1. The development of slaughterhouse control measures for BSE Elvis Šturbej, DVM Kiev, 4 – 5 April 2011 Workshop on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) control measures in EU member states – TAIEX event No. 43508

2. Legal Framework: EU legislation: TSE Regulation 999/2001/EC, as amended Commission decision 2009/719/EC, as amended – revised monitoring programmes National legislation Rules on certain measures for prevention, control and eradication of TSEs (OJ RS 37/2010) Decree on carrying out of systematic surveillance of animal diseases and vaccination of animals (published in OJ on yearly basis) Relevant documents at national level: Compulsory instructions Guidelines for carrying out official controls on implementation of TSE Regulation in food establishments BSE contingency plan, Scrapie CP (measures in case of suspicion or positive case of BSE)

3. Competent authority in the field of TSEs in Slovenia: Veterinary administration of the Republic of Slovenia (VARS) – Head office + 10 regional offices (staff total: 300) Official laboratory for TSEs - National veterinary institute (NVI), which is performing routine BSE/TSE analyses (rapid tests); it is also NRL for TSEs (confirmatory tests, discriminatory tests)

4. Main objectives of official control on BSE in slaughterhouses: Active and passive BSE surveillance Measures in case of suspected or confirmed BSE Control of proper removal and disposal of SRM

5. FBO checks if all animals comming to slaughterhouse are properly double-tagged and with corresponding passport Bovine passport Ear tag FBO ensures all bovines eligible for BSE testing are identified & segregated to be tested. VARS OVs control, if FBOs system works BSE surveillance in slaughterhouses

6. Type of slaughterBirth countriyAge limit for BSE testing Routine slaughter of healthy animals- EU Member states, listed in Commission decision 2009/719/EC, as amended 48 months - EU Member states, not listed in Commission decision 2009/719/EC, as amended + - Third countries 30 months Slaughter of sick animals, showing clinical signs at AM - All countries24 months Emergency slaughter- All countries24 months Age limits in Slovenia for BSE testing of slaughtered bovine animals - active BSE surveilance – current situation In case of BSE suspect at AM inspection – sampling obligatory regardless of age of the animal! BSE suspect animal has to be isolated, detained, euthanized and removed for sampling & disposal.

7. Austria Belgium Cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Portugal Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom EU MS, authorised to revise their BSE monitoring programmes in accordance with Commission decision 2009/719/EC – current situation

8. Sampling and testing for BSE/ensuring traceability Sampling is performed by VARS official vets Sample for rapid BSE testing – medulla oblongata with obex Protective glasses and gloves obligatory at sampling Gloves and sampling equipment (specialized „spoons“) need to be replaced after each sample taken (if no BSE positives -„spoons“ can be re-used after proper cleaning) Foramen magnum and frontal shot hole are to be sealed with stopper immediately after the sample collection Traceability of samples has to be ensured (marking sample, corresponding carcass, head and passport of tested animal with the same code number) OV enters the data on sampling into the on-line web application (EPI) OV cross-checking, if all eligible animals have been sampled – also through online web application

9. All tested carcasses detained, pending test result. All other body parts (including ABPs) of tested animals retained pending test results or alternatively disposed of as SRM. Also 1 carcass prior and 2 carcasses immediately after the carcass of tested animal are detained Sample not taken or is unsuitable for testing – carcass and all parts of the animal are disposed of as cat. 1 / 2 material in accordance with ABP legislation. OV receives rapid test results: if negative – all detained products are released If positive - carcass and all body parts of suspected animal are disposed of as category 1 material according to ABP legislation, head is sent to NRL for confirmation tests. Related carcasses (1 before & 2 after) are destroyed only, if BSE is confirmed by confirmatory testing. Intensive cleaning and disinfection of slaughterhouse premises and equipment takes place. Measures after sampling:

10. Particularities at slaughter and SRM removal Current EU provisions on SRM: Article 8 and Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 (TSE Regulation) Some general prohibitions in regard to SRM: laceration of CNT after stunning prohibited in bovine, ovine and caprine animals use of bones or bone-in cuts of bovine, ovine and caprine animals for the production of MSM prohibited general ban on import of SRM to the EU

11. SRM LIST – BOVINE ANIMALS SRM Age of animal The tonsils, the intestines from the duodenum to the rectum and the mesentery Bovine animals of all ages The skull excluding the mandible and including the brain and eyes, and the spinal cord Bovine animals aged over 12 months The vertebral column excluding the vertebrae of the tail, the spinous and transverse processes of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and the median sacral crest and wings of the sacrum, but including the dorsal root ganglia Bovine animals aged over 30 months Definition of SRM – Annex V of TSE Regulation

12. SRM LIST – OVINE AND CAPRINE ANIMALS SRM Age of animal The skull including the brain and eyes, the tonsils and the spinal cord Ovine and caprine animals aged over 12 months or which have a permanent incisor erupted through the gum The spleen and the ileumOvine and caprine animals of all ages  Derogation – EU MS with negligible risk for BSE still having SRM list

13. SRM removal (where and how?) In slaughterhouses and other slaughter places (all SRM) In cutting plants, in case of bovine vertebral columns In cutting plants - in case of ovine and caprine spinal cords, and in case of harvesting of head meat of bovines (VARS authorisation needed) In butcher shops – removal of the vertebral column (VARS authorisation needed) At tourist farms – slaughter in line with national legislation (sheep and goats) – all SRM On-farm slaughter for own household consumption (sheep and goats) – all SRM In intermediate plants in accordance with the ABP Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009

14. General provisions in regard to SRM During slaughter or handling, SRM shall not come into contact with other slaughter products SRM must be harmlessly disposed of in line with the ABP Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009! Record keeping compulsory for the FBOs Official veterinarian shall check the implementation of measures for the prevention of contamination and measures for ensuring the traceability of SRM Providing for the traceability of carcasses - slaughter sequence (slaughter in batches)

15. Collection and marking of SRM On removal, SRM shall be collected in specific containers that are permanently marked as SRM (visible from all sides) SRM shall be stained by a thermally stable dye immediately after removal SRM shall be disposed of as cat. 1 material in accordance with ABP legislation

16. Spinal cord removal

17. Harvesting of bovine tongue Tongues of bovine animals of all ages intended for human or animal consumption shall be harvested in the slaughterhouse by a transverse cut - rostral to the lingual process of the basihyoid bone

18. Vertebral column removal

19. Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG)

20. Vertebral column removal outside a slaughterhouse establishment Identification of carcasses or parts of carcasses of bovine animals aged less than 30 months (removal of the vertebral column not required) by a blue stripe on the label as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 Commercial document shall indicate specific information on the number of bovine carcasses or wholesale cuts of carcasses, from which removal of the vertebral column is required as well as the number where removal of the vertebral column is not required, Cutting plants and operators authorised for the removal of vertebral columns (butcher shops) shall keep the commercial document for a period of at least 1 year

21. Identification of carcasses as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, as amended + blue stripe

22. The official control shall include: - when removal of the vertebral column is not required, carcasses or wholesale cuts of carcasses of bovine animals containing vertebral column shall be identified by a clearly visible blue stripe on the label referred to in Regulation (No 1760/2000; - specific information on the number of bovine carcasses or wholesale cuts of carcasses, from which removal of the vertebral column is required as well as the number where removal of the vertebral column is not required, shall be added on the commercial document relating to consignments of meat. - butcher shops shall keep, for at least one year, the commercial documents Vertebral column removal outside a slaughterhouse establishment

23. Harvesting of bovine head meat of animals aged over 12 months WHERE CAN IT BE DONE? 1.In slaughterhouses and other slaughter places Head meat shall be harvested under a specific control system recognized by the competent authority so as to avoid the possible contamination of the head meat by CN tissue Harvesting shall take place in a dedicated area in the slaughterhouse, physically separated from the slaughter line Where the heads are removed from the conveyor before harvesting of head meat, the frontal shot hole and foramen magnum shall be sealed with an impermeable and durable stopper

24. Sealing of the frontal shot hole and foramen magnum by an impermeable, durable stopper Requirements for harvesting the head meat of bovines aged over 12 months

25. Requirements for harvesting the head meat of bovines, aged more than 12 months The specific control system of FBO shall include at least that: heads shall be visually checked for signs of contamination or damage and proper sealing before the harvesting of the head meat begins; heads where the eyes are damaged or lost shall not be used specific working instructions shall be in place to prevent contamination of the head meat sampling plan using tests to detect the central nervous tissue shall be in place Working instructions prepared by FBO shall include, that head meat shall not be harvested from the heads of bovine animals where: eyes are damaged prior to or after slaughter heads are not properly sealed (by a stopper) stopper or the eyes get damaged during harvesting In such a case the entire head shall be assessed and disposed of as SRM

26. Where the head meat and tongues are harvested on the slaughter line and the heads are not removed from the conveyor, the measures to avoid contamination by the central nervous tissue shall not be required (no sealing of heads, no CN tissue sampling plan..) 2. In authorised cutting plants Harvesting of bovine head meat under certain conditions: the heads intended for transport to the cutting plant shall be suspended on a rack during the storing period and the transport from the slaughterhouse to the cutting plant; the frontal shot hole and the foramen magnum shall be properly sealed with an impermeable and durable stopper a sampling plan for the slaughterhouse using an appropriate laboratory test to detect central nervous system tissue;

27. FBO needs to have a sampling plan for controlling the contamination of head meat with CNS tissues (sampling plan - swab samples)

28. Official control – bovine heads – in authorised cutting plants Official veterinarian shall run crosschecks to verify: as to whether or not the weight and the number of heads of bovines aged over 12 months (SRM) submitted to the category 1 processing plant corresponds to the weight and number of bovine heads accepted by the cutting plant on a particular day or in a particular period of time. The FBO’s commercial documents shall show, how many bovine heads have been accepted into the cutting plant and how many heads were dispatched into the category 1 rendering plant.

29. Trade and export dispatch of bovine heads to another Member State only after that Member State has agreed to receive the material and has approved the conditions of dispatch and transport. carcasses, half carcasses or half carcasses cut into no more than three wholesale cuts, and quarters containing no specified risk material other than the vertebral column, including dorsal root ganglia, may be dispatched from one Member State to another without the prior agreement. exports outside the Community of heads and of fresh meat of bovine, ovine or caprine animals containing SRM shall be prohibited.

30. Thank you! Any questions?