European legislation compels livestock farmers to supply information to abattoir operators on each animal or group of animals that they send to the abattoir. This information, which is known as “food chain information”, allows abattoir operators and FASFC control officers to improve the targeting
of their efforts and to take thenecessary precautions when slaughtering
or inspecting animals.
The stockbreeder must keep records of this information. The food chain information pertains to the health status of the animals of the farm and includes records on:

• drugs or other treatments given to the animals
• diseases, test results (e.g. Salmonella)
• results of the inspection of animals of that farm slaughtered earlier
• information regarding production
• practical information (e.g. name and address of the veterinarian of the farm).