Schlachtung und Fleischhygiene

Possible carriers of Trichinella spiralis (domestic pigs, horses, wild boars, badgers) must be tested for trichinae. For identification and to ensure traceability, the Veterinary Office issues wild tags and wild origin certificates.

In addition to the trichinae sample, due to the ongoing spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), all wild boars hunted and found dead in NRW must currently be tested for the ASF virus.

The sampling of wild boars and badgers can be carried out by the hunter themselves, provided the training as a “competent person” has been completed and a transfer to the responsible veterinary authority is available.

The corresponding blood samples as well as the trichinae samples can be submitted 24/7 directly to the Veterinary Office (Stahlstraße 5, 51645 Gummersbach).

During sampling and packaging, specific procedural instructions for sampling (link to PDF document) must be observed.

Trichinae testing generally takes place on Monday and Friday.

The animals may only be utilized after the examination has been completed.

Slaughterhouses and businesses that produce minced meat, meat preparations, or mechanically separated meat must weekly take samples for testing for Enterobacteriaceae or E. coli, aerobic mesophilic bacterial count, and Salmonella. Small slaughterhouses and businesses producing minced meat and meat preparations in small quantities may, however, be exempted from these sampling frequencies if approved by the competent authority (Veterinary and Food Monitoring Office).

A list of counter sample experts from the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety based on information from the competent authorities of the states can be found

The regulations concerning the food chain information are part of the provisions of the EU Hygiene Package and serve food safety purposes.

Effective dates of the regulation on food chain information:

• Poultry since 01.01.2006

• Pigs since 01.01.2008

• Horses and fattening calves since 01.01.2009

• Cattle, sheep, and goats since 01.01.2010

After coming into force, food chain information is mandatory for commercial slaughter!

For home slaughters, food chain information is not required.

According to Regulation (EC) 853/2004, slaughterhouse operators must request food safety information regarding the animals (food chain information) from the animal keepers and receive it at least 24 hours before the animals arrive at the slaughterhouse, or alternatively, it can accompany the animals by arrangement. This food chain information must be presented by the slaughterhouse operator to the meat inspection veterinarian before the ante-mortem inspection, as it is considered when granting slaughter permission.

Slaughterhouse operators are not allowed to admit animals into their slaughterhouse premises if they have not requested and received the relevant food chain information from the animal keeper in advance.

If an animal arrives at the slaughterhouse without food chain information, it must not be slaughtered until the official veterinarian permits it.

Mandatory content of the food chain information:

• Status of the origin farm regarding animal health

• Health status of the animals

• Administered medications with a withdrawal period > 0 days and treatments

• Diseases that may affect the meat

• Test results, if they may affect meat safety

• Results of previous ante-mortem and meat inspections

• Name and address of the farm veterinarian

Required documents:

• Food safety information for animals that have been or are to be transported to a slaughterhouse (producer declaration)

• Accompanying document for sheep and goats

Animal by-products (ABPs) are all residual materials derived from animals that are not suitable for human consumption and other animal-derived products that are no longer intended for human consumption. These should be utilized or safely disposed of in a way that does not endanger the health of humans and animals or the environment.

Animal by-products are classified into one of three categories based on the level of risk they pose to human and animal health.

Materials that pose a high risk to human or animal health are assigned to Category 1, while relatively harmless materials are assigned to Category 3. A list of materials to be classified into the respective categories can be found in Articles 8 - 10 of Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009.

A strict separation of the three categories from generation to disposal forms the basis for secure processing and safe disposal. If a mixing of different categories occurs, the mixture is assigned to the category with the higher risk.

Dead animals, slaughter waste, and food scraps from Categories 1 and 2 must be disposed of through an animal by-products disposal facility (TBA). Exceptions apply to dead dogs, cats, and other small pets; they may be buried in individual cases.

Individual animal bodies of pets (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) are not subject to disposal in a TBA if they are

• buried in specially approved places or facilities (e.g., pet cemeteries), or

• buried on private property, but not in water protection areas and not in the immediate vicinity of public roads and places, or

• disposed of by incineration in an approved facility (pet crematorium).

For equines, since the amendment of the Animal By-Products Disposal Act (TierNebG), it is possible to apply for an exemption permit according to § 4 Para. 2 TierNebG at the responsible veterinary office.

The disposal of commercial food waste is generally not permitted through general waste bins or organic waste bins.

According to waste management regulations, kitchen and food waste generated commercially (e.g., in restaurants, catering companies, party services) must be processed in a biogas or composting facility.

Kitchen and food waste of animal origin, raw milk, fresh fish, or fish by-products that are no longer suitable for human consumption and are to be disposed of in biogas or composting facilities are classified as animal by-products under the Animal By-Products Disposal Law and must be handed over to authorized disposal companies.

Anyone who owns an animal and any business operator (license holder of a catering business or slaughterhouse) must immediately report to SecAnim GmbH if animal carcasses or other food or slaughter waste have been generated.

In the case of deceased cattle, the cattle passport must be attached! When disposing of a dead equine through the animal by-products disposal facility, the equine passport must be handed over to this company upon collection.

No other documents need to be submitted.

Upon collection, SecAnim will issue a collection receipt as proof of the animal's whereabouts or as evidence of proper disposal.

Animal carcasses and animal body parts (slaughter waste) must be disposed of through the responsible animal by-products disposal facility (TBA):

SecAnim GmbH
Brunnenstraße 138
44536 Lünen
Phone for animal acceptance: 02306 92709-0
Fax: 02306 92709-20
Email: luenen@secanim.de

Costs for collection will be charged according to the currently valid fee schedule of the TBA.