to the waste room or area;

( d ) cut up meat that is not wrapped or packaged, must be stored at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler, in clean food grade containers, with both the meat and its container stored off the floor, in a hygienic manner that avoids its contamination and ensures the free circulation of chilled air around such meat in a separate cold room or in separate refrigerated accommodation, or in a separate area of the cold room referred to in Regulation 13 or of a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals, if of adequate size, in accordance with Regulation 14(a);

( e ) wrapped or vacuum wrapped meat, wrapped in food grade plastic wrapping only must be stored at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler, with both the meat and its wrapping and container if used, stored off the floor, in a hygienic manner that avoids its contamination and will ensure the free circulation of chilled air around such wrapped meat, in a separate cold room or in separate refrigerated accommodation, for such meat only in accordance with Regulation 14(b) or where permitted in writing by the Department of Agriculture and Food, such wrapped meat may be stored in a separate area of the cold room referred to in Regulation 13 or of a cold room used for refrigerated storage of carcasses or meat of other species of animals if of adequate size, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 14 unless such permission is withdrawn;

( f ) packaged meat must be stored under refrigeration, at an internal temperature of 3 degrees centigrade or cooler, in a separate cold room, or in separate refrigerated accommodation for such meat only, in accordance with Regulation 14.

27. Where carcasses or parts thereof, or meat of ostriches or other ratite birds are deep frozen, such meat must be deep frozen and stored at an internal temperature of minus 12 degrees centigrade or colder, in accordance with Regulations 17(2) and 77(5)(c) of the Principal Regulations, in a hygienic manner such as will ensure it is protected from contamination. Packaged deep frozen meat must be stored in separate freezer room or deep freezer accommodation for packaged meat only.

( c ) the introduction of a new Schedule II as follows:

SCHEDULE II

DECLARATION OF FARMER SUPPLIER OF OSTRICHES OR OTHER RATITE BIRDS TO ABATTOIR FOR SLAUGHTER

In relation to the fitness of the ratities (ostriches, emus or rheas) for human consumption

I HEREBY DECLARE THAT I AM THE FARMER SUPPLIER OF THE HOLDING OF ORIGIN OF THE ABOVE OSTRICHES/EMUS/RHEAS, (DELETE AS NECESSARY) AND THAT THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT.

Given under my Official Seal this 8th day of October, 1997.

JOE WALSH,

Minister for Agriculture and Food.

Explanatory Note

These Regulations lay down requirements for the construction and operation of abattoirs slaughtering ratite birds.