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The decline in the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle,
(1.5% compared with 5.2% in 1959) significantly coincides
with the completion of the Ministry's tuberculosis eradication
scheme. Of nearly 7,000 calves inspected, no tuberculosis
was found. Indeed there has been no case of tuberculosis in
calves at this slaughterhouse since 1958.
The parasites infesting cattle are principally liver
flukes and the percentage of bovine livers so infested has
shown no serious decline over the past four or five years.
More than 3,000 livers were condemned because of liver fluke.
Very few hydatid cysts were observed, but 91 carcases were
found with localised cysticercosis, which after refrigeration
treatment were released for distribution.
During the course of routine inspection of pigs, two
cases of Swine Fever were diagnosed and subsequently
confirmed by the Ministry's Veterinary Officer. This is
the first time in the 23 years operation of this slaughterhouse
that Swine Fever has been confirmed. Swine Erysipelas
is still very prevalent among pigs, and appears very difficult
to eradicate. At least 10 per cent. of all pigs inspected
were found to have pneumonia in varying degrees or the lungs
damaged as a result of pneumonia.
LICENSING OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND SLAUGHTERMEN
Licences to slaughter animals (sheep, pigs, calves,
and cattle only) were issued by the Council to ten slaughtermen
at the Garland Road Abattoir. This Abattoir was also
licensed by the Borough Council.
During the year the Ministry made The Authorised
Officers (Meat Inspection) Regulations, which prescribe a
new qualification, the holder of which will be eligible to
be appointed by a local authority as an Authorised Officer
under the Food and Drugs Act to act in relation to the
examination and seizure of meat. The primary reason for
creating the new class of Officer Is to help overcome the
difficulty which has been experienced by some local
authorities in recruiting men for work in large pig slaughterhouses,
such as bacon factories.
To date the Council have experienced no such shortage
of qualified Food Inspectors for work at the local Abattoir.
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