Day 112 - 31 Mar 95 - Page 27
1 are. We have to remember that both the postmortem and the
2 antemortem inspection done by the OVS is, basically, it
3 should be done by the OVS, but we can statutorily delegate
4 some of the duties to meat inspectors.
5
6 Q. I understand that. That is common ground.
7
8 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Ms. Hovi, it seems to me it is a sensible
9 place to have it, because the hide has been taken off, the
10 guts have been taken out, the carcass has been split in
11 two?
12 A. Yes.
13
14 Q. So you have a jolly good opportunity there to look over the
15 sides of the carcass and have a really good look?
16 A. Yes, that is why it is there and we would, obviously,
17 want to inspect the carcass as early as possible when it is
18 feasible, to prevent any possible contamination from a sick
19 carcass or diseased carcass or a carcass with an abscess.
20 This is the point where I have delegated, the OVS delegates
21 some of his duties at this point of inspection.
22
23 MR. RAMPTON: I understand that and I make absolutely no
24 criticism of it. It is for this reason, is it not, that
25 the critical inspection points are up to here; it is for
26 that reason, is it not, that we get the condemn room and
27 the detained room immediately afterwards?
28 A. That is right.
29
30 Q. That is correct, is it not?
31 A. Yes.
32
33 Q. We see that the carcass wash comes after that?
34 A. Yes.
35
36 Q. Why then do you say in your statement at the sixth blob
37 that there is a breach of the regulations by washing the
38 carcasses with high pressure water before the inspection;
39 "This practice is dangerous as it can lead to the
40 inspectors missing pathological changes and leads to
41 airborne contamination". It comes after the critical
42 inspection, does it not, Ms. Hovi?
43 A. That carcass, it does, but in this particular abattoir
44 they did wash, as I pointed out yesterday, they did wash
45 the carcass or part of the carcass already.
46
47 Q. Where did they do that?
48 A. They did it -- it is right after the chute, the gut
49 table. As soon as the carcass had been eviscerated, they
50 washed it, usually the neck, the thoracic cavity and the
51 front feet and the chest.
52
53 Q. Really?
54 A. Yes.
55
56 Q. Can you show us, please, by reference to this plan
57 precisely where the tap, or whatever it is, the source of
58 water is, and where the hose, or whatever it is, is
59 situated?
60 A. The hose pipes at the abattoir normally come from the
