CHAPTER I: DOMESTIC BOVINE ANIMALS

Carcases and offal of bovine animals under six weeks old are to undergo the following post-mortem inspection procedures: visual inspection of the head and throat; incision and examination of the retropharyngeal lymph nodes (Lnn retropharyngiales); inspection of the mouth and fauces; palpation of the tongue; removal of the tonsils; visual inspection of the lungs, trachea and oesophagus; palpation of the lungs; incision and examination of the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes (Lnn. bifucationes, eparteriales and mediastinales). The trachea and the main branches of the bronchi must be opened lengthwise and the lungs must be incised in their posterior third, perpendicular to their main axes; these incisions are not necessary where the lungs are excluded from human consumption; visual inspection of the pericardium and heart, the latter being incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and cut through the interventricular septum; visual inspection of the diaphragm; visual inspection of the liver and the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes, (Lnn portales); palpation and, if necessary, incision of the liver and its lymph nodes; visual inspection of the gastrointestinal tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes (Lnn. gastrici, mesenterici, craniales and caudales); palpation and, if necessary, incision of the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes; visual inspection and, if necessary, palpation of the spleen; visual inspection of the kidneys; incision, if necessary, of the kidneys and the renal lymph nodes (Lnn. renales); visual inspection of the pleura and peritoneum; visual inspection and palpation of the umbilical region and the joints. In the event of doubt, the umbilical region must be incised and the joints opened; the synovial fluid must be examined. Carcases and offal of bovine animals over six weeks old are to undergo the following post-mortem inspection procedures: visual inspection of the head and throat; incision and examination of the sub-maxillary, retropharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes (Lnn retropharyngiales, mandibulares and parotidei); examination of the external masseters, in which two incisions must be made parallel to the mandible, and the internal masseters (internal pterygoid muscles), which must be incised along one plane. The tongue must be freed to permit a detailed visual inspection of the mouth and the fauces and must itself be visually inspected and palpated. The tonsils must be removed; inspection of the trachea and oesophagus; visual examination and palpation of the lungs; incision and examination of the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes (Lnn. bifucationes, eparteriales and mediastinales). The trachea and the main branches of the bronchi must be opened lengthways and the lungs must be incised in their posterior third, perpendicular to their main axes; these incisions are not necessary where the lungs are excluded from human consumption; visual inspection of the pericardium and heart, the latter being incised lengthways so as to open the ventricles and cut through the interventricular septum; visual inspection of the diaphragm; visual inspection and palpation of the liver and the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes, (Lnn portales); incision of the gastric surface of the liver and at the base of the caudate lobe to examine the bile ducts; visual inspection of the gastrointestinal tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes (Lnn. gastrici, mesenterici, craniales and caudales); palpation and, if necessary, incision of the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes; visual inspection and, if necessary, palpation of the spleen; visual inspection of the kidneys and incision, if necessary, of the kidneys and the renal lymph nodes (Lnn. renales); visual inspection of the pleura and the peritoneum; visual inspection of the genital organs (except for the penis, if already discarded); visual inspection and, if necessary, palpation and incision of the udder and its lymph nodes (Lnn. supramammarii). In cows, each half of the udder must be opened by a long, deep incision as far as the lactiferous sinuses (sinus lactiferes) and the lymph nodes of the udder must be incised, except when the udder is excluded from human consumption.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-04 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.