IMPMP301 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 operations and are involved in carrying out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities (poultry).

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. monitor the identification of birds which are non-clean or suffering from conditions likely to compromise product safety
  2. monitor the action taken by the operative to deal with such birds
  3. 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
  4. carry out initial inspections of birds on arrival and/or during unloading
  5. observe birds prior to slaughter and refer signs of abnormalities to the Official Veterinarian
  6. carry out organisational recording and reporting procedures
  7. check that suspect birds are transferred to isolation facilities
  8. identify any non-compliance and take the appropriate action
  9. check the main steps in processing poultry including lairaging, hanging-on, stunning and slaughter
  10. monitor controls of cleansing and disinfection according to the organisational Food Safety Management Procedures
  11. work within the limits of your responsibility, reporting problems to the relevant people

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

  1. the harvesting and transporting of poultry
  2. the purpose, benefits and limitations of carrying out initial inspection of birds during unloading
  3. the importance of identifying and the characteristics that identify suspect and abnormal birds and abnormal behaviour in birds, and how they should be handled
  4. regulatory and organisational recording and reporting procedures required when carrying out pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection activities
  5. the features of properly maintained vehicles, modules and crates and those that are poorly maintained, used for the transport of poultry species
  6. signs of distress and injury in poultry species
  7. common causes of injury during the transportation, loading and unloading of birds
  8. the features of suitable and unsuitable off-loading facilities and situations for birds
  9. 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
  10. the importance and benefits of the humane and careful handling of birds and the problems of inhumane and careless handling
  11. evidence of inadequacy that will produce an adverse effect on the welfare of birds in the holding area
  12. the construction and maintenance of holding areas including adequacy in protection from the elements, ventilation and provision of proper facilities
  13. what constitutes non-compliance under the terms of organisational Food Safety Management Procedures (FSMP)
  14. steps in the food chain relating to poultry processing
  15. the appropriate action to be taken when non-compliance against organisational FSMP are identified
  16. the interpretation of “dirty” in relation to non-clean birds and the specified procedures for dealing with birds classed as “dirty”
  17. the conditions that may be present in birds which are likely to compromise product safety
  18. the importance of recognising notifiable diseases
  19. the importance of reporting birds that are dirty, found dead-on-arrival, moribund, diseased, injured, or suspected of a notifiable disease to the Official Veterinarian
  20. 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
  21. how to carry out checks of an effective stun and slaughter
  22. reasons for, and the standards required, for crate, module and livestock vehicle cleansing and disinfection
  23. the importance of working within the limits of your responsibility and reporting problems to the relevant people

Keywords: Poultry; pre-slaughter; slaughter; inspection; welfare; safety