Chapter II

PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL OF SLAUGHTER OF TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS

Section 1. PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL OF SLAUGHTER OF LIVESTOCK

Article 5. Ante-mortem inspection

1. Check of documents and records of origins of to be-slaughtered animals of the slaughterhouses; the phytosanitary certificate for transport of animals according to regulations.

2. Inspection of the implementation of regulations on veterinary hygiene applicable to people carrying out the slaughter and regulations in protective clothing.

3. Clinical examination:

a) The clinical examination of animals must be conducted in the lairage which is well lighted;

b) The inspector shall observe mild symptoms of animals. Any animal suffering from infectious diseases must be isolated and  the examination of animals of the same stock with such animal shall be repeated. Any animal having a abnormality must be marked, separated from others, observed and handled according to regulations in Article 12 of this Circular;

c) Only animals which satisfy the requirements specified in Article 4, clean, have been kept in the lairage to ensuring animals returning to normal conditions and have received clinical examination before the slaughter shall be slaughtered;

d) For animals which are not slaughtered within 24 hours after the ante-mortem inspection, the clinical examination must be repeated.

4. Formulation of controlling book for noting necessary information before the slaughter, containing:

a) Name of the owner of the animal;

b) The origin of the animal;

c) Type of animal;

d) The number of the animal in the same batch;

dd) Time of receiving the animal;

e) The ante-mortem inspection results, containing the clinical symptoms and the temperature of the animal, for cases of abnormalities;

g) The number of animals which have not been slaughtered and the reasons therefor;

h) Handling measures;

i) The signature of the veterinary technician.

5. Inspection of the sanitariness, pasteurization and disinfection of the slaughterhouse, equipment and tools used in the slaughterhouse before and after the slaughter, periodically according to the guidance of veterinary authorities.

Article 6. Post-mortem inspection

1. Examine head, visceral organs (lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, intestine) and the carcass of the animal for abnormalities. Procedures for examination shall comply with the provisions of sectioon 4 and section 5 of Annex III enclosed with this Circular.

2. The examination of the carcass and its viscera after the slaughter must be conducted immediately when the carcass has been evisterate and has been cleansed and must minimize the changes in the characteristic of the carcass during the examination. The cuts on the carcass must be exactly at the positions subject to examination, the cutting must be in horizonal direction to limit the contact of the carcass with the outside environment.

3. Any pathological signs on the carcass and its viscera must be marked, separated and sent to the specialized area for final examination before the handling decision is issued; the stamp “XỬ LÝ V.S.T.Y” (Veterinary hygiene treatment) or “HỦY” (Destruction) shall be affixed according to the decision on handling of animal products unconformable to veterinary hygiene.

4. The carcass of an animal and its viscera must bear the same marks to avoid being jumble; each visceral organ must be checked in turn so that abnormalities are discovered.

5. Carcasses, viscera and edible by-products conformable to veterinary hygiene shall bear the slaughter control stamps, veterinary hygiene stamps or slaughter control or veterinary hygiene inspection marks; Quarantine Certificates serving transport of animal products shall be issued according to regulations.

Section 2. PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL OF SLAUGHTER OF POULTRY

Article 7. Ante-mortem inspection

1. Conformable to regulations in clauses 1, clause 2, points b and d clause 3, clause 4 and clause 5 Article 5 of this Circular.

2. The clinical examination of the health conditions of the poultry must be conducted in a well lighted area and when carcasses have been on the slaughter chain (applicable to industrial and semi-industrial slaughterhouses) to weak and rickety or poultry denoting infectious diseases so that suitable handling measures are promptly taken.

3. After the clinical examination, the strong poultry must be slaughtered as soon as possible.

Article 8. Post-mortem inspection

1. Examination of carcass and its viscera: the examination procedures must comply with the guidelines in section 6 of Annex III enclosed with this Circular.

2. The post-mortem inspection shall be conformable to regulations in clause 2, clause 3 and clause 5 Article 6 of this Circular; the carcass and its viscera must be placed together to avoid being jumble.

Section 3. PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL OF SLAUGHTER OF TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS USED AS FOOD

Article 9. Procedures for control of slaughter of terrestrial animals used as food

1. Ante-mortem inspection: conformable to regulations in Article 5 of this Circular.

2. Post-mortem inspection:

a) Examination of carcass and its viscera: the examination procedures must comply with the guidelines in section 4.1, points a and c of section 4.2 and points a and b of section 4.3 of Annex III enclosed with this Circular.

b) The post-mortem examination shall be conformable to regulations in clause 2, clause 3 and clause 5 Article 6 of this Circular.

Section 4. HANDLING OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS UNCONFORMABLE TO VETERINARY HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS

Article 10. Principles of handling of animals and animal products unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements

1. The veterinary hygiene practices for animals and animal products must be conducted as soon as possible and under the guidance, supervision and inspection of veterinary technician.

2. Any person directly processes infected animals or animal products carrying hazardous diseases must be equipped with personal protective equipment.

3. Places where the veterinary hygiene practice is conducted must be licensed by a competent authority.

4. Any place, equipment and tools serving the hygiene practice for animals and animal products which are unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements must be cleansed and disinfected after each course of hygiene practice.

5. The owner of the animal must pay all the costs during the isolation and supervision; the owner of the batch of animal products must pay all the costs for preservation of animal products until there is the conclusion of the veterinary authority.

Article 11. Procedures for handling animals and animal products unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements

When an animal/animal product is found unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements, the competent veterinary authority/veterinary technician shall:

1. Isolate such animal from others;2. Formulate a report on the veterinary hygiene condition of the animal/animal product using the Form No. 04 of Annex II enclosed with this Circular; request of the owner of the establishment or the owner of the batch for the conduct of veterinary hygiene to ensure the epidemic safety and the food safety and minimize the environment pollution;

3. Collect and send specimens from the animal/animal product to the laboratory, as it is necessary, for examination of the microorganism and veterinart drug residue standards according to the Form No. 03 in the Annex II enclosed with this Circular;

4. Formulate a report on handling of veterinary hygiene for the animal/animal product unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements using the Form No. 05 of Annex II enclosed with this Circular;

5. Notify the owner of the establishment/owner of the batch and relevant agencies of the handling results and requirements for animals/animal products to be used after the handling;

6. Guide, supervise and inspect the conduct of veterinary hygiene.

Article 12. Regulations on on-site handling of animals unconformable to veterinary hygiene standards

1. Handling measures inlcude: termination of the slaughter; slaughter in separate areas; mandatory slaughter, mandatory destruction or conversion of use purposes.

2. Animals unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements shall be handled according to the guidelines in section 1 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular.

3. The Department of Animal Health shall provide guidance on mandatory handling measures for animals carrying pathogens of new infectious diseases.

Article 13. Regulations on handling of animal products unconformable to veterinary hygiene standards

1. Handling measures comprise: destruction; heat treatment; mechanic treatment; conversion of use purposes.

2. Guidance on on-site handling of animal products unconformable to veterinary hygiene requirements:

a) Animal products which are found carrying pathogens of infectious diseases during the slaughter shall be handled according to the guidance in section 2 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular;

b) Animal products unconformable to requirements for organoleptic conditions shall be handled according to the guidelines in section 3 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular;

c) Animal products suffering microbiological contamination which is not allowed to contain or of an amount exceeding the allowable one shall be handled according to the guidance in section 4 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular;

d) Animal products unconformable to the requirements for the standards of antibiotic residues or contains residues of banned or poisonous substances shall be handled according to the guidance in section 5 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular;

dd) Animal products carrying parasites or larvae of parasite shall be handled according to the guidance in section 6 of Annex VI enclosed with this Circular.