The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-23
How Uncle Sam
InSpett is Animals
Before Slaughter

All farmers and others who rails
or handle cattle, sheep, hogs, o
goats which are marketed for foo,
purposes should know something o
the general rulesc under which tn,
department conducts the inspection
of animals to be slaughtered.
When such animals are forward
ed to public stockyards or to estab
lishments where Federal meat in
spection is maintained they are in
spected alive. This inspection i.
known as the ante-mortem inspec
tion and is done in the stockyards OF
in the pens of the establishment
When conducted in the public stock.
yards the ante-mortem inspection is
usually made at the scales when the
animals are wenghed. The chief re-
quirements for the disposal of ami
mails upon this inspection are as fol-
lows: Those animals which do not
plainly show, but are suspected of
being affected with, any disease or
condition which may cause condem-
nation in whole or in part at the
time of slaughter, are marked with
serially-numbered metal tag which
bears the legend "U. S. Suspect. !"
All animals which are thus marked
as suspects are held apart and
slaughtered separately from other
animals, the only exception to this
pregnancy or on account of having
recently given birth to young, and
which have not been exposed to any
infectious or contagious disease
Such animals, together with their
young, may be released for breed
ing or dairy purposes, and when so
released they must be promptly re-
moved from thestockyards or prem
ises of the establishment where in
spected.
Some animals are condemned out
right upon the ante-mortem inspec-
tion For instance, all hogs which
plainly show that they are affected
with either hog cholera or swine
plague are marked "U. S. Con-
demned.' Further, it a hog is one
of lot in which there are symp-
toms of hog cholera or swine plague
and the animal has temperature
of 106 F. or higher, it is condemn
ed. All animals thus marked are de-
stroyed. They can not be taken into
the establishment to be slaughtered
or dressed, but must be disposed or
in tanks so as to prevent their use
for food purposes. In case of doubt
as to the cause of the hight tenn
perature the animal may be held un-
der the inspectors supervision for
further examination and taking of
temperature. Immature animals Of
fered for ante-mortem inspection at
any of the places specified in the
regulation are required to be con-
demned outright; likewise all ami
mails showing symptoms of rabies,
tetanus, milk fever, or railroad sick
ness.
Besides this ante-mortem inspec-
ton, the carcasses are thoroughly
inspected at the time of and after
slaughter, and the meat and pro-
ducts are also inspected in the var
ious stages and processes of prepare
ton.
The losses caused through the
condemnation of animals which are
unfit for food affects directly or in
directly the price (which the pro-
Queer receives for his live stock.
The purchasers of animals for
slaughter not infrequently trace dis
eased shipments back to their orr
gin where disease is harbored, and
thereafter decline to take animals
from infected farms and localities
except under an arrangement which |
will insure them against loss. It |
therefore behooves the producer to |
use every practicable means to keep
his herds and flocks from from dis
ease and to refrain from forwarding |
diseased or suspicious animals to
market.