Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990

67 (1) Subject to subsection (9), every operator who slaughters an animal shall perform, within 24 hours before the time of slaughter, an ante-mortem examination of the animal.

(2) Subject to subsection (9), no food animal shall be slaughtered in a registered establishment unless the animal has been subjected, within 24 hours before the time of slaughter, to

• (a) an ante-mortem examination performed under subsection (1), or

• (b) an ante-mortem inspection performed by an official veterinarian or by an inspector under the supervision of an official veterinarian.

(3) No food animal shall be slaughtered in a registered establishment unless the slaughter has been authorized by an inspector.

(4) On the request of an inspector, the operator shall present an animal to the inspector for an ante-mortem inspection, even if the slaughter of the animal has been authorized under subsection (3).

(5) The operator shall not slaughter an animal that was the subject of a request under subsection (4) unless an inspector has, after that request, inspected the animal and authorized the slaughter of the animal.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), if an operator or an inspector who is not an official veterinarian suspects, in the course of the ante-mortem examination or the ante-mortem inspection of a food animal, that the food animal shows a deviation from normal behaviour or appearance, the food animal shall be held and referred to an official veterinarian for a detailed inspection and instructions regarding its disposition.

(7) An official veterinarian may instruct an operator or an inspector who is not an official veterinarian that food animals with certain deviations from normal behaviour or appearance

• (a) are not required to be referred to an official veterinarian for a detailed inspection; and

• (b) are to be disposed of in accordance with the instructions provided by an official veterinarian.

(8) An operator shall comply with any instructions from an official veterinarian under subsection (6) or (7).

(9) The Director may specify how an ante-mortem examination or ante-mortem inspection is to be performed, including

• (a) the methods and equipment that shall be used; and

• (b) the criteria that the operator or the inspector shall take into account in determining whether the ante-mortem examination or the ante-mortem inspection of a shipment of food animals may be performed by

  • (i) the examination or inspection of a sample from the shipment, or

  • (ii) the examination of the animal information document for the shipment.