Animals and Agriculture
Mayo County Council Veterinary Department
Introduction
Mayo County Council Veterinary Department employs three Veterinary Surgeons fulltime and two additional vets. who work part-time for us. Most of the work of these vets is in the Food Hygiene/Food Safety arena. The food we deal with is produced solely for the domestic market and includes fresh meat produced in abattoirs and processed meat produced in small wholesaling processing plants. We are also involved in the regulation of the liquid milk trade within the County.
Food Safety
Premises and Produce :
There are sixteen abattoirs and ten small meat processing plants on our books. A recent change in legislation has occurred in the licensing of the abattoirs and the meat processors, in that the Veterinary Department in Mayo County Council will now be the main player in the licensing of these premises within the County. (Heretofore, such licensing was carried out by the Veterinary Section of the Department of Agriculture and Food.)
Along with licensing, our Department carries out regular inspections and food safety audits to ensure compliance with Irish and EU Law.
The carcases produced in our abattoirs are derived from animals that are individually inspected by our veterinary staff both prior to slaughter and again after slaughter. All carcases passed as fit for human consumption are marked by the application of a health mark which includes a unique number identifying the abattoir of slaughter. All meat leaving the our abattoirs is also clearly labelled with the animal’s tag number, ensuring full traceability back to the herd or flock of origin. Most of the throughput of these Mayo abattoirs is sourced locally in the County.
Similarly, all registered meat processing plants have a unique number incorporated into the health mark which must be displayed on the label of all products emanating from the premises. The label must also clearly show information such as contact details, a use by/expiry date plus an indication of the storage temperature.
Our Veterinary Department here is subject to audit by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, which in turn is subject to audit by the European Food Safety Authority. This chain of audits by various agencies ensures the safety of the meat produced in our abattoirs and meat processing plants in County Mayo.
Training :
All operatives working in abattoirs or meat processing plants must receive Food Hygiene Training. In this regard, the Veterinary Department here has regular meetings with such owners and operatives and we also help the training effort by identifying areas that require emphasis and running training courses targeted at these specific areas.
Control of Dogs Act 1986 and Horses Act 1996 :
Mayo County Council is the Authority responsible for the administration of these two acts within the County. The Veterinary Department here helps in the implementation of these two pieces of Legislation. We would like to take this opportunity to remind dog owners to ensure that they have a current dog licence and that their dog is under control at all times. New - Apply, pay for and receive your dog licence online within minutes.
Animal Welfare :
The Veterinary Department in Mayo County Council is responsible for the welfare of any animals in their care under the Control of Horses Act, the Control of Dogs Act and Abattoir Legislation.
Other Services :
This Department is the proper authority for the control of Sheep Scab. Also, should any diseases such as Rabies, Foot and Mouth, Swine Fever or Anthrax occur locally, we would have an input.