Post Mortem Examinations and Tissue Sampling for Bovine TB and Brucella Reactors

Description

The Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, Animal Health and Welfare Division, wishes to establish a contract with an appropriately qualified and experienced contractor to receive carcases and carry out post-mortem examinations on bovine tuberculosis (TB) and Brucella reactor cattle and specified non-bovine species, and to remove tissue samples for onward dispatch to APHA for testing. Lot 1: This specification sets out the requirements for carrying out the post mortem examinations and tissue sampling required when cattle and specified non-bovine species suspected or confirmed as having bovine TB or Brucella are slaughtered under section 32 of the Animal Health Act 1981. This would require tissue samples from bovine TB or brucella reactors/inconclusive reactors/dangerous contacts to be taken and dispatched to Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for testing. Usually, the required post mortem examinations and tissue sampling are carried out at the slaughterhouse to which the animals are consigned. This contract is used in any circumstances where it is not possible for animals to be slaughtered at a designated abattoir. This typically includes cases where cattle cannot be transported live as they are not fit for transport or too remote from the abattoir, or are not fit to enter the food chain. These cattle are instead slaughtered on farm, with the carcase transported to the contractor for post mortem examination and tissue sampling.