ANSCI 4205 (Slaughtering of Animals and Processing of their Products)

Prepared by: ALONA T. BADUA

E-mail Address: alona.badua@clsu2.edu.ph

Central Luzon State University

Science City of Muñoz 3120
Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Instructional Module for the Course

ANSCI 4205 SLAUGHTERING OF ANIMALS AND PROCESSING OF THEIR
PRODUCTS

Module 4
Rules and Regulations Governing Meat
Inspection in the Philippines
Overview
This module covers the salient provisions of the The Animal
Welfare Act of 1998 as amended by RA 10631. A thorough discussion
on the governing regulations on the conduct of ante and post-mortem
inspections including judgments for these is presented. The last part of
this module explains the Philippine Trade Specifications for Meat.

I. Objectives
After finishing this module the student will be able to:
1. Explain the salient provisions of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 as amended by RA
10631 pertaining to handling and slaughtering of animals
2. Describe the procedure for doing the ante and post mortem inspections including
their judgments
3. Identify the Philippine Trade Standards Specifications for Meats

II. Learning Activities

A. R.A. No. 8485 – The Animal Welfare Act of 1998 as amended by RA 10631
Section1.
It is the purpose of this Act to protect and promote the welfare of all terrestrial,
aquatic and marine animals in the Philippines by supervising and regulating the

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establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping,
treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade or as household pets. For
this purpose of this Act, pet animal shall include birds.
For purposes of this Act, animal welfare pertains to the physical and
psychological well-being of animals. It includes, but not limited to, the avoidance of
abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining
appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and
treatment of disease and the assurance of freedom from fear, distress, harassment, and
unnecessary discomfort and pain, and allowing animals to express normal behaviour.

Section 2.
a. No Person, association, partnership, corporation, cooperative or any government
agency or instrumentality including slaughter houses shall establish, maintain and
operate any pet shop, kennel, veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, stockyard, corral,
stud farm or stock farm or zoo for the breeding, treatment, sale or trading, or training
of animals without first securing from the Bureau of Animal Industry a certificate of
registration.
The certificate shall be issued upon proof that the facilities of such establishment
for animals are adequate, clean and sanitary and will not be used for, nor cause pain
and/or suffering to the animals. The certificate shall be valid for a period of one (1)
year unless earlier cancelled for just cause before the expiration of its term by the
Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry and may be renewed from year to year upon
compliance with the conditions imposed hereunder. The Bureau shall charge reasonable
fees for the issuance or renewal of such certificate.
The condition that such facilities be adequate, clean and sanitary, and that they
will not be used for nor cause pain and/or suffering to the animals is a continuing
requirement for the operation of these establishments. The Bureau may revoke or
cancel such certificate of registration for failure to observe these conditions and other
just causes.

Section 3.
The Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry shall supervise and regulate the
establishment, operation and maintenance, of pet shops, kennels, veterinary clinics,
veterinary hospitals, stockyards, corrals, stud farms and zoos and any other form or
structure for the confinement of animals where they are bred, treated, maintained, or
kept either for sale or trade or for training purposes as well as the transport of such
animals in any form of public or private transportation facility, in order to provide
maximum comfort while in transit and minimized, if not totally eradicate, incidence of
sickness and death and prevent any cruelty from being inflicted upon the animals.

Section 4.
It shall be the duty of any owner or operator of any land, air or water public utility
transporting pet, wildlife and all other animals to provide in all cases adequate, dean
and sanitary facilities for sale conveyance and delivery thereof to their consignee at the

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place of consignment. They shall provide sufficient food and water for such animals
while in transit for more than twelve (12) hours or whenever necessary.
No public utility shall transport any such animals without a written permit from
the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry or his/her authorized representative. No
cruel confinement or restraint shall be made on such animals while being transported.
Any form, of cruelty shall be penalized even if the transporter has obtained a
permit from the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Cruelty in transporting
includes overcrowding, placing of animals in the trunks or under the hood trunks of
vehicles.

Section 6.
It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect to provide adequate
care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animals or to subject any dog orhorse to
dog fights or horse fights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or deprived of
adequate care sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or
experiments not expressly authorized by the Committee on Animal welfare.
The killing of any animal other than cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits,
carabao, horse, is likewise hereby declared unlawful except in the following instances:
1) When it is done as part of the religious rituals of an established religion or
sect or ritual required by ethnic custom of indigenous cultural communities: however,
leaders shall keep records in cooperation with the Committee on Animal Welfare;
2) When the pet animal is afflicted with an incurable communicable disease as
determined and certified by a duly licensed veterinarian;
3) When the killing is deemed necessary to put an end to the misery suffered by
the animal as determined and certified by a duly licensed veterinarian;
4) When it is done to prevent an imminent danger to the life or limb of a human
being; and
5) When done for the purpose of animal population control;
6) When animal is killed after it has been used in authorized research or
experiments; and
7) Any other ground analogous to the foregoing as determined and certified by a
licensed veterinarian.
In all the above mentioned cases, including those of cattle, pigs, goats, sheep,
poultry, rabbits, carabao, horses, the killing of the animals shall be done through
humane procedures at all times. For this purpose, humane procedures shall means the
use of the most scientific methods available as may be determined and approved by the
Committee. Only those procedures approved by the Committee shall be used in killing
of animals.

Section 7.
It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody to an animal to abandon the
animal. If any person being the owner or having charge or control of any animal shall
without reasonable cause or excuse abandon it, whether permanently or not, without
providing for the care of that animal, such act shall constitute maltreatment under

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Section 9. If the animal is left in circumstances likely to cause the animal any
unnecessary suffering, or if this abandonment results in the death of the animal, the
person liable shall suffer the maximum penalty.
Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession
of the animal with the intention of not reclaiming its ownership or possession.

Section 8.
It shall be the duty of every person to protect the natural habitat of the wildlife.
The destruction of said habitat shall be considered as a form of cruelty to animals and
its preservation is a way of protecting the animals.

Section 9.
Any person who subjects any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect shall,
upon conviction by final judgment, be punished by imprisonment and/or fine, as
indicated in the following graduated scale:
1) Imprisonment of one (1) year and six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2)
years and/or fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) if the
animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect dies;
2) Imprisonment of one (1) year and one (1) day to one (1) year and six (6)
months and/or a fine not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) if the animal
subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect survives but is severely injured with loss
of its natural faculty to survive on its own and needing human intervention to sustain its
life; and
3) Imprisonment of six (6) months to one (1) year and/or fine not exceeding
Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) for subjecting any animal to cruelty, maltreatment
or neglect but without causing its death or incapacitating it to survive on its own. If the
violation is committed by a juridical person, the officer responsible thereof shall serve
the imprisonment.
If the violation is committed by an alien, he or she shall be immediately deported
after the service of sentence without any further proceeding.
However, regardless of the resulting condition to the animals, the penalty of two
(2) years and one (1) day to three (3) years and/or a fine not exceeding Two hundred
fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) shall be imposed if the offense is committed by any
of the following: (1) a syndicate; (2) an offender who makes business out of cruelty to
an animal; (3) a public officer or employee; or (4) where at least three (3) animals are
involved. In any of the foregoing situations, the offender shall suffer subsidiary
imprisonment in case of insolvency and the inability to pay the fine.

Section 10.
The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture shall deputize animal welfare
enforcement officers from nongovernment organizations, citizens groups, community
organizations and other volunteers who have undergone the necessary training for this
purpose. The Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other
law enforcement agencies shall designate animal welfare enforcement officers. As such,

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animal welfare enforcement officers shall have the authority to seize and rescue illegally
traded and maltreated animals and to arrest violators of this Act subject to the
guidelines of existing laws and rules and regulations on arrest and detention.

B. General principles of meat inspection

1) Meat inspection is carried out in food animals to ensure that their meat and
edible offals for human consumption is safe, wholesome, and clean.
2) It is conducted by authorized meat inspection personnel only.
3) Meat inspection is conducted in accredited or registered slaughterhouses
premises only.
4) Only apparently healthy animals are slaughtered.
5) Only meat that has passed the ante- and post mortem inspection, clean and
without visible contaminant shall be certified safe for human consumption.
6) Inspected meat and edible offals shall have a mark of inspection and
accompanying inspection certificate.
7) Carcasses, edible offals and by-products are handled and transported in a
hygienic and sanitary manner with provision of appropriate and clean
equipment and transport vehicles.
8) Food animals awaiting slaughter shall be protected and prevented from
cruelty, mishandling practices and procedures
9) No animals shall proceed for slaughter until an inspector has carried out
antemortem inspection and has passed it as suitable for slaughter. Exceptions
may be under emergency slaughter procedures where a delay in carrying out
ante-mortem inspection would result in undue suffering of the animal.
10) Any food animal brought and/or accepted to meat establishment for
slaughter even without antemortem inspection has been performed, such
animals shall become the jurisdiction of the government meat inspection
authority and thereby subject for inspection and judgment before any
disposition has been made.
11) Only meat control officers, deputized meat control officers, meat inspectors,
deputized meat inspectors, duly appointed and designated are authorized to
perform regulatory meat inspection works
12) Owners of meat establishment, live food animals and transport are
responsible for complying with the set rules, regulations, standards and
procedures in the transport and care of food animals before slaughter.
13) No person, firm, or corporation shall store, traffic, transport, sell or otherwise
dispose of for food any carcass or parts of carcasses which have not been
previously inspected and passed
14) Antemortem inspection shall be conducted at the holding pens within the
premises of the slaughterhouse only. It shall be carried out after the food
animals have been properly rested at least 2 hours before the slaughtering
operation begins.

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Ante-mortem Inspection
Inspection of the live animal prior to slaughter is an important step in the
production of wholesome meat for human consumption. Only in the live animal can
abnormalities of posture, movement and behaviour be detected. Ante-mortem
inspection can improve the efficiency of the operation by screening out a number of
animals that would be unfit for consumption.
Meat inspection is commonly perceived as the sanitary control of slaughter
animals and meat. The aim of meat inspection is to provide safe and wholesome meat
for human consumption. Meat inspection covers both ante- and post-mortem
inspection.
The responsibility lies primarily with the relevant public health authorities who
are represented by veterinarians and meat inspectors at the abattoir stage.

Objectives of an Ante-mortem:
1) To screen all food animals for slaughter and ensure that only apparently healthy,
physiologically normal animals are slaughtered for human consumption.
2) To identify animals showing a disease or defect that could render the carcass
unfit for human consumption or animals suspected of having a reportable
disease of public health and/or economic importance.
3) To identify pregnant, recently delivered or recently experienced abortion animals
and those treated with antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, insecticides,
pesticides, immunization, tranquilizers, sedatives, and other contaminants.
4) To ensure that animals are properly rested and that proper clinical information,
which will assist in the disease diagnosis and judgment, is obtained.
5) To identify suspect animals that require segregation and separate slaughter.
6) To identify and hold for slaughter excessively dirty animals that may contaminate
areas and equipment, products and personnel.
7) To make a disposition regarding the suitability of animals for slaughter.
8) To identify animals requiring special handling for humane reasons or animals
subject for emergency slaughter.

Process of Ante-mortem inspection

Ante-mortem inspection should ideally be carried out at the time of the animals’
arrival at the slaughterhouse. There needs to be sufficient natural or artificial light to
allow observation of the animals in motion and also at rest. At the time of arrival, the
condition of the transport vehicle can also be assessed, and if an animal has suffered
injury during transport, action can be taken to prevent further suffering. If it is not
possible to carry out inspection at the time of the animals’ arrival, an inspection should
be carried out within 24 hours after arrival, again to prevent further suffering in the
event of a welfare problem.
The ante-mortem inspection should also be carried out within the 24-hour period
prior to slaughter, as signs of disease may become manifest as time progresses. Where
animals remain in the lairage for longer periods of time, they may be inspected more
than once.

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In the ideal situation, the ante-mortem inspection will be accompanied by

examination of information relating to the animal’s life and health history. This “chain
information” can give useful indications of the overall health status of the herd or flock
of origin, the possibility of there being chronic lesions in the carcass produced, and a
guarantee that there will be no chemical residues in the meat as a result of medications
administered or pesticides used.

Outcomes of Ante-mortem Inspection

For the isolated animals, a detailed inspection follows the initial separation. The
animals could be judged into any one of the following categories:
1) Passed for slaughter. These are animals that have been judged normal and so
can proceed to slaughter without undue delay.

2) Passed for slaughter subject to a second antemortem inspection. A

second ante-mortem inspection should be carried out after an additional holding
period. Animals that would fall in this category include those that have been
insufficiently rested, or are temporarily affected by a physiological or metabolic
condition.

3) Passed for slaughter under special conditions. Where the competent

person undertaking ante-mortem inspection suspects that post-mortem
inspection findings could result in partial or total condemnation, the animals are
treated as “suspects”. Their slaughter is deferred, preferably to the end of
normal slaughter.

4) Rejected for slaughter

- Animals found in advanced stages of pregnancy or showing signs of
recent parturition shall be rejected for slaughter
- Very young animals. For calves and caracalves, the right age is from 2 to
4 months with carcass weighing 150 lbs and the proportion of meat to
bone is 25% of the dressed carcass weight. Male calves for veal purposes
are not castrated. For piglet, the earliest age for slaughter is when it’s
dressed carcass weighed at least 5 kilograms.

5) Condemned. Animals could be condemned for:

– public health reasons due to the presence of meat-borne hazards,
occupational health hazards or the likelihood of unacceptable contamination
of the slaughter and dressing environment following slaughter;
– meat suitability reasons;
– animal health reasons – animals in this category are treated as specified in
relevant national legislation, and disposed of accordingly.

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6) Emergency slaughter. This judgement is made when an animal eligible for

being passed under special conditions could deteriorate if there were a delay in
slaughter.

D. Post-mortem inspection
Objectives of Postmortem Inspection
The objective of postmortem inspection is to ensure that meat and edible offal
produced is wholesome, safe, disease free, and will not pose risk to public, as well as
animal health. The specific objectives are the following:
1) To validate the ante-mortem inspection results.
2) To view all the external and internal surfaces of carcass and visceral organs
for presence of any abnormalities.
3) To ensure the detection of lesions and abnormalities not evident during ante-
mortem inspection.
4) To confirm and diagnose the presence of zoonotic and reportable diseases.
5) To identify and segregate carcasses, its parts, visceral organs, blood passed
for human consumption from inedible and condemned products.
6) To identify and segregate carcass or parts of carcass that may require further
examination and handling (boar taint, jaundice, trichenella, emergency
slaughter, contamination, absence of ante mortem inspection).
7) To assess whether animal welfare is being compromised;
8) To ensure the efficiency of slaughter and dressing technique as well as the
hygienic and sanitary processing operation.

General Principles
• Post-mortem inspection should be carried out without delay after dressing of the
carcass is complete. Some lesions may fade with time. Conversely, it should be possible
to set suspect carcasses aside for reinspection later, as some lesions will intensify with
time.

• Apart from, no part of the animal should be removed from the premises until post-
mortem inspection is completed and any samples required for further testing have been
obtained.
• It is essential that correlation of a carcass with its separated offal be maintained until
inspection is finished because the result of inspection of either carcass or offal will have
implications for the action required to be taken on the other part. An effective labelling
system is thus required for both carcasses and offal.

• Parts that contain lesions (e.g. abscesses, inflamed lymph nodes, cysts), exhibit a
condition deemed inappropriate in edible meat, or present evidence of adulteration
must be detained and labelled as such, until further inspection is completed.

• Parts found to be unfit for human consumption must be labelled as such.

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• Clear marking of carcasses passed as fit for human consumption must follow
immediately after the completion of inspection. The mark must be clearly visible and
unambiguous; unfit carcasses are not marked in this way.

• Some localized conditions (abscess, arthritis, bruising, contamination) may require

partial rejection of a carcass or organ, with only the affected part and tissue in the
immediate vicinity being separated and classed as unfit.

Traditional Inspection Procedures and Assessments

Post-mortem inspection will utilize many body senses, including sight, smell and
touch. Incision into organs and lymph nodes will allow more detailed inspection of these
parts. First, a general visual inspection of the carcass, offal and, where appropriate,
blood, should be made.

Outcomes of Post-mortem Inspection

 Inspected and passed – carcasses and parts found to be sound, healthful,
wholesome and fit for human food.
 Condemned – each carcass or part which is found on final inspection to be
unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome or otherwise unfit for human consumption.
 Retained- Carcasses, its parts, edible offals and by-products that need further
inspection pending laboratory examination or for other reasons, provided,
however, that a refrigeration or freezer facilities are available within the meat
establishment to prevent meat from deterioration, otherwise such carcasses, its
parts, edible offals and edible by-products are condemned and disposed of
accordingly

D. Philippine Trade Standards Specifications for Meats

Beef carcass - the trunk of a slaughtered, skinned cattle not including carabao with
the head, feet, tail and internal organs removed.

Beef carcass is supplied in the following types:

a. fresh beef carcass (type 1) – beef carcass from newly slaughtered cattle that
has not been hanged for more than 12 hours at room temperature
nor undergone chilling, freezing or any other processing treatment.
b. chilled beef carcass (type 2) – beef carcass that is cooled to a temperature of
1 to 4ºC at the deepest portion within 24 hours.
c. frozen beef carcass (type 3) – beef carcass that has been previously chilled
and exposed to an air temperature of –23ºC or lower and then
brought to an internal temperature of –20ºC at the deepest portion
within six days

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Classes of beef carcass based on sex condition at slaughter:

a. steer carcass – the carcass of a male cattle that has been castrated before the
full development of the secondary sex characteristics
b. heifer carcass – the carcass of a mature female cattle that is less than five
years old and has not yet given birth
c. cow carcass – the carcass of a female cattle that has given birth or is older than
five years
d. bull carcass – the carcass of an uncastrated mature male cattle
e. stag carcass – the carcass of a male cattle castrated after the secondary sex
characteristics have fully developed

Grades of beef carcass

a. excellent
b. superior
c. good
d. utility

Pork carcass – the trunk of a slaughtered swine dehaired and the head, edible organs
and offal removed.

Pork carcass is supplied in the following types:

a. fresh pork carcass (type 1) – pork carcass from newly slaughtered swine,
which has not undergone chilling, freezing or any processing treatment.
b. chilled pork carcass (type 2) – pork carcass that has cooled to a temperature
range of 1-4ºC at the deepest portion within 24 hours
c. frozen pork carcass (type 3) – pork carcass that has been previously chilled
and exposed to an air temperature of –23ºC or lower and then brought to
an internal temperature of –20ºC at the deepest portion within six days

Classes of pork carcass based on sex condition at slaughter

a. barrow carcass – carcass of a male swine castrated before it attained sexual
maturity
b. gilt carcass – the carcass of a young female swine that has not produced a
young and has not reached an advanced stage of pregnancy.
c. sow carcass – the carcass of a mature female swine that shows evidence of
having reproduced or has reached an advanced stage of pregnancy.

Grades of pork carcass

a. excellent
b. superior
c. good
d. unclassified

III. References
FAO. 2004. Good Practices for the Meat Industry. FAO Farm Production and
Health Manual.

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Republic Act No. 8485. Retrieved from https://lawphil.net/statutes/

repacts/ra1998/ ra_8485 _1998.html
Bureau of Philippine Standards – Pork Cuts (2018)
Bureau of Philippine Standards – Beef Primal Cuts (2018)

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