Cabinet Regulation No. 328 of 2013 on Requirements for Slaughterhouses if Meat of Animals Slaughtered Therein is Sold on the Domestic Market in Small Quantities

Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 328 Adopted 18 June 2013 Requirements for Slaughterhouses if Meat of Animals Slaughtered Therein is Sold on the Domestic Market in Small Quantities Issued pursuant to Section 25, Clause 12 of the Veterinary Medicine Law 1. The Regulation prescribes: 1.1. the derogations from the hygiene requirements for slaughterhouses laid down in Annex III, Section I, Chapters II and III of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (hereinafter – Regulation No 853/2004) in accordance with Article 10(4)(b) of Regulation No 853/2004; 1.2. the number of slaughter animals; 1.3. the conditions for the supply of meat; 1.4. the requirements for health mark and identification mark. 2. The Regulation shall apply to the meat of domestic ungulates, farmed game, and also poultry obtained in slaughterhouses where both animals of the same species and of various species are slaughtered, provided that their quantities per week do not exceed the following: 2.1. when slaughtering only animals of the same species: 2.1.1. 30 sheep; 2.1.2. 30 goats; 2.1.3. 30 pigs; 2.1.4. 10 bovines; 2.1.5. 10 farmed game animals; 2.1.6. 10 horses; 2.1.7. 600 poultry animals; 2.1.8. 300 rabbits; 2.2. when slaughtering animals of various species: 2.2.1. 10 sheep; 2.2.2. 10 goats; 2.2.3. 10 pigs; 2.2.4. 3 bovines; 2.2.5. 3 farmed game animals; 2.2.6. 3 horses; 2.2.7. 300 poultry animals; 2.2.8. 150 rabbits. 3. The obtained meat may be supplied: 3.1. fresh on the domestic market directly to the final consumer; 3.2. to a retail establishment that sells fresh meat on the domestic market directly to the final consumer; 3.3. to a retail establishment for food preparation; Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 2 3.4. for the production of meat products, minced meat, and meat preparations at home. 4. The size of slaughter premises shall be such as to prevent contamination of meat during all the technological processes. 5. The lairage is not required if animals held in the housing next to the slaughterhouse are slaughtered. 6. There may be no lockable facilities or pens for sick or suspect animals with separate draining if only clinically healthy animals are moved to a slaughterhouse. 7. The slaughterhouse shall shave a separate place or room for storing animal by-products and derived products which are not intended for human consumption. 8. The operations of technological process laid down in Chapter II, Point 2(c) of Annex III to Regulation No 853/2004, and also other operations provided for in this Point may be performed in the same slaughterhouse room ensuring that the relevant technological processes are separated in space and time: 8.1. skinning; 8.2. chilling of carcases in an enclosed space at a temperature regimen that ensures appropriate chilling of carcases; 8.3. packaging offal; 8.4. cutting of carcases in no more than six cuts (after the performance of veterinary inspection); 8.5. cutting and packaging of meat obtained in the slaughterhouse; 8.6. dispatching meat; 8.7. obtaining blood for food purposes. 9. If the operations referred to in Paragraph 8 of this Regulation take place at different times (i.e., the operations are separated in time), the room shall be cleaned, washed, and disinfected whenever this is necessary between the processes. 10. The cutting of meat shall be commenced after cleaning, washing, and disinfecting the rooms. 11. Each subsequent animal, except for poultry, shall be slaughtered only after the previous animal has been slaughtered, handled, and the place of slaughter has been cleaned and washed. 12. Poultry shall be slaughtered in groups (the animals brought into the slaughter premises at one time). The place of slaughter shall be cleaned and washed after the slaughter and handling of each group. 13. Ante mortem inspection, post mortem inspection, and veterinary inspection at a slaughterhouse shall be performed by and the health mark (does not apply to birds and lagomorphs) shall be applied by a veterinarian authorised by the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter – the authorised veterinarian). 14. Ante mortem inspection need not be performed at a slaughterhouse if the authorised veterinarian has performed an ante mortem inspection at a housing and has sent information to the slaughterhouse together with an animal. Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 3 15. The meat whose further handling is suspended shall be stored by preventing accidental use thereof and contact with the meat that has been determined as fit for human consumption. 16. The meat shall be cut and sold only after it has been completely chilled, ensuring an internal temperature of not more than: 16.1. 3°C – for offal; 16.2. 4°C – for poultry meat; 16.3. 7°C – for other meat. 17. The health mark is of rectangular form (with a length of seven centimetres and width of five centimetres, the height of letters is at least one centimetre). The health mark shall include an indication “Latvija” [Latvia] or “LV”, the approval number of the slaughterhouse for the domestic market, and also an indication “Vietējam tirgum” [For the domestic market]. 18. The primary and secondary packaging of cut meat, carcases of poultry, and offal shall be clearly marked with an identification mark of rectangular form. The mark shall include an indication “Latvija” [Latvia] or “LV”, the approval number of the slaughterhouse for the domestic market, and also an indication “Vietējam tirgum” [For the domestic market]. 19. A separate place outside the slaughter premises is arranged for personnel to store their personal clothes and working clothes. 20. Products used for cleaning, washing, and disinfection shall be stored in a cupboard or on a shelf outside the slaughter premises. 21. If flush lavatory is placed in a housing or next to the slaughterhouse, such need not be placed in the slaughterhouse. 22. A locker, a safe, or a lockable drawer shall be available in the slaughterhouse for the needs of the authorised veterinary. Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis Minister for Agriculture Laimdota Straujuma