Maine Revised Statutes Title 22. Health and Welfare § 2517. Ante mortem examination of animals to be slaughtered

For the purpose of preventing the use in commerce of meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry products that are adulterated, the commissioner shall appoint inspectors to examine and inspect all livestock and poultry before they are allowed to enter into a slaughtering, packing, meat-canning, rendering or similar official establishment in which they are to be slaughtered and the meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry products of which are to be used in commerce. All livestock and poultry found on such inspection to show symptoms of disease must be set apart and slaughtered separately from all other livestock or poultry and when so slaughtered the carcasses of the livestock and poultry are subject to a careful examination and inspection, as provided by the rules established by the commissioner and adopted pursuant to this chapter.