Which of the following correctly lists the three categories of animals that would be condemned at ante-mortem inspection?

• A. Non ambulatory bovines; animals exhibiting signs of central nervous disease or disorders; Swine with body temperatures 105F and higher or other livestock with 104F and higher
• B. Non ambulatory bovines; animals exhibiting signs of central nervous disease or disorders; Swine with body temperatures 106F and higher or other livestock with 105F and higher
• C. Ambulatory bovines; Signs of CNS disease; Swine with fever
• D. Non ambulatory bovines; signs of respiratory disease; Birds with fever

Answer: (B)

Ante-mortem condemnation is about recognizing conditions that render an animal unfit for human food based on serious health or performance issues observed before slaughter. The three categories that lead to condemnation are: animals that cannot walk (non-ambulatory or downers), animals showing signs of central nervous system disease or disorders, and animals with fever that indicates systemic illness. For fever, the thresholds are species-specific: swine are condemned if their body temperature is 106°F or higher, while other livestock are condemned if their temperature is 105°F or higher. This separation reflects normal species differences in body temperature and the risk posed by fever in indicating illness.

The other options don’t fit because ambulatory animals are not automatically condemned for these reasons, signs of respiratory disease alone aren’t one of the three standard ante-mortem condemnation categories, and birds are not grouped with the same fever thresholds used for swine and other livestock in this context.