Animal health and welfare monitoring as integrated part of meat inspection

Conference on meat inspection

Alberto Laddomada Head of Unit SANCO D1

Animal Health and Standing Committees

Prevention is better than cureBetter biosecurity in holdingsSurveillance (active and passive): In holdings Before and during transport At place of destination (slaughterhouse!) Any other place and/or source

Evolution of surveillance in EUOriginally: limited EU provisions on surveillance (focus on trade and fight against diseases)From mid-90’s: more detailed compulsory surveillance (BSE, zoonoses, avian influenza, bluetongue, etc.)In future: a comprehensive, risk-based surveillance systemModern approach: how to do best?

Importance of meat inspection for animal healthAnte and post mortem inspection are cornerstones for animal disease surveillance Slaughterhouse is a focal point where animal diseases can be detectedConfirms and supplements data from other sourcesBeyond decision on meat: a public good function

Example 1: Meat inspection and Tuberculosis (TB) detectionPurpose:Granting free status of herds, regions, MSs rely on surveillance in abattoir to identify TB lesions Legislation:

Annex A.I. of Directive 64/432/EEC on intra-EU trade of bovine animals, on granting statusOIE Code chapter on TB

TB inspection contd.Rationale

TB is an asymptomatic disease in cattle and a serious zoonosisDiagnostic tests in farm lack sensitivity (~ 70-75%)Anergic reactors go undetected at the tuberculin testRaw milk from infected animals is a threat for public health unless coming from free herds or is heat treated

Science:EFSA opinion on palpation/visual inspection in calves recommends keeping the most stringent procedures for TB inspection and slaughterhouse is the best place for detection

Example 2: foot and mouth disease (FMD) in UK in 2001

Ante-mortem inspection in South-East England on pigs from North-East EnglandBy a person who never saw FMDDecisive elements:

Professional qualification as a vetCurriculum of study including „exotic” diseasesPersonal quality and awareness(maintanence of corporate memory about now exotic diseases)

FMD contd.Emergency situation in all UKLimiting damages: Speed of detection: role of highly trained individuals at key places Speed of confirmation

Immediate handling of situation: In the slaughterhouse

Importance of the meat inspection in international tradeEU export toward third countriesImport of products of animal origin from third countries into the EUThe respect of international standards in meat

inspection:

•facilitates international trade

•grants the health requirements are respected

O.I.E. Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 1.4.

Animal health surveillanceArticle 1.4.5. Structured non-random surveillance

D) Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspectionsInspections of animals at slaughterhouses provide valuable surveillance data. The sensitivity and specificity of slaughterhouse inspection for detecting the presence of specified diseases under the inspection system in place should be pre-determined.

O.I.E. Code, Chapter 6.2.

Control of biological hazards of animal health and public health importance through ante- and post-mortem meat inspectionInspection of animals at slaughter can

provide a valuable contribution to surveillance for certain diseases of animal and public health importance. Control and/or reduction of biological hazards of animal and public health importance by ante- and post-mortem meat inspection are a core responsibility of Veterinary Services.

Import: since 1972Article 17 of 72/462/EEC

1. The Member States shall not authorize importation of fresh meat in the form of carcases, including half-carcases in the case of swine, and halves or quarters in the case of bovine animals and solipeds, unless it it possible to reconstruct the entire carcase of each animal.2. Such importation shall be subject to the following conditions: the fresh meat must

(a) have been obtained in a slaughterhouse included on the list established inaccordance with Article 4 (1);(b) come from a slaughter animal inspected ante mortem by an official veterinarian in accordance with Annex 1, Chapter VI, of Directive 64/433/EEC and passed fit, as a result of such inspection for slaughter for the purposes of export to the Community.

Import now

Similar provisions in current import certificates (e.g. Reg (EC) 206/2010)

Ante mortem inspection „shown no evidence of diseases…”

Animal Health conclusionsPrevention is better than cureRamifications for importsProfessional qualifications are keyMeat inspection as part of a systemCost-benefit must be considered

New EU legislation on the protection of animals at the time of killing

Council Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing

(OJ L 303,18.11.2009, p. 1)Entry into application 1 Jan 2013

In line with the hygiene packageOperators to take ownership of animal welfareStandard Operating ProceduresMonitoring the effect of stunning on animalsDetermining key paramaters of stunning

Towards better knowledgeCompetence of staff

General obligationCertificate of competence• For staff in slaughterhouses• For fur farmers

• Stunning and restraining equipments– Instruction of use and maintenance– Method for monitoring stunning efficiency on animals

More flexibility• List of approved stunning/killing methods– More precise definition and requirements

– Possibly updated through comitology

An integrated approach (1)• Standards on construction, layout and equipment integrated in the approval process

• Animal Welfare Officer• Monitoring procedure for stunning with animal based indicators

An integrated approach (2)• New approach in line with the Hygiene Package– Flexible on the means– Prescriptive on the method

• Policy focused on developing learning mechanisms– Certificate of competence and scientific support

Conclusions• My title was: animal health and welfare monitoring as integrated part of meat inspection

• In reality it could also have been: meat inspection as integrated part of animal health and welfare monitoring and surveillance