PM Inspection

Question 1

What are you looking for during a post-mortem inspection?

Answer 1

Diseases
Residues or contaminants
Contamination
Animal welfare concerns
Carcasses unfit for human consumption

Question 2

What are the legislations regarding post-mortem inspections

Answer 2

2017/625 and 2019/627
- purpose, procedures and decisions
H2: Regulation (EC) 853/2004
- FBO standards

Question 3

Who performs PM inspections?

Answer 3

Meat hygiene inspector
OV (emergency slaughter or unusual conditions)

Question 4

What separate sections undergo a post-mortem inspection?

Answer 4

Head
Carcase
Offal:
- green (stomach, intestines)
- Red (lungs, heart, liver)

Question 5

Describe the PM inspection procedure in pigs

Answer 5

Visual inspection procedures (if normal at AM)
Further inspection procedures (if marked or AM or during PM)

Question 6

What findings during a visual inspection of a pig during PM would lead to further inspection?

Answer 6

multiple abscesses
enlarged lymph nodes (suspect TB)
anaemia
badly bled
contamination with gut content
emaciation
oedema
erysipelas (skin infection)
generalised TB
Tumours
Melanosis (hyperpigmentation)
Jaundice

Question 7

What are the possible outcomes of a PM inspection?

Answer 7

OV/MHI can:
- pass meat as fit for human consumption
- declare the meat as unfit for human consumption
- detain the meat for further examination

Question 8

Which parts of the cattle head should always be checked post-mortem?

Answer 8

Lymph nodes (esp. retropharyngeal) - commonly find bovine TB
Masseter muscle - check for cysticercus bovis

Question 9

What is the outcome of finding taenia saginata/cysticercus bovis in a cattle head post-mortem

Answer 9

If generalised - condemnation
If localised - partial rejection plus freezing

Question 10

Describe the lesions typically found post-mortem as a result of bovine TB

Answer 10

Cream/yellow
granulomatous calcified/purulent material
Retropharyngeal l.n., lungs, bronchial and mediastinal l.n.

Question 11

If bovine TB is detected PM who should be notified?

Answer 11

APHA (notifiable disease)

Question 12

What is the outcome of a actinomycosis (lumpy jaw) found post-mortem?

Answer 12

head is rejected

Question 13

What is the outcome of a actinobacillosis (wooden tongue) found post-mortem?

Answer 13

tongue rejected

Question 14

Describe the appearance of the fat found on normal hearts post-mortem

Answer 14

Swine - soft and greasy due to olein
Bovine and ovine - crispy due to stearin

Question 15

What are common PM findings that would lead to rejection of the heart?

Answer 15

Pericarditis
Endocarditis
C.ovis (T.ovis)
C.bovis (T.saginata)
C.cellulosae (T.solium)

Question 16

What are some common findings PM that would cause lungs to be rejected?

Answer 16

Pneumonia
Pleurisy
Lungworm
Abscesses

Question 17

Describe the normal appearance of swine lungs

Answer 17

2-3 L lobes
3-4 R lobes
Marked surface lobulation
Accessory bronchus to R lobe

Question 18

Describe the normal appearance of ovine lungs

Answer 18

Indistinct lobulation
3 L lobes
4 R lobes

Question 19

Describe the normal appearance of bovine lungs

Answer 19

3 L lobes
4 R lobes
3 main bronchi
distinct lobulation

Question 20

Describe the normal appearance of swine liver

Answer 20

5 lobes
clearly demarcated polyhedral lobules with interlobular connective tissue
leathery surface
teardrop shaped gall bladder

Question 21

Describe the normal appearance of bovine liver

Answer 21

3 lobes (L, R, caudate)
renal impression at base of caudate lobe
hepatic lymph nodes surround portal opening
pear shaped gall bladder

Question 22

Describe the normal appearance of ovine liver

Answer 22

3 lobes
cigar shaped gall bladder

Question 23

What are common PM findings on the liver of pig that would cause it to be rejected?

Answer 23

Milk spot (A.suum)
abscesses
hydatid cysts (hydatidosis)
fasciola hepatica (distomatosis)
C. tenuicollis
necrosis

Question 24

What are common PM findings on the liver of cattle and sheep that would cause it to be rejected?

Answer 24

abscesses
fasciola hepatica (distomatosis)
C. tenuicollis
hydatid cysts (hydatidosis)
necrosis
bTB

Question 25

Describe the normal appearance of swine kidneys

Answer 25

Bean flat and elongated 10+ renal papillae renal pelvis

Question 26

Describe the normal appearance of bovine kidneys

Answer 26

R side held tight to body, L loose Red/brown 15-20 lobules

Question 27

Describe the normal appearance of ovine kidneys

Answer 27

R side held tight to body, L loose Red/brown

Question 28

What are some common findings PM that would cause kidneys to be rejected?

Answer 28

congenital cysts nephritis ASF/CSF - ND (african/classic swine fever)

Question 29

Describe the normal appearance of swine spleen

Answer 29

tongue/strap shaped omentum attached to longitudinal ridge

Question 30

Describe the normal appearance of bovine spleen

Answer 30

flat and oval outline blue/red attached to rumen

Question 31

Describe the normal appearance of ovine spleen

Answer 31

flat and oval/triangular attached to rumen

Question 32

What PM findings could cause a spleen to be rejected

Answer 32

rare TB lesions (granular nodules) abscesses haemorrhage hydatid cyst

Question 33

What is the outcome of offal found with peritonitis?

Answer 33

full rejection of carcass

Question 34

What are common conditions found PM on carcasses?`

Answer 34

arthritis skin lesions (erysipelas) contamination

Question 35

In what situations are arthritic joints rejected?

Answer 35

if synovial fluid contains pus

Question 36

What conditions cause full carcase condemnation?

Answer 36

Emaciation Jaundice Fevered (septicaemia/toxaemia) Dead on arrival, Dead in lairage, unborn Generalised oedema Pyemia (sepsis) abnormal colours no AM (ante-mortem)

Question 37

What are the findings of an emaciated carcase?

Answer 37

Shrunken pale/wet muscles prominent connective tissue scare/soft/slimy fat enlarged/watery lymph nodes

Question 38

Apart from disease, what can cause jaundice of a carcase?d

Answer 38

grass fed

Question 39

What does a septicaemic carcase look like?

Answer 39

dark red

Question 40

At what age must a sheep spinal cord be removed?

Answer 40

12 months

Question 41

Who is allowed to health mark carcasses?

Answer 41

OV MHI/FBO (if under OV supervision)

Question 42

identify this PM finding (right heart)

Answer 42

pericarditis

Question 43

identify this PM finding (heart)

Answer 43

endocarditis

Question 44

What parasite causes this PM finding?

Answer 44

C.ovis / T.ovis

Question 45

What parasite causes this PM heart lesion?

Answer 45

C.bovis /T.saginata

Question 46

What parasite causes this PM heart lesion?

Answer 46

C.cellulosae / T.solium

Question 47

identify this PM lesion

Answer 47

pneumonia

Question 48

what causes this PM finding?

Answer 48

lungworm

Question 49

What has happened here? (lung)

Answer 49

Pleura gets attached to thoracic cavity due to pneumonia => pleurisy

Question 50

what is this PM liver finding?

Answer 50

bacterial/parasitic necrosis

Question 51

what causes this PM liver lesion?

Answer 51

bTB

Question 52

What causes this liver lesion?

Answer 52

distomatosis - fasciola hepatica

Question 53

What is this PM kidney finding?

Answer 53

nephritis/nephrosis

Question 54

what causes this PM kidney finding?

Answer 54

ASF/CSF ND

Question 55

identify this PM lesion

Answer 55

peritonitis