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Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)

Regulations

Regulations regarding the Classification and Marking of Meat intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa

Marking of Carcasses

15. Stamp marks

 

(1)
(a) Each carcass characteristic as stipulated in column 1 of Table 4 of the Annexure to which a class has been allocated in column 2 shall be marked on the carcass concerned, with a stamp mark as indicated in column 3 opposite that class.
(b) A stamp mark shall be applied in the colour of ink referred to in column 4 of the mentioned table, opposite the stamp mark concerned and where applicable in the manner as set out in column 5.
(c) All stamp marks shall be applied on the day of slaughter on the carcass.

 

(2)
(a) Each carcass of a bovine, sheep or goat shall be marked with an indication of the number of permanent incisors.
(b) The indication shall, in the case of —
(i) bovine, be marked with an indelible ink pencil on both sides of the atlas vertebra, and be stamped on the carcass with a stamp in the appropriate colour of ink as set out in column 4 of Table 4 of the Annexure, opposite "Age" in column 1 of the table mentioned; and
(ii) sheep and goats, be marked with the ink colour representing the age class on the left hind shank, and be stamped on the carcass with a stamp in the appropriate colour of ink as set out in column 4 of Table 4 of the Annexure, opposite "Age " in column 1 of the table mentioned.

 

(3)
(a) The carcass of a boar as well as of a barrow showing signs of late castration shall be identified with the stamp mark "M/D" on each side of the carcass in the immediate vicinity of the loin.
(b) The carcass of a ram, a billy goat or a bull which has been classified as Age class AB, Age class B or Age class C, shall be identified with the stamp mark "M/D" on each side of the carcass in the immediate vicinity of the loin.
(c) The carcass of a wether, a kapater or an ox showing signs of late castration and which has been classified as Age class AB, Age class B or Age class C, shall be identified with the stamp mark "M/D" on each side of the carcass in the immediate vicinity of the loin.

 

(4) In case of a pig carcass, the abattoir-identification code shall be applied on each side of the carcass with a stamp or indelible ink pencil, in the immediate vicinity of other stamp marks mentioned in these regulations, with purple ink.

 

(5) All stamp marks shall be tidy and clearly legible.

 

(6) Stamp marks shall be situated/placed within the 50 mm and 80 mm limits as indicated in regulation 18(1)(b) and (c).

 

(7) A quality indication may also be stamped onto a carcass.