End-Cycle Sow Carcass Condemnation in a French Slaughterhouse

Abstract

Surveillance at an abattoir allows all animals or carcasses that present a potential public health risk to be withdrawn from the human food chain. Whole-carcass condemnation results in important economic losses, not only for the producer but also for other participants in the meat industry. Access to the personal electronic database of an abattoir in France enabled us to run logistic regression models to investigate the risk factors for whole-carcass condemnation of end-cycle sows in that abattoir. When end-cycle sows that were slaughtered and eviscerated between 22 June 2015 and 8 December 2015 (185 days) were considered (n = 19,866), the results highlighted the importance of the total theoretical time off feed, which represents the fasting period from leaving the farm of origin to the time of slaughter (including transportation and waiting time at the abattoir). Each 10-h increase in the theoretical time off feed was associated with a 31% greater likelihood of whole-carcass condemnation [odd ratio (OR) = 1.31, CI 95% (1.27; 1.34)], and a 10 kg increase in carcass weight before refrigeration was associated with a 23% lower likelihood of carcass condemnation [OR = 0.77, CI 95% (0.75; 0.78)]. The results also indicate the importance of the producer group that the farmer belonged to (P < 0.01). A relatively small number of variables was available in the actual database to study the relevant risk factors for whole-carcass condemnation associated with or without diseases at the farm of origin. This derives partly from the fact that traceability at the abattoir in France is done per batch rather than individually for pigs; further, limited information is available at the farm level. An investigation of the reasons for whole-carcass condemnation could have been informative; however, it was not feasible in a reasonable timeframe because these data were not saved in a database in a systematic way. Some of the difficulties encountered in this study should soon be alleviated by using the meat inspection information system software for collecting livestock meat inspection data. Implemented recently by the French ministry of agriculture, this new tool should allow for broader perspectives in swine surveillance.

Significant variation in the management of cull sows before transport for slaughter: results from a survey of Danish pig farmers

“…In addition, it may involve a number of potential challenges for animal welfare, production and biosecurity. For example, based on French slaughterhouse data, Decaudin et al 6 reported a positive relation between time (counted in 10‐hour intervals) spent off‐feed in the interval from leaving the farm of origin and until slaughter, and the likelihood of whole‐carcass condemnation. Across countries, a large proportion of sows are culled directly after weaning of the piglets, 7 8 and are thus lactating on the day of slaughter 9 .…”

Major Causes and Associated Economic Losses of Carcass and Organ Condemnation in Cattle and Sheep in the Northern Part of Palestine.

“…An important function of meat inspection is assist to monitoring diseases in the national herd and flock by providing feedback information to veterinary services to control or eradicate diseases, to produce wholesome products and to protect the public from zoonotic hazards (Gracey et al, 1999). Proper meat inspection is essential to remove abnormalities from meat and its products and surveillance at the abattoir will help to exclude animals or carcasses, which may cause a public health hazard, from human food chain (Arbabi and Hooshyr., 2006;Abbuna et al, 2010;Alton et al, 2010;Decaudin et al, 2017). Although the condemnation data obtained from slaughterhouses remain under-used (Stärk, 2017), slaughterhouse surveillance can help to ascertain the extent of human exposure to certain zoonotic diseases, and to estimate the financial loss of carcass condemnations (Jobre et al, 1996;Mandefro et al, 2015).…”

The Importance of the Slaughterhouse in Surveilling Animal and Public Health: A Systematic Review

“…Variations in the causes and prevalence of carcass condemnations ( Table 6 ) reported in different studies may be associated with the geographical area, climatic conditions, farm management, and herd health status [ 98 , 100 ]. Furthermore, differences in the terminology of swine inspection results may also influence the condemnation rate [ 101 ].…”

“…Light carcass weight represents a risk factor for carcass condemnation of a sow at the end of the productive cycle, probably associated with lower weight gain due to lower intake rates [ 100 ].…”