Requirements for Low-capacity Slaughterhouses

[15 November 2022]

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. [15 November 2022];

1.4. [15 November 2022].

2. The Regulation applies to the harvesting of meat from domestic ungulates, farmed game animal species, hunted wild game animals, and also ratites, poultry, and lagomorphs in slaughterhouses where hunted wild game animals are processed or both animals of the same species and various species are slaughtered, if per week:

2.1. not more than the following amount of animals of the same species are slaughtered:

2.1.1. 100 sheep;

2.1.2. 100 goats;

2.1.3. 50 pigs;

2.1.4. 10 bovines;

2.1.5. the following amount of game animals:

2.1.5.1. 10 farmed large wild game animals;

2.1.5.2. 100 farmed small wild game animals or birds;

2.1.6. 10 horses;

2.1.7. the following amount of poultry birds and ratites:

2.1.7.1. 2880 poultry birds with the carcass weight of up to 1.5 kg;

2.1.7.2. 1500 poultry birds with the carcass weight from 1.5 to 5 kg;

2.1.7.3. 600 poultry birds with the carcass weight from 5 kg;

2.1.7.4. 200 ratites with the carcass weight above 5 kg;

2.1.8. 500 lagomorphs;

2.1. not more than the following amount of animals of various species are slaughtered:

2.2.1. 30 sheep;

2.2.2. 30 goats;

2.2.3. 30 pigs;

2.2.4. 3 bovines;

2.2.5. the following amount of game animals:

2.2.5.1. three farmed large wild game animals;

2.2.5.2. 50 farmed small wild game animals or birds;

2.2.6. three horses;

2.2.7. the following amount of poultry birds and ratites:

2.2.7.1. 1500 poultry birds with the carcass weight of up to 1.5 kg;

2.2.7.2. 600 poultry birds with the carcass weight from 1.5 to 5 kg;

2.2.7.3. 200 poultry birds with the carcass weight from 5 kg;

2.2.7.4. 70 ratites with the carcass weight above 5 kg;

2.2.8. 300 lagomorphs;

2.3. not more than the following amount may be processed in a slaughterhouse separately from other animals:

2.3.1. 10 large wild game animals hunted in wild, including beavers;

2.3.2. 100 small wild game animals or birds hunted in wild.

[15 November 2022]

3. [15 November 2022]

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;

8.5.¹ freezing of meat;

8.6. dispatching meat;

8.7. obtaining blood for food purposes.

[15 November 2022]

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 and lagomorphs, shall be slaughtered only after the previous animal has been slaughtered and processed, and the place of slaughter has been cleaned and washed.

[15 November 2022]

12. Poultry and lagomorphs 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 processing of each group.

[15 November 2022]

12.¹ [15 November 2022]

13. Ante-mortem inspection and post-mortem veterinary inspection at a slaughterhouse shall be performed by and the health mark, except for the case referred to in Paragraph 14.¹ of this Regulation, shall be applied by a veterinarian authorised by the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - the authorised veterinarian).

[15 November 2022]

14. Ante-mortem inspection need not be performed at a slaughterhouse if the authorised veterinarian has performed ante-mortem inspection at a housing and has sent information to the slaughterhouse together with the animal.

14.¹ If a poultry or lagomorph holding owned by the owner of the slaughterhouse is located next to the slaughterhouse, an ante-mortem inspection and post-mortem veterinary inspection for poultry and lagomorphs, but for not more than 10 000 slaughtered animals per year according to the trilateral contract with the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - the Service), may be performed by a person authorised by the Service who, in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the circulation of meat from poultry and lagomorphs in small quantities, has completed a training course on the ante-mortem inspection and post-mortem veterinary inspection for poultry and lagomorphs.

[15 November 2022]

15. The meat whose further processing 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 only after the carcase has been completely chilled and it shall be sold chilled or frozen, ensuring in all stages of handling of food that the internal temperature does not exceed:

16.1. 3°C - for offal;

16.2. 4 °C - for the meat from poultry, lagomorphs, and small game;

16.3. 7°C - for other meat;

16.4. -18 °C - for frozen meat and frozen offal.

[15 November 2022]

17. [15 November 2022]

18. [15 November 2022]

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 or a trained person authorised by the Service.

[15 November 2022]

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis

Minister for Agriculture Laimdota Straujuma

Translation © 2023 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)