Carry out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities (poultry)
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to carry out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities in poultry. Carrying out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities is important to the maintenance of poultry welfare and the production of a final product that meets organisational and regulatory requirements. This standard applies specifically to work activities in relation to the provision of assistance to the Official Veterinarian. You will need to be able to: • • • • Assist with initial inspections of birds during unloading Observe birds prior to slaughter Carry out recording procedures Deal with suspect birds, birds dead-on-arrival, moribund, diseased or injured birds • Complete the appropriate records • Verify compliance with animal health and welfare rules • Verify the business Food Safety Management Procedures (FSMP) and taking the appropriate action This standard is for you if you work in food manufacture and/or supply operations and are involved in carrying out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities (poultry).
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Deal with dirty, diseased, dead-on arrival and suspect
birds
monitor the identification of birds which are non-clean or suffering
from conditions likely to compromise product safety
monitor the action taken by the operative to deal with such birds
monitor the procedures for birds found moribund, dead-on-arrival,
diseased, injured, or suspected of notifiable disease and take
appropriate action where deficiencies are identified
Carry out pre-slaughter activities
carry out initial inspections of birds on arrival and/or during
unloading
observe birds prior to slaughter and refer signs of abnormalities to
the Official Veterinarian
carry out organisational recording and reporting procedures
check that suspect birds are transferred to isolation facilities
identify any non-compliance and take the appropriate action
Carry out checks during slaughter
check the main steps in processing poultry including lairaging,
hanging-on, stunning and slaughter
Carry out checks on livestock vehicles and crates
monitor controls of cleansing and disinfection in accordance with
the organisational Food Safety Management Procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
the harvesting and transporting of poultry
- the purpose, benefits and limitations of carrying out initial
inspection of birds during unloading
- the importance of identifying and the characteristics that identify
suspect and abnormal birds and abnormal behaviour in birds, and
how they should be handled
- regulatory and organisational recording and reporting procedures
required when carrying out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection
activities
- the features of properly maintained vehicles, modules and crates
and those that are poorly maintained, used for the transport of
poultry species
signs of distress and injury in poultry species
common causes of injury during the transportation, loading and
unloading of birds
- the features of suitable and unsuitable off-loading facilities and
situations for birds
- the features of properly maintained roads, yards and waiting
areas and those features which, if improperly maintained, could
cause adverse effects on the welfare of birds
- the importance and benefits of the humane and careful handling
of birds and the problems of inhumane and careless handling
- evidence of inadequacy that will produce an adverse effect on the
welfare of birds in the holding area
- the construction and maintenance of holding areas including
adequacy in protection from the elements, ventilation and
provision of proper facilities
- what constitutes non-compliance under the terms of
organisational Food Safety Management Procedures (FSMP)
steps in the food chain relating to poultry processing
the appropriate action to be taken when non-compliance against
organisational FSMP are identified
- the interpretation of "dirty" in relation to non-clean birds and the
specified procedures for dealing with birds classed as "dirty"
- the conditions that may be present in birds which are likely to
compromise product safety
the importance of recognising notifiable diseases
the importance of reporting birds that are dirty, found dead-onarrival, moribund, diseased, injured, or suspected of a notifiable
disease to the Official Veterinarian
- the procedures that should be taken by the occupier for suspect
birds, birds that are dead-on-arrival, moribund, diseased, injured,
or suspected of a notifiable disease
how to carry out checks of an effective stun and slaughter
reasons for, and the standards required, for crate, module and
livestock vehicle cleansing and disinfection