Carcass : Inspection (1)

Aim

The aim is to ensure that a proper inspection of culled animals is carried out in order to:

• Minimise the risk of diseased or contaminated carcasses entering the food chain
• Assist in containing outbreaks of disease.

 

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  inspection 1: large intestine (stomach bag) and small intestine as they first appear...
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  inspection 2: Lymph nodes on the intestines. Mesenteric lymph nodes are found in a chain around the large intestine. to inspect, lay the gralloch down with the large intestine underneath the small intestine.
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  inspection 3: spread out the small intestine to find the chain of nodes running alongside.
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  inspection 4: bronchial, medistinal and portal lymph nodes are found in three distinct areas of the pluck...
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  inspection 5: Bronchial lymph nodes - on left and right - these nodes are found on on either side of the windpipe close to the top of the lungs. The left bronchial node is usually smaller than the right side
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  inspection 6: Medistinal lymph nodes are located at the top of the lungs close to the main blood vessels running between the lungs
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  inspection 7: Portal lymph nodes are found adjacent to the liver

 

Justification

• Food safety is the responsibility of all who shoot, dress, transport and process venison. On 1st January 2006, new EU food hygiene regulations1 were introduced to the UK Different parts of the legislation apply to different operations. No matter what the operation, however, there is a legal obligation to ensure that all food is safe to eat. It is a legal requirement for any wild game or wild game meat intended for sale to an approved game handling establishment (AGHE) to be inspected by a “trained” person.
• It is strongly recommended that where venison is intended for home consumption or sale directly to the final consumer, that the carcass and organs are also subjected to a full inspection.
• HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles should be followed from before the shot through to the meat being prepared for the plate. There is a legal requirement for a formal HACCP from when the carcass is processed.
• The “trained” person is responsible for recording and reporting:
  1) unusual behaviour in the animal before culling
  2) any abnormality observed in the gralloch, head and legs
  3) any condition which might lead one to suspect infection with a Notifiable Disease*
  

Training

Practitioners should be properly trained to carry out carcass inspection. A “trained person”, referred to in the new EU regulations, should have sufficient knowledge and skill to identify any abnormal characteristics, behaviour or environmental contamination.

Procedure in the Field

• Before taking the shot note any abnormal behaviour
• After checking the animal is dead, inspect its general condition for obvious signs of serious disease or injury e.g. broken bones, emaciation, severe diarrhoea, weeping sores, major swellings or infected wounds.

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