NFU: Avoid dirty livestock disputes says NFU and BMPA

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Tuesday, 30, Sep 2008 12:00

The NFU has teamed up with the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) to try and avoid potential disputes over dirty livestock.

Producers and processors are being urged to ensure they re-familiarise themselves with the ‘Clean Livestock Policy’, in particular the categories for defining the levels of soiling, so that these benchmarks can be applied openly and fairly.

The Clean Livestock Policy is a transparent means for everyone involved in the chain to understand what level of soiling the authorities find acceptable for animals presented for slaughter.

NFU livestock board chairman Alistair Mackintosh said: “Keeping animals clean is even more of a challenge this year given the poor weather we have had. The availability and cost of straw this winter will make it even more difficult for producers to present animals to the cleanest possible standard.

“Processors will need to be mindful of the difficulties involved but we also need to make sure we do our bit in the interests of food hygiene and avoiding extra costs.”

Philip Hambling, Food Policy Manager from the BMPA added: “Processors accept that some soiling is inevitable and are sympathetic to the problems faced by producers in wet weather. We have systems in place to minimise problems on the line.”

“As food business operators, farmers and processors need to mitigate these risks and wet or dirty animals can represent a processing cost that neither producers nor operators want to bear.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Clean Livestock Policy sets out the standards for acceptable and unacceptable levels of cleanliness for cattle and sheep being presented for slaughter. It was published in September 1997 by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to improve hygiene standards following the E-coli O157 outbreak in Scotland in 1996.

2. The guidance and policy are available via the FSA and BMPA websites.

3. The aim of this policy is to ensure a consistent approach to categorisation of animals presented for slaughter and to minimise the risk of food poisoning caused by bacteria on dirty coats and fleeces of cattle and sheep. Excrement and mud on coats or fleeces (especially wet ones), can potentially contaminate meat inside the slaughterhouse when the coat or fleece is being removed.

4. The criteria for identifying the cleanliness of cattle and sheep is separated into five categories, ranging from clean and dry to filthy and wet. Only livestock in categories 1 and 2 (clean and dry/slightly dirty and dry/damp) may proceed to slaughter for human consumption without further action being taken.

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