ASSOSA AGRICULTURAL TVET COLLEGE

Animal health care service

NTQF Level- IV

Learning Guide 16
Unit of Carry-out Veterinary Public
Competence: Health Activities
Module Title: Carry-out Veterinary Public
Health Activities
LG Code: AGR AHC4 M04 L03 LG16

TTLM Code: AGR AHC4 TTLM 1021v1

LO3. Carry out post-mortem examination

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 Instruction Sheet Learning Guide 01

This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the
following content coverage and topics –
 Ensuring complete bleeding prior to dissection.
 Conducting dissection
 Inspecting Organs, tissues and structures.
 Taking samples of organs
 Conducting Inspection works on meat
 Disposing Offal and waste products

This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to –

 Ensure complete bleeding prior to dissection.

 Conduct dissection
 Inspect Organs, tissues and structures.
 Take samples of organs
 Conduct Inspection works on meat
 Dispose Offal and waste products

Learning Instructions:
1. Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.
2. Follow the instructions described in number 3 to 20.
3. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 1”. Try to understand what are being
discussed. Ask you teacher for assistance if you have hard time understanding them.
4. Accomplish the “Self-check 1” in page 6.
5. Ask from your teacher the key to correction (key answers) or you can request your teacher to
correct your work. (You are to get the key answer only after you finished answering the Self-
check 1).

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6. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Information Sheet 2”. However, if your
rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning
Activity #1.
7. Submit your accomplished Self-check. This will form part of your training portfolio.
8. Read the information written in the “Information Sheet 2”. Try to understand what are being
discussed. Ask you teacher for assistance if you have hard time understanding them.
9. Accomplish the “Self-check 2” in page 8.
10. Ask from your teacher the key to correction (key answers) or you can request your teacher to
correct your work. (You are to get the key answer only after you finished answering the Self-
check 2).
11. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 3. Try to understand what are being
discussed. Ask you teacher for assistance if you have hard time understanding them.
12. Accomplish the “Self-check 3” in page 11.
13. Ask from your teacher the key to correction (key answers) or you can request your teacher to
correct your work. (You are to get the key answer only after you finished answering the Self-
check 3).
14. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 1” in page 16. However,
if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to
Learning Activity #1.
15. Read the “Operation Sheet 1” and try to understand the procedures discussed.
16. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 2” in page 16. However,
if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to
Learning Activity #1.
17. Read the “Operation Sheet 2” and try to understand the procedures discussed.
18. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 3” in page 16. However,
if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to
Learning Activity #1.
19. Read the “Operation Sheet 3” and try to understand the procedures discussed.
20. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 4” in page 17. However,
if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to
Learning Activity #1.

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21. Do the “LAP test” in page 17 (if you are ready). Request your teacher to evaluate your
performance and outputs. Your teacher will give you feedback and the evaluation will be
either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your teacher shall advice you on
additional work

Ensuring complete bleeding prior to dissection.

Information Sheet-1

Conducting dissection
Information Sheet-2

Inspecting Organs, tissues and structures.

Information Sheet-3

Organs, tissues and structures include:

 Lung, liver, carcass, spleen, kidney, heart
 Viscera
 Tongue
 Lymph, lymph node, muscle
 Blood
 Gland

GUIDELINES FOR MINIMUM POSTMORTEM INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

HEADS

General view of external surfaces, view the oral and nasal cavities.
Lymph nodes

Submaxillary Incise(a)

Parotid Incise(a)

Retropharyngeal Incise(a)

View and incise by multiple incision or slicing.

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 Head inspection. Retropharyngeal (No. 1), parotid (No. 2) and Submaxillary (No. 3) lymph
nodes are viewed and incised by multiple incisions and slicing.

Head inspection in buffalo.

Retropharyngeal lymph nodes (No. 1) are viewed and incised by multiple incisions and slicing.
Tongue

View and palpate (view only in calves up to 6 weeks of age).

Cattle - except in calves up to six week of age, the oesophagus of all cattle and calves should
be separated from its attachment to the trachea and viewed. As part of inspection of all cattle
and calves over the age of 6 weeks for Cysticercus bovis, the muscles of mastication should
be viewed and one or more linear incisions made parallel to the lower jaw into the external

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 and internal muscles of mastication; in addition one incision into M.triceps brachii, 5 cm
behind the elbow, should be made.
VISCERA

Lungs
View and palpate. Except in sheep and goats, the bronchi should be opened up by a
transverse incision across the diaphragmatic lobes. For cattle, the larynx, trachea and main
bronchi should be opened along their length.
Lymph nodes
Bronchial (tracheobronchial) and mediastinal: Incise, (a) (see “Notes”)

Lung inspection - Bronchial left and right and mediastinal lymph nodes are viewed
and incised.

Heart

View after the removal of the pericardium.

Heart inspection - Lengthwise incisions (minimum four) from base to apex into the heart
muscles. Observe cut surfaces.

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Liver

View and palpate entire surface (both sides). View the gall bladder. For cattle over 6 weeks of
age, incise as deemed appropriate to detect liver flukes. Open large bile ducts. For sheep,
pigs and game, incise as deemed appropriate for parasite.
Lymph nodes
Portal (hepatic), view and incise

Spleen

Palpate

Stomach and spleen inspection - Viewing of rumen and viewing and palpation of spleen.

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Gastrointestinal tract

Mesenteric lymph nodes

Viewing of rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum.

CARCASS

General
Examine carcasses (including musculature, exposed bones, joints, tendon sheaths etc.) to
determine any signs of disease or defect. Attention should be paid to bodily condition,
efficiency of bleeding, color, condition of serous membranes (pleura and peritoneum),
cleanliness and presence of any unusual odors.
Lymph nodes

Superficial inguinal (male) - Palpate Supramammary (female) - Palpate (a) External and
internal iliac - Palpate (b) Prepectoral - Palpate Popliteal - Palpate (only sheep/goats) Renal -
Palpate (cattle, horses, pigs) or incise if diseases is suspected. Prescapular & prefemoral -
Palpate (only sheep and goats)

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Medial view of carcass with relevant lymph nodes

Decisions at post-mortem inspection:

 approved for human consumption: This judgment is passed
 When no disease or abnormal condition or residues are detected
 If the slaughter operation has been performed in hygienic manner
 Totally condemned: if one or more of the following conditions are met
 If the food animal is infected with infectious, contagious disease or zoonotic disease.
 If residues beyond the normal limit is detected
 If there is severe organoleptic deviation from normal meat

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  The meat has been conditionally approved for human consumption, but this has not
been treated by heat or cold.
 Partially condemned for human consumption: This judgment is passed,
 If abnormalities or defects are encountered in certain parts of the organ or carcass. .
 Conditionally approved for human consumption: This judgment is passed,
 If the carcass or organ poses hazards to the public or animal health. But the hazard can
be eliminated through proper treatment
 Inferior meat
 If the meat is below accepted standard, but does not pose public hazard when
consumed.
 Approved for human consumption with distribution restricted to limed areas: The judgment is
passed, if
 The animal originated from an area where there is an outbreak of disease and
slaughtering has been recommended to contain the disease in that area.
 The animal comes from quarantine stations.
 Detained: carcass may be detained for further inspection under
 Slight discoloration e.g. as in the case of jaundice
 If chemical, toxicological or microbiological examination is required.

Self-Check 3 Written Test

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Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: Answer all the questions listed below

1. Define inspection of food animal products? (3 points)

2. Mention judgments of antemortem inspection? (4 points)

3. Which body systems must be inspected in postmortem inspection? (3 points)

4. Mention postmortem inspection methods? (3 points)

5. Write the conditions of carcass to be totally condemned? (3 points)

6. How do you judge the efficiency of bleeding? (4 points)

7. What finding you expect when postmortem inspection done on heart? (3 points)

8. What is inferior meat? (2 points)

Taking samples of organs

Information Sheet-4

Judgment on emergency slaughtered animals:

Before passing the judgment on emergency and causality slaughter, the following examination should be
carried out.

 Examination of blood smear taken from the ear of the animal and ensure that the animals
were not suffering from any epizootic or zoonotic disease.
 Examine lymph and lymph nodes.
 Do exploratory incision in to the muscle and evaluate if the animal has been bled efficiently.

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  Inspect the subcutaneous tissues to find extensive bruising, congestion of blood vessels or
edema.
 Examine all joints.
Bacteriological examination.

Take the following samples and undergo bacteriological examination

 Two meat lymph nodes

 Piece of liver including the portal lymph node.
 The spleen
 0.5 Kg of muscle
 One kidney

Conducting Inspection works on meat

Information Sheet-5

Inspection include: ante and post mortem inspection in slaughter houses

Post mortem inspection procedures include:
 Visualization
 Palpation
 Incision and Judgement
Post-mortem inspections refers to examination of the carcass and associated organs after slaughtering
to detect and eliminate abnormalities including contamination to ensure only meat fit for human
consumption is passed for food.

Principles of post-mortem inspection:

Ensure that

 The slaughter hall and equipments are clean

 The sewage system is functioning properly
 The availability of adequate supply of potable water
 Availability of adequate light
 Presence of adequate personnel and their hygienic status.
Guidelines of post-mortem inspection

 Evisceration is effected without delay

 Incision are made without obliteration
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  Offal, carcass, and heart are labeled and bear the same numbe3r
 No lesion is removed before judgment is passed
 No lesions are modified or obliterated to disguise meat inspection
 No removal of organs or carcass before final judgment is passed
 No removal of identification marks
General approach:
Routine postmortem examination of a carcass should be carried out as soon as possible after
the completion of dressing in order to detect any abnormalities so that products only
conditionally fit for human consumption are not passed as food. Professional and technical
knowledge must be fully utilized by:

 Viewing, incision, palpation and olfaction techniques.

 Classifying the lesions into one of two major categories - acute or chronic.

 Establishing whether the condition is localized or generalized, and the extent of

systemic changes in other organs or tissues.

 Determining the significance of primary and systemic pathological lesions and their
relevance to major organs and systems, particularly the liver, kidneys, heart, spleen
and lymphatic system.

 Coordinating all the components of antemortem and postmortem findings to make a

final diagnosis.

 Submitting the samples to the laboratory for diagnostic support, if abattoir has
holding and refrigeration facilities for carcasses under detention.

Carcass judgment
Some of the signs of a generalized disease are:

 Generalized inflammation of lymph nodes including the lymph nodes of the head,
viscera and/or the lymph nodes of the carcass

 Inflammation of joints

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  Lesions in different organs including liver, spleen kidneys and heart

 The presence of multiple abscesses in different portions of the carcass including the
spine of ruminants

Generalized lesions usually require more severe judgment than localized lesions.

Disposing Offal and waste products

Information Sheet-6

Slaughterhouse wastes are a potential reservoir of bacterial, viral, prion and parasitic pathogens,
capable of infecting both animals and humans. A quick, cost effective and safe disposal method is thus
essential in order to reduce the risk of disease following animal slaughter. Different methods for the
disposal of such wastes exist, including composting, anaerobic digestion (AD), alkaline hydrolysis (AH),
rendering, incineration and burning. Composting is a disposal method that allows a recycling of the
slaughterhouse waste nutrients back into the earth. The high fat and protein content of slaughterhouse
wastes mean however, that such wastes are an excellent substrate for AD processes, resulting in both
the disposal of wastes, a recycling of nutrients (soil amendment with sludge), and in methane
production. Concerns exist as to whether AD and composting processes can inactivate pathogens. In
contrast, AH is capable of the inactivation of almost all known microorganisms. This review was
conducted in order to compare three different methods of slaughterhouse waste disposal, as regards to
their ability to inactivate various microbial pathogens. The intention was to investigate whether AD
could be used for waste disposal (either alone, or in combination with another process) such that both
energy can be obtained and potentially hazardous materials be disposed of.

Safe Disposal, Treatment and Processing Methods:

The appropriate facilities to ensure safe disposal of abattoir wastes in a manner that will not constitute a
potential hazard to public health, animal health and the environment is considered very essential to be
minimized [10]. Often, re-using or recycling by-products reduces waste production. Recovering valuable
materials from waste streams can be economically and environmentally sensible. Government
regulations must be followed in all operations done in abattoirs including the construction of the
building itself along with the drainage, water supply and waste disposal systems [16]. although, if used
for all slaughter waste, valuable nutrients are discarded. The SRM component is suitably contained for

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long-term on the farm using burial methods. The primary regulatory restrictions relating to burial of
SRM are that the landfill must be covered immediately after use, it must have a means of keeping out
wild life and records must be kept of the locations and volumes buried [34].

Controlled Incineration: Controlled Incineration is the burning of waste materials in safe way which
requires temperature to reach 850°C or above, for at least 15 minutes and until all organic matter has
been reduced to ash. In fact, incineration destroys most pathogens (sterilizes the waste) including the
prion responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Incineration reduces volume by
approximately 90% - 93% and the resultant ash is considered prion-free, as long as the incineration is
conducted correctly. Thus, for slaughter waste containing SRM, if the correct burn is achieved, there
would be no requirement for permitting in the disposal of the ash to landfill, or for its use as a soil
amendment. Raw slaughter waste can have a negative energy value due to the high moisture content.
There may be resistance to incinerators by the public and meeting emissions standards can be an
obstacle for some incinerators [35]. Composting: Composting is natural biological decomposition
process where aerobic organisms break down materials in the presence of oxygen, (air). For
environmental and sanitation reasons, the composting of should be done in pits or bunkers instead of
stacks and heaps. Both structures must be roofed or provided with sheds for security against rain [22].

Many farmers and an estimated 15 to 20 abattoirs are currently composting waste. The cost to compost
has been estimated to be approximately one-third the cost of rendering. However, the composting
process for full carcasses or significant quantities of waste takes several years is labor intensive and may
be ineffective in disposing of hides and bones. The permissible uses of the final product – the compost –
are still uncertain and may depend on the nature of the compost. The compost process is effective to
break down the waste, kill some pathogens and produce final compost which is relatively safe [36].
Global Veterinaria, 19 (2): 517-524, 2017 521 Rendering: Rendering is the optimal disposal method so It
is by far the most frequently utilized method of treating failure to use the rendering industry for the
disposal of wastewater from slaughterhouses. With anaerobic abattoir waste and mortalities will erode
the infrastructure lagoons, wastewater move through the treatment process developed to safely handle
these materials, resulting in with the influence of gravity unlike other technologies sanitation and
environmental challenges in the future [37]. with pumps, screens, aerators and mixers. Its It involves
mechanical, thermal and/or chemical treatment disadvantages, however, include requirement for a
large of solid livestock slaughter waste and/or whole carcasses land area and emission of odor,

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especially in improperly to produce pelleted soil additives or animal feedstock designed, poorly
operated or too small systems. such as meat and bone meal (MBM) and tallow (fats and Mosquitoes
may also breed in the water. These can be oils). MBM is used as a non-ruminant stock feed or addressed
by constructing the lagoon far away and fertilizer and the tallow can be used in the pharmaceutical,
down-wind from populated areas or by covering lagoon cosmetic and soap industries, as well as in
animal feeds cells [5]. etc. [38].

At high temperatures, the anaerobic digestion In the absence of the rendering, the cost of disposal
destroys pathogenic bacteria at considerably higher of waste animal material would be very high and
would levels than aerobic digestion, when used as part of an place a significant economic and
environmental burden on integrated waste management system, anaerobic digestion areas involved in
industrial scale slaughtering. This cost reduces the emission of landfill gas into the atmosphere, may
manifest itself through the expensive use of sanitary anaerobic digestion produces biogas consisting of
landfills, incinerators and other similar waste disposal methane and carbon dioxide [27]. techniques
without yielding profit directly out of it Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion with leading to the
incurrence of opportunity costs [37]. anaerobic bacteria or fermentation of biodegradable Advantages
are costs associated with disposal by materials such as manure, sewage, municipal waste, green
rendering are lower in comparison to some other options waste, plant material and crops. The
embedding of biogas though significantly higher than composting the waste power-plants is the best
solution for bio waste utilization. on-site as part of the farm operations, considerably The use of gut
contents, manure and solid waste to reduces the volume of material for disposal, beneficial by- produce
biogas as fuel for heating and lighting would to products are generated during the rendering process, a
great extent help alleviate shortage of fuel and conserve destroys most pathogens, can create a value
added by- environment [41]. product [39]. Disadvantages of rendering is its use as a mean of Blood
Processing: Blood is a rich source of iron and reduction, not destruction. Rendering does not destroy
proteins of high nutritional and functional quality. the BSE prion so SRM must be removed or rendered
Because of the high protein content of blood, generally products containing SRM require further
disposal or about 18% of it sometimes referred to as “liquid protein.” management [39]. Thus, a
valuable protein source is lost if animal blood is Anaerobic Digestion (Biogas Production): Anaerobic
blood be disposed of in an environmentally friendly digestion involves the breakdown of materials by
manner, which is a capital intensive process. Accordingly, organisms in the absence of oxygen within a
specialized to eliminate a sizeable pollution hazard and prevent the containment unit. Anaerobic

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digestion technology is loss of a valuable protein source, efforts have been made practicable for the
treatment of organic solid to ensure the utilization of animal blood on a massive slaughterhouse waste
to combine material recovery and scale. A further incentive is the increased profits to be energy
production. Assuming that the operation made through adding value to the blood [42]. conditions can
be optimized and the process made When processed and incorporated in the livestock economically
sustainable, anaerobic digestion is fully feeds, it would provide a valuable source of animal protein
competitive with other treatment options for the above and as a fertilizer it would enrich the soil. The
blood wastes [40]. available from the slaughter houses should be collected Waste treatment system in
the form of anaerobic and made use of in pharmaceutical industry. Blood lagoons facilitates the
degradation of organic matter by collection on efficient lines will be possible only in microorganisms in
the absence of oxygen into methane. modern slaughter houses as collection has to be done discarded as
waste. Many countries require that animal Global Veterinaria, 19 (2): 517-524, 2017 522 speedily only
and without dilution with water. Otherwise are properly documented. This would help in accurate
processing would be pronged making moisture removal prediction of the best method to manage the
waste highly expensive [32]. By passing steam directly in to generated. We can manage it by
implementing appropriate blood, allow it to dry and pulverize into a meal is simple liquid, solid and
gaseous waste management practices method of preparing blood meal. Blood meal is a dry, inert and by
safe disposal, treatment and processing methods powder made from blood used as a high-nitrogen
fertilizer in order to prevent or minimize the potential hazards to and a high protein animal feed. N =
13.25%, P = 1.0%, K = environment and public health. By doing so it is also 0.6%. It is one of the highest
non-synthetic sources of possible to gain more economic benefit from abattoir nitrogen. It usually
comes from cattle as a slaughterhouse wastes or by-products. by-product [33].

Self-Check 2 Written Test

Name _____________________________ date _______________

Directions: answer the following questions correctly

REFERENCE
Tamirat Herago, Tamenech Bandaw and Tamirat Herago (2017): Review on Abattoir Waste Management
1 2 Offa Woreda Livestock and Fishery Office, Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia; Global Veterinaria 19 (2): 517-524,

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5. PSA (Philippine Sanitation Alliance), 2008. Slaughterhouses, Sanitation Technology Information solid
waste to produce biogas as fuel for heating and Sheet. pp: 1-3.

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