Current Meat Inspection Research Articles

The Value of Current Ante Mortem Meat Inspection and Food Chain Information of Dairy Cows in Relation to Post Mortem Findings and the Protection of Public Health: A Case for a More Risk-Based Meat Inspection.

In this study, the contribution of the ante mortem (AM) inspection and the food chain information (FCI) to ensuring meat safety and public health was investigated, by evaluating the slaughterhouse findings of 223,600 slaughtered dairy cows in the Netherlands. The outcome of this study was that the ante mortem (AM) and post mortem (PM) inspections have a substantial overlap, and that with regard to food safety and public health in over 99% of cases the PM could even be omitted on the basis of the AM. In this study, the data provided by the dairy farmers on the current FCI forms contributed little to nothing with regard to the outcomes of AM and PM inspection. It is concluded that current meat inspection procedures need an update and a more risk-based approach needs to be adopted. Regarding this, the AM inspection of dairy cattle should remain, because it plays an important role in ensuring food safety (e.g., by preventing contamination of the slaughter line by excessively dirty animals, or animals with abscesses), monitoring animal welfare and in detecting some important notifiable diseases. The PM inspection, however, could in many cases be omitted, provided there is a strict AM inspection complemented by a vastly improved (automated) way of obtaining reliable FCI.

Evaluation of Postmortem Inspection Procedures to Diagnose Bovine Tuberculosis at Debre Birhan Municipal Abattoir.

Simple SummaryTuberculosis is transmitted from animal to human by consuming raw or under cooked meat and milk from infected animals. Careful meat inspection considering all parts of the carcass is very important. However, most abattoirs in Ethiopia are performing only routine meat inspection which does not examine the organs in detail. Failure to do so might result in undetected lesions. In this study, two methods (routine and detailed meat inspections) were compared to inspect carcasses at abattoir level. Our study clearly shows that the routine meat inspection method misses about 89% of the tuberculosis lesions identified by detailed meat inspection. Based on detailed meat inspection, overall 4.7% of lesions suggestive of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) were found in the carcass of cattle slaughtered at Debre Birhan municipality abattoir during the study period. However, the routine meat inspection only detected 0.5% of the carcasses examined as having Tuberclosis (TB) lesions. Anatomically, 66% of the lesions were found in the lungs and associated lymph nodes, 21% in lymph nodes of the head, and 13% in the lymph nodes of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, lesion distribution routine and detailed meat inspection and their sensitivity with respect to lesion detection was identified.Routine meat inspection in the abattoir was used to examine carcass for subsequent approval for consumption. However, the chance of missing lesions results in approval of carcass and/or the offal with lesions of tuberculosis. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Birhan Municipal abattoir from October 2016 to May 2017. Lesion prevalence estimation and two meat inspection procedures’ efficacy evaluation was attempted. The breeds of the animals inspected were zebu breeds. Routine abattoir meat inspection involves visual inspection, palpation and incision of intact organs such as the liver and kidneys, as well as inspection, palpation and incision of tracheobronchial, mediastinal and prescapular lymph nodes. The detailed meat inspection involves inspection of each of the carcass. In this case, the seven lobes of the two lungs, lymph nodes and organs were also thoroughly examined. The cut surfaces were examined under bright light sources for the presence of an abscess, cheesy mass, and tubercles in detail. The study involved and compared both routine and detailed meat inspections at the abattoir. Chi-square test of independence and odds ratio were used to see the association of lesion and different risk factors. Based on detailed meat inspection, the overall lesion prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the carcass of cattle slaughtered at Debre Birhan municipality abattoir was found to be 4.7% but only 0.5% of the carcass examined had detectable bovine tuberculosis lesions when routine abattoir meat inspection alone was used. The majority of the lesions were distributed to the lungs and associated lymph nodes. There was a significant association (p < 0.05) in TB infection rate and body condition score. In conclusion, this study has clearly indicated the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis lesions in the abattoir that are missed by routine abattoir meat inspection. In addition, it showed low sensitivity of the routine meat inspection procedure used. Hence, our study warrants immediate attention to strengthen the current meat inspection practices at Debre Birhan public abattoir.

Challenges and opportunities in the implementation of new meat inspection systems in Europe

BackgroundThe traditional meat inspection system is often found to be inefficient. Meat inspection in European countries is in a phase of modernisation to reflect improvements in livestock health and advances in understanding meat safety. The key point of progress is to replace the traditional meat inspection with risk-based meat inspection, including the elements of a meat safety assurance system (MSAS). Scope and approachModernisation of meat inspection was launched by the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) opinions and recommendations in the period 2011–2013 and consequent amendments to the EU meat inspection legislation in the period 2014–2019. For this study, the EU-funded RIBMINS COST Action conducted a comprehensive survey using an in-depth questionnaire to estimate the level of implementation of new risk-based meat inspection systems in Europe, stakeholders' confidence in the new systems and the main identified obstacles. Key findings and conclusionsThe implementation of new meat inspection systems is still ongoing, as they have been fully implemented in just 61%, 42% and 38% of the surveyed countries in the pig, bovine, and poultry sectors, respectively. The main identified obstacles are existing trade agreements with 3rd countries, costs of implementation, inadequate food chain information and resistance from meat inspectors. Improvement of all components of the current meat inspection systems is a prerequisite for further modernisation.

Ineffectiveness of meat inspection in the detection of Taenia solium cysticerci in pigs slaughtered at two abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Porcine and human cysticercosis, caused by the larval stage of tapeworm Taenia solium, is a zoonosis in southern Africa and known to be endemic in South Africa, mainly in Eastern Cape Province. No efforts to control or eradicate this parasite have been made, despite the increasing occurrence in most Eastern Cape districts, except for routine meat inspection at local abattoirs. The parasite poses a potentially serious agricultural problem, public health risk and economic loss amongst Eastern Cape smallholder pig production communities. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of routine meat inspection for the detection of porcine cysticercosis in pigs from rural smallholder/subsistence production systems in Eastern Cape Province villages. The effectiveness of meat inspection, by registered meat inspectors, in the detection of pigs infected with T. solium cysts was assessed and compared with whole carcass dissection as the "gold standard" method. The commercial antigen enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (B158/B160 Ag-ELISA) kit screened all the slaughtered animals. The proportion of pigs found infected with T. solium cysts, as measured by meat inspection, was lower (5%, 9/180) than with carcass dissection (18.9%, 34/180) and B158/B60 Ag-ELISA test (21.6%, 38/176). Four out of 180 carcasses were heavily infested with T. solium cysts, evenly distributed throughout the carcasses, to a level impossible to enumerate. Of the remaining 176 carcasses, approximately 526 cysticerci, distributed at various anatomical regions of the pig, were counted during carcass dissection. Sites with higher cyst counts, such as the back and hind leg, do not form part of the normal meat inspection regime. The level of agreement (Kappa statistic) between dissection (gold standard) and meat inspection of the two districts was negative (-0.1955). There was a slight agreement in the Kappa statistic (0.0328) between dissection and B158/B60 Ag-ELISA. This study confirms that current meat inspection procedures alone are not sufficiently sensitive to detect all cases of porcine cysticercosis at the abattoirs and require modifications, or should be supplemented by other methods. A risk-based meat safety assurance system, such as HACCP, that considers specific food safety aspects before and after the abattoir (point of slaughter) should be followed. Before slaughter, aspects such as origin, husbandry practices and on-farm animal health control should be considered; after slaughter, the abattoir should inform the next entity in the supply chain of the limitations of meat inspections and the real meaning of an "Approval" stamp. New validated testing methods that can be routinely used should be developed, and government should develop policies and legislation that promotes a risk-based meat safety assurance system throughout the food supply chain.

The Herd-Level Sensitivity of Abattoir Surveillance for Bovine Tuberculosis: Simulating the Effects of Current and Potentially Modified Meat Inspection Procedures in Irish Cattle.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a series of opinions to assess the impact of changing from the current meat inspection procedures (CMI) to visual-only inspection (VOI) procedures. Concern has been raised that changes from CMI to VOI would adversely affect the effectiveness of surveillance for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in EU member states, both for countries with and without official status of bTB freedom (OTF and non-OTF countries, respectively). This study was conducted to estimate the impact of a change from CMI to VOI in abattoirs on herd-level detection sensitivity in Ireland, a non-OTF country. Using national Irish data, we identified all herds that sold at least one animal to slaughter during 2010–12 whilst unrestricted for bTB. For each of these herds, we calculated the number of cattle sent to slaughter whilst unrestricted, the number of factory lesion tests (FLT) that had been performed, and estimated the apparent within-herd prevalence (APwh). A FLT is a whole-herd test conducted in a herd following the confirmation of bTB in an animal at slaughter. We considered five different inspection scenarios, each based on meat inspection and bacteriology in series, including current meat inspection (CMI) and four visual-only inspection scenarios (VOI2, VOI3, VOI4, VOI5) with reducing inspection sensitivities. Separately for each inspection scenario, a simulation model was used to estimate the herd-level detection sensitivity and the number of bTB-herds (that is, herds that sent at least one animal detected with M. bovis to slaughter when unrestricted during 2010–12) that would and would not be detected. The simulated mean herd-level detection sensitivity estimates were 0.24 for CMI, and 0.16, 0.12, 0.10 and 0.08 for VOI2-5, assuming a 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-fold decrease, respectively, in the animal-level detection sensitivity of VOI relative to that of CMI. The estimated number of non-detected bTB-herds is substantial with CMI, and increases in the series of VOI scenarios with decreasing herd-level detection sensitivity. If VOI were introduced without alternative surveillance means to compensate for the decrease in animal-level inspection sensitivity, such changes might jeopardise bTB surveillance, control and eradication programmes in cattle herds of non-OTF countries, including Ireland.

Bovine cysticercosis in the European Union: Impact and current regulations, and an approach towards risk-based control

Bovine cysticercosis is caused by the larval stage of Taenia saginata and has a global distribution. This zoonosis usually causes only mild disease in humans, but has an important economic impact on the meat sector as bovine carcasses that are found to be infected are either condemned or undergo a costly treatment, which additionally results in a substantial reduction in carcass value. Regulations on control of bovine cysticercosis are in place but, at present, control is mainly based on meat inspection. Implementation of a new, risk-based meat safety assurance system, which will allow visual-only inspection of slaughtered cattle in order to reduce the potential for cross-contamination with bacteria that are of greatest public health risk, is expected in the European Union in the near future. With this system, the detection sensitivity for bovine cysticercosis that is already low with the current meat inspection system, would be expected to decrease further. Alternatives for successful control of bovine cysticercosis are necessary. Some substitution or supplementary measures, such as serological tests or additional incisions out of the slaughter-line, have been proposed, but further research is necessary in order to confirm their sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, new methods that can be routinely used should be developed. Preferably, these measures would be validated and in place prior to implementation of the new meat safety assurance system, in a move towards effective, risk-based control of bovine cysticercosis in the European Union.

Comparison of output-based approaches used to substantiate bovine tuberculosis free status in Danish cattle herds

We compared two published studies based on different output-based surveillance models, which were used for evaluating the performance of two meat inspection systems in cattle and to substantiate freedom from bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Denmark. The systems were the current meat inspection methods (CMI) vs. the visual-only inspection (VOI). In one study, the surveillance system sensitivity (SSe) was estimated to substantiate the bTB free status. The other study used SSe in the estimation of the probability of freedom (PFree), based on the epidemiological concept of negative predictive value to substantiate the bTB free status. Both studies found that changing from CMI to VOI would markedly decrease the SSe. However, the two studies reported diverging conclusions regarding the effect on the substantiation of Denmark as a bTB free country, if VOI were to be introduced.The objectives of this work were: (a) to investigate the reasons why conclusions based on the two models differed, and (b) to create a hybrid model based on elements from both studies to evaluate the impact of a change from CMI to VOI. The hybrid model was based on the PFree approach to substantiate freedom from bTB and was parametrized with inputs according to the newest available information. The PFree was updated on an annual basis for each of 42 years of test-negative surveillance data (1995–2037), while assuming a low (<1%) annual probability of introduction of bTB into Danish cattle herds.The most important reasons for the difference between the study conclusions were: the approach chosen to substantiate the bTB free status (SSe vs. PFree) and the number of years of surveillance data considered.With the hybrid model, the PFree reached a level >95% after the first year of surveillance and remained ≥96% with both the CMI and VOI systems until the end of the analyzed period. It is appropriate to use the PFree of the surveillance system to substantiate confidence in bTB free status, when test-negative surveillance results can be documented over an extended period of time, while maintaining a low probability of introduction of bTB into the cattle population. For Denmark, the probability of introduction of bTB should be kept <1% on an annual basis to sustain the high confidence in freedom over time. The results could be considered when deciding if the CMI can be replaced by VOI in cattle abattoirs of countries for which bTB freedom can be demonstrated.

Spatial analysis of bovine cysticercosis in France in 2010

Abstract Bovine cysticercosis is a zoonosis caused by the cestode Taenia saginata and involves cattle as the intermediate host and humans as the final host. This disease is both a public health issue and an economic concern for farmers. Cattle are infected after grazing on infected pasture. Humans are infected by the consumption of raw or under-cooked meat. This study aimed to identify geographical areas where animals are infected by bovine cysticercosis so as to implement adequate control measures and to provide a risk-based meat inspection process for improving disease detection. Considering both the long period of cyst development in cattle muscle and the complexity of cattle movements, a spatial analysis of slaughtered cattle found to be harboring viable and degenerated cysts was a challenge. Detection of clusters of bovine cysticercosis cases was performed using a spatial scan statistic with a discrete Poisson model adjusted for a variable combining age and sex. The novelty of this approach was that it used an animal-herd level weighted analysis to take into account the uncertainty of the location where animals became infected. This study included 4,557,593 (91.3%) cattle slaughtered in 2010 in France in 181 slaughterhouses. The meat inspection process enabled the detection of 6431 cattle harboring at least one bovine cysticercosis lesion and 603 harboring at least one viable cyst. Three significant clusters for cattle with all types of cysts were detected through the spatial analysis in north-western and eastern France. One significant cluster was detected in eastern France for cattle with viable cysts only. The difference in location of the clusters detected, when considering only cattle harboring viable cysts or cattle harboring all types of cysts, proved the relevancy of this novel approach. We identified areas in France with a higher risk of bovine cysticercosis in which investigations could be performed to identify the risk factors that explained this spatial distribution. These risk factors could then be used to suggest control measures in these areas and to implement a reinforced meat inspection protocol so as to increase the efficiency of the current meat inspection process.

Occurrence and factors associated with bovine cysticercosis recorded in cattle at meat inspection in Denmark in 2004–2011

Current EU regulation requires that every bovine carcass is examined for bovine cysticercosis (BC) at meat inspection. This is costly and might be superfluous at low BC prevalence. However, from a consumer view-point it may be important to identify and manage infected carcasses to avoid human infection. If relevant data could be effectively used to classify animals with respect to their risk of being infected, then the current meat inspection could be replaced by a more cost-effective system targeting high-risk animals. This study aimed to (1) describe the distribution of BC cases in the Danish cattle population, (2) estimate the animal level prevalence (3) provide descriptive statistics of potential risk factors for BC, and (4) determine attributable risks and fractions of selected risk factors potentially useful for a future risk-based meat inspection system. In total, 348 cases of BC were recorded among all cattle slaughtered (n=4,090,661) in Denmark between 2004 and 2011. The true animal level prevalence of BC was estimated to be 0.06%. The herd of origin of the cases were defined as the herd in which the animals spent most of their lifetimes. The detected cases were found to originate from 328 herds, with a maximum of two cases per herd indicating sporadic occurrence. Even though organic farming was associated with a higher risk (RR=1.9 in univariable analysis) of BC-positive animals being detected at slaughter, the population attributable fraction showed that only 5% of the animals with BC could be attributed to organic farming practices at the level of organic farming practiced in Denmark in the study period. Thus, organic farming status was not a suitable risk factor to use to target future risk-based meat inspection. However, 54% of the animals with BC in the cattle population were attributed to female gender. Increasing age at slaughter was also associated with high risk of BC. There may be overlaps between these effects in animals with multiple risk factors. Other underlying factors such as grazing patterns might explain the risk factors and attribution results found in this study. However, grazing practices are currently not recorded in the Danish cattle database. Therefore, animal level risk factors such as age and gender together with other risk factors such as grazing practices might be included as food chain information, required to be provided by the farmer prior to slaughter. The challenges and opportunities of this approach should be investigated further.

Epidemiologic and economic evaluation of risk-based meat inspection for bovine cysticercosis in Danish cattle

Under the current EU meat inspection regulation, every single carcase from all bovines above 6 weeks of age has to be examined for bovine cysticercosis (BC). This is time-consuming, costly, and is of limited value in countries with low prevalence. The aim of this study was to develop a stochastic simulation model for analysis of tentative risk-based meat inspection systems for BC in Danish cattle with regard to system sensitivity (SSSe), specificity and potential monetary benefits compared to the current system, which has an estimated SSSe of 15%. The relevant risk factors used to construct three alternative scenario trees were identified from previous Danish risk factor studies (1) gender, (2) grazing and (3) access to risky water sources. Thus, females, animals that had been grazing or animals with access to risky water sources were considered high-risk and would be subjected to invasive inspection at meat inspection. All animals in the low-risk groups (i.e. males, non-grazing or no access to risky water sources, respectively) would be subjected to visual inspection only. It was assumed that half of the cattle were slaughtered in abattoirs that would be able to reorganise the work at the slaughterline, allowing them to do with one meat inspector less. All abattoirs would gain on the price of sold uncut beef from the masseter muscles from visually inspected cattle. Under these assumptions, using gender and grazing were preferable due to them having SSSe only slightly lower than the current system, and highest effectiveness ratios, but they had a lower net economic effect (NEE) than the scenario using risky water sources. Using gender to differentiate high and low-risk groups was judged preferable over grazing due to feasibility, because the information is readily available at the slaughter line. The exact total NEE for the cattle sector depends on how many and which of the abattoirs that would be able to reorganise the work at the slaughter line to save money on inspection of the head of carcases. Overall, the SSSe was low in all scenarios leading to undetected BC-positive cattle both in the current meat inspection and under the investigated risk-based meat inspection systems. Therefore, improving the sensitivity of the methods used for inspection of high-risk cattle would be beneficial.

The traditional meat inspection system: Strenghts, weaknesses and intention for modernisation

The system of traditional meat inspection was developed in the mid nineteenth century to detect zoonotic diseases in animals that posed the highest risk for meat consumers. Although the nature of veterinary public health problems has significantly changed over time, this system practically remained the same until today. Consequently, concerns have been expressed that current meat inspection can no longer be considered adequate to protect the public's health. Weaknesses of the current meat inspection are well recognized in developed countries and particularly in the European Union, where significant actions have been initiated recently - in order to modernize meat inspection to be risk-based. The European Commission asked the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) to deliver scientific opinions regarding modernization of meat inspection. So far, published scientific opinions - related to pig and poultry meat inspection - stressed the need for transformation of traditional meat inspection into the wider, longitudinal and integrated system - 'meat safety assurance'. If approved by the European Commission, these opinions will be a scientific basis for adoption of new legislation in respect of meat inspection in the European Union.

Taenia saginata in Europe

In spite of the EU directives that regulate meat inspection for bovine cysticercosis, Taenia saginata is still present in Europe and causes economic losses due to condemnation, refrigeration and downgrading of infected carcasses. The main reasons for this persistence include the low sensitivity of current meat inspection protocols, the dissemination and survival of eggs in the environment and cattle husbandry systems, which allow grazing on pastures and drinking from water streams. It is assumed that water streams and surface water are potentially contaminated with T. saginata eggs. Furthermore, current wastewater management not only fails to halt, but rather contributes to the dissemination of eggs in the environment. Here, the authors discuss an integrated approach for control of this food-borne zoonosis, as well as the potential use of serological methods as a way of improving detection of bovine cysticercosis.

Revisión: Los residuos en la inspección de la carne Review: Chemical residues in meat inspection

Edible tissues of food animals may contain residues of chemical substances harmful to human health, including animal drugs, mycotoxins and environmental contaminants. Current meat inspec tion activities rely mainly on visual inspection of the carcass and its offals at the slaughterhouse, and fail to detect chemical residues and enteric pathogens that are considered as major health risks associated with meat consumption. In contrast to traditional approaches, application of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) to meat production and inspection, constitutes the best alternative to reduce the incidence of residues and to improve meat safety. Application of HACCP to meat inspection virtually eliminates the need for finished product testing by identi fying the safety risks inherent in the meat production steps, from farm to table, and devising preventive measures which can be monitored in order to control the process. Accordingly, there is also a need for the development and application of analytical methods of enough sensitivity that allow real-time monitoring of chemical residues in live animals and their tissues.

Suggestions for the construction, analysis and use of descriptive epidemiological models for the modernization of meat inspection

There is consensus that scientifically validated, quantitative assessments of actual public health risks are a prerequisite for any sound modernization of current meat inspection procedures. This article outlines how such analyses could be conducted. Approaches that rely heavily upon extrapolations from theoretical dose-effect relationships are inadequate for the assessment of microbiological health risks associated with the production and consumption of meat. The use of highly structured and very elaborate descriptive epidemiological models covering the entire period from stable to table can be considered a promising solution. Health risks can be quantified by means of incidence rates and the influence of risk factors by means of odds ratios and (population) attributable fractions. A great advantage is that when it is not possible to quantify risks exactly, the descriptive models are detailed enough to be used in a hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP)-like approach and for writing validated codes of good manufacturing practice (GMP). There are, however, several conditions which have to be met before risk assessment can become the foundation of safety assurances for meat, such as active legislative support and the setting up of monitoring systems for zoonoses and other health hazards in animals and humans.

Indole and Skatole in Fresh Pork as Possible Markers of Fecal Contamination

Zero-tolerance levels for fecal contamination on beef, pork, and poultry have been proposed because of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses associated with pathogenic microorganisms from this source. As a result, changes in the current meat inspection system will have to include means other than visual inspection of the carcass to ensure the absence of contamination. While the principal need is for rapid, in-plant microbial testing methods, there is also a need for chemical-instrumental methods. A rapid solid-phase extraction method was developed to measure indole and skatole in porcine meat using a gas chromatograph interfaced with a chemiluminescence detector. The minimum detectable level for both compounds was 10 ppb. Results from the analysis of contaminated pork showed that this approach may have limited value in the assessment of fecal contamination in pork samples, since not all of the samples had detectable levels of either indole or skatole.

Current and emerging approaches to assuring the hygienic condition of red meats

Current meat inspection activities exclude overtly diseased animals and carcasses from human consumption, and prevent grossly unhygienic meat production practices. However, they have signally failed to reduce the incidence of enteric pathogens on meat although the transmission of such organisms from asymptomatic animals is recognized as the major health risk associated with meat. The general hygienic condition of meat will be improved only if effective Hazard Analysis: Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems can be developed for meat production, preparation and distribution processes. The development of effective HACCP systems is impeded by the uncertain commitment of managements to product improvement, the lack of defined procedures for the objective identification of hazardous practices, and the persistence of the subjective assessment of the hygienic condition of product. The development of objective procedures for hazard analysis could precipitate the resolution of the other impediments to HACCP implementation. Key words: Meat hygiene, meat inspection, hazard analysis, process control, HACCP

A pathological and microbiological evaluation of omphalophlebitis in very young calves slaughtered in New Zealand

Omphalophlebitis, generally referred to as navel ill, is a common post-mortem meat inspection finding in very young calves slaughtered in New Zealand, and a gross pathological, histopathological and bacteriological evaluation of 147 carcasses condemned for this condition at routine post-mortem meat inspection was undertaken. Localised lesions restricted to the umbilicus alone were present in 29.9% of cases. The majority of cases included gross pathological change in the umbilical vessels and other tissue sites beyond the umbilicus. Most hepatic nodes were grossly normal but histological examination revealed that 61.5% of nodes from other than localised cases of navel ill were hyperplastic. However, there was little difference in the prevalence of hyperplastic hepatic nodes from cases of localised navel ill (21.4%) compared with normal calves (15.9%). Despite the wide range of bacteria isolated from umbilical lesions, Salmonella typhimurium recovered from the navel, liver and hepatic nodes of a single extended case of navel ill was the only isolation of known public health importance. Given the separation of cases of navel ill into different gross pathological, histopathological and microbiological categories, current meat inspection judgments whereby all calves with navel ill are condemned should be revised. In particular, routine condemnation of the carcass and viscera in all cases of localised navel ill (lesions restricted to the umbilicus alone) should be reassessed.

Current Meat Inspection

Current Meat Inspection