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Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, and
Slaughter House Bye Laws.
REPORT OF THE VETERINARY OFFICER
(Mr. H. E. Bywater, M.R.C.V.S.)
AND THE MEAT INSPECTOR (Mr. T. R. Harris).
Scope of Report;
The work carried out under the regulations, with the exception
of that under Parts IV. and V. (which relate to shops,
stores and stalls) is surveyed in this report; and also the action
taken under the slaughter-house bye-laws in regard to humane
killing.
Ante Mortem Examinations:
Among the 9,456 animals inspected prior to slaughter, a
number of interesting cases were noted, to which particular attention
was given at the post-mortem examinations. Several cases
of notifiable disease were observed and dealt with under the
Diseases of Animals Acts.
Post-mortem Examinations.
23,298 animals were inspected after slaughter. This is an
increase over last year of 2,319, or 11 per cent. The addition
occurs among Bovine and Ovines; while Swine snow a slight
decrease.
2,592, or 11.1 per cent, of the animals examined post-mortem
were affected with some form of disease, and it is interesting to
observe that the percentage shows an increase of only 0.6 over
that of the preceding year.
The Bovines inspected number 3,325, of which 1,124, or 33.8
per cent, were tubercular, and 471, or 14.2 per cent., were
affected with other diseases. Swine account for 7,488, of which
353, or 4.7 per cent., were tubercular, and 227, or 3 per ent.
were cases of some other disease. While Ovines total 12,484,
of which 417, or 3.3 per cent., were diseased.
The percentage of tuberculosis in cattle shows a slight rise
from 33.4 per cent, in 1927, to 33.8 per cent, in 1928; while in
Swine there is a decrease, the figures being 4.7 per cent, 'his
year, and 6.4 per cent, the previous year.
In Appendix I. detailed information is given as to the number
and percentage of animals diseased, and particulars of Ine
meat condemned and the diseases which rendered it unsound are
given in Appendices II., III., and IV., while Appendix V. shows
the total quantity of meat found to be unfit for human food.
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