Answer to Question 1
Meat inspection includes several phases. First, animals that are to be slaughtered must be inspected while they are alive in a process called antemortem inspection. As animals are brought in prior to slaughter, a government inspector examines them. Animals that are down, disabled, diseased, or dead are condemned as unsafe for human consumption. If animals are examined and are found to be ill, they are tagged as condemned and are not allowed to be slaughtered for human consumption. After animals are slaughtered, they must again undergo inspection.
Answer to Question 2
Growth hormones in animals raised for meat redirect energy from the production of fat to the production of lean meat. This means that more weight can be gained by the animal at a lower cost, because lean is more efficiently produced than fat. It also results in a healthier product because of the lower fat content.