_______________ are the only inspection personnel that can perform a disposition on a retained animal carcass excluding birds.

• A. FSIS veterinarians
• B. FSIS inspectors
• C. Farm owners
• D. Veterinary technicians

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that deciding what to do with a retained carcass requires professional veterinary judgment and regulatory authority. FSIS veterinarians are the only personnel with the training and legal authority to assess postmortem findings for non-bird carcasses and make the final disposition—whether to condemn, recondition, or release for further processing. They evaluate disease signs, contamination risk, and adulteration concerns to protect food safety, and the disposition decision rests with them rather than with inspectors, farm owners, or support staff. Inspectors can document results and enforce procedures, but they do not independently finalize the disposition. Birds are excluded from this specific rule, reflecting different practices for poultry, but for non-bird carcasses, veterinary authority must approve the disposition.