What are the purpose and procedure of ante-mortem inspection of animals ? Write about categorization of animals based on ante-mortem inspection.

Purpose of Ante-Mortem Inspection

The ante-mortem inspection serves multiple critical objectives, ensuring that only healthy and suitable animals contribute to the food supply chain and promoting ethical treatment.

• Food Safety and Public Health:
  • Identification of Zoonotic Diseases: To detect animals suffering from diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses), such as tuberculosis, anthrax, or salmonellosis, preventing their entry into the food chain.
  • Detection of Unwholesome Conditions: To identify animals with conditions that could render the meat unfit for human consumption, including fever, systemic infections, or residues of antibiotics/chemicals.
  • Prevention of Contamination: To prevent the contamination of the slaughterhouse environment (premises, equipment, and personnel) by diseased or excessively dirty animals.
• Animal Welfare:
  • Humane Treatment: To identify sick, injured, fatigued, or heavily pregnant animals, ensuring they receive appropriate humane treatment, which may include rest, emergency slaughter, or euthanasia.
  • Minimizing Stress: To ensure animals are properly rested and handled humanely before slaughter, reducing stress that can negatively impact meat quality.
• Epidemiological Surveillance and Disease Control:
  • Early Detection: To monitor livestock populations for signs of reportable or emerging animal diseases, supporting early detection and implementation of control measures.
  • Traceability: To obtain clinical information and health records that assist in disease diagnosis and judgment, allowing for tracing back the source of potential outbreaks.
• Operational Efficiency:
  • Segregation of Abnormal Animals: To segregate abnormal animals, which prevents cross-contamination of healthy carcasses and ensures a smoother, more efficient post-mortem inspection process.
  • Information for Post-mortem Inspection: To gather crucial information that aids post-mortem inspectors in making accurate judgments about the carcass and offal.

Procedure of Ante-Mortem Inspection

The ante-mortem inspection is a systematic process conducted by qualified veterinary personnel, often in two phases, to comprehensively assess the health and condition of animals.

1. Arrival and Resting Period:
   • Upon arrival at the abattoir, animals are received in designated lairage pens.
   • They are typically rested for a period (e.g., 12-24 hours) to allow recovery from transport stress and to observe their natural behavior. FSSAI guidelines often emphasize this resting period.
   • Access to potable water is provided, but feed may be withheld for a certain period before slaughter.
2. Initial Examination (within 24 hours of slaughter):
   • General Observation: Animals are observed collectively and individually, both at rest and in motion, in well-lit facilities (minimum 110 lux illumination).
   • Assessment Parameters: Inspectors look for:
     • General Behavior: Alertness, depression, excitement, abnormal postures (e.g., reluctance to stand, head pressing).
     • Gait and Locomotion: Lameness, uncoordinated movements, paralysis, signs of pain or injury.
     • Respiration: Abnormal breathing patterns (rapid, shallow, labored breathing).
     • Nutritional Status and Cleanliness: Emaciation, excessive dirtiness.
     • Discharges and Protrusions: Abnormal discharges from body openings (nose, mouth, eyes, rectum, vulva).
     • Skin and Coat Condition: Lumps, swellings, lesions, parasites, signs of disease (e.g., ringworm, mange).
     • Signs of Cruelty: Evidence of injury due to careless transportation or handling.
3. Detailed Examination (for suspected animals):
   • Animals identified as suspect during the initial observation are segregated into isolation pens for a more thorough individual examination.
   • This may include:
     • Palpation: Checking for swellings, abscesses, or enlarged lymph nodes (e.g., superficial lymph nodes).
     • Temperature Recording: Measuring body temperature, as fever often indicates infection (e.g., >41°C for swine, >40.5°C for cattle).
     • Auscultation: Listening to heart and lung sounds.
     • Review of Records: Examining health certificates, herd history, and treatment records (e.g., antibiotic administration).
4. Documentation:
   • Detailed records are maintained for each animal or lot, including identification, clinical findings, and the final decision for slaughter or condemnation. This documentation ensures traceability.

Categorization of Animals Based on Ante-Mortem Inspection

Based on the veterinary assessment during ante-mortem inspection, animals are typically categorized into the following groups:

Category	Description	Disposition
1. Passed for Normal Slaughter	Animals appearing healthy, physiologically normal, and free from any clinical signs of disease or abnormalities.	Proceed directly for slaughter.
2. Suspect (Conditional Slaughter)	Animals showing mild, localized conditions, or doubtful signs of disease that may not warrant immediate condemnation but require further scrutiny. This also includes animals that have reacted to certain tests (e.g., for anaplasmosis, leptospirosis) without clinical signs.	Segregated and slaughtered separately, often at the end of the normal slaughter schedule. Carcass and viscera are subjected to special, detailed post-mortem inspection. May be held for a period to allow recovery or depletion of chemical residues.
3. Condemned (Unfit for Slaughter)	Animals exhibiting severe clinical signs of systemic disease, debilitating conditions, high fever, moribund state (dying), extensive injury, or those considered a definite public health risk. This category also includes "4D" animals (Dead, Dying, Diseased, Disabled).	Humanely euthanized immediately. Carcass and all parts are condemned and disposed of properly, often by incineration or rendering, to prevent disease spread and environmental contamination. If a notifiable disease is suspected, it is immediately reported to the competent authority.
4. Emergency Slaughter	Animals that have sustained acute injuries (e.g., fractures, severe trauma) or are in extreme pain and suffering, but are otherwise potentially healthy and fit for human consumption, provided immediate slaughter occurs.	Slaughtered immediately under strict veterinary supervision to minimize suffering. Carcass undergoes thorough post-mortem inspection to confirm fitness for consumption. Completeness of bleeding is critical for such animals.
5. Withheld from Slaughter	Animals that are temporarily unfit for slaughter, such as those that are excessively fatigued, heavily pregnant, or have recently given birth (within a specified period, e.g., 10 days). Also, animals that require further observation or treatment.	Held for an extended period, provided with rest, feed, and water, until deemed fit. Re-inspected before being passed for slaughter.