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50
THE INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
MEAT
Slaughterhouses.
At the end of the year there were three slaughterhouses in use, namely,
7 Northolt Road; 46 High Street, Wealdstone and 87 Stanmore Hill.
These slaughterhouses though meeting the requirements of current
legislation in respect of hygiene and other facilities, are badly sited and it
is hoped that eventually they will be replaced by a new central slaughterhouse.
Inspection of Meat.
There was little change in the number of animals killed in the district,
the total being 7,347 as compared with 7,411 for 1961. The totals are
made up as follows, (1961 figures given in brackets).
Cattle 1,212 (1,112)
Pigs 1,943 (1,558)
Sheep 3,706 (4,303)
Calves 486 (438)
The animals killed in Harrow are mostly of top quality and consequently
were found free from serious disease. Apart from one beast
which was notified as a reactor to a tuberculin test no case of tuberculosis
was discovered in cattle. 18 cases of localised cysticercus bovis, a parasite
that can cause tape worm in man, were found. This represents a percentage
of 1.5 per cent compared with 1.35 per cent in 1961.
The incidence of other diseases in cattle, other than cows, again fell
(14.9 per cent compared with 17 per cent for 1961). One whole carcase was
condemned due to generalised tumors.
The incidence of tuberculosis in pigs showed a rise to 2.2 per cent
from 0.8 per cent in 1961—all the cases were localised in the head. The
percentage of other diseases in pigs was 12 per cent (23.1 per cent). One
whole carcase was condemned due to multiple abscesses.
The percentage figure in sheep was 2.2 per cent (4 per cent). Parasitic
infestations were the principal cause of the trouble found and these
infestations necessitated the condemnation of the affected organ. All
condemned meat as in previous years was removed and incinerated at the
Wembley destructor.
The following is a summary of the return to the Minister of the
findings of the post mortem examinations of the animals in slaughterhouses:—