Importance of the knowledge of pathological processes for risk-based inspection in pig slaughterhouses (Study of 2002 to 2016)

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this work was to determine the prevalence of the pathologies that caused the condemnation of pig carcasses in an area of intensive pig farming and Mediterranean climatology and to evaluate their influence in a risk-based inspection procedure for slaughterhouses.MethodsA retrospective observational investigation was carried out from 2002 to 2016 into the pathological processes that caused the condemnation of pig carcasses in a slaughterhouse from South-eastern Spain. The seasonal effect on the causes of condemnation carcass was reported. Negative binomial model was used to evaluate the effect of season on the rate of antemortem rejections and post-mortem condemnations. Histopathological examinations were performed to confirm the diagnosis.ResultsThe risk of antemortem rejections (0.0564%) was significantly greater in summer (risk ratio [RR] = 1.57). Autumn was associated with higher rate (RR = 1.69) of the total postmortem condemnations (0.1046%). Significantly higher rates of pronounced anaemia (0.0111%) were observed in summer (RR = 3.20). The main causes of anaemia were observed gastroesophageal ulcers and haemorrhagic enteropathies. Significantly highest risk of erysipelas (0.0074%) were observed in autumn (RR = 5.485). About other zoonosis, only eight cases (0.0013%) of carcasses were declared unfit due to tuberculosis lesions. Porcine muscular cysticercosis was not detected. Nevertheless, nonspecific causes such as generalized infections and emaciation represented the half of the condemned carcasses (50.90%).ConclusionThe pathologies leading to the condemnation of carcasses in this study can be considered representative of the pathologies that affect the pig population from a region with a high intensive production and Mediterranean climatology because this slaughterhouse receives a lot of animals from many farms of different size in a high intensive pig production zone (Mediterranean region). Increased knowledge of environmental factors that may foment the appearance of the diseases is essential for implementing inspection programs based on risk assessment in pig’s slaughterhouses.

Predictivity of Antemortem Findings on Postmortem Inspection in Italian Heavy Pigs Slaughterhouses

“…On the other hand, Ghidini et al [ 10 ] and Guardone et al [ 11 ] reported erysipelas as the first cause of whole-carcass condemnation in slaughtered pigs, although, in the former study, erysipelas was diagnosed in 0.3% of the total carcasses, while, in the latter study, this percentage was even lower (0.01%). Generally, erysipelas is described as a frequent cause of total condemnation, as also shown in the other studies [ 6 ]; however, it is also known that this disease may be affected by several factors, with the environmental temperature described as a critical element for the development of the disease [ 42 ]. In fact, Sánchez et al reported an increased risk of erysipelas in autumn.…”

“…These activities are set before and after the stunning/death of the animals, and some of them are constituted by ante and postmortem inspections (AMI and PMI) [ 5 ]. With regard to pigs, there are a number of published studies that mainly focused on lesions derived from PMI rather than AMI at the European [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ] and Italian level [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. The data collected at the slaughterhouse during PMI are certainly of great importance because they may be indicatives of some diseases or of not optimal welfare [ 13 ].…”

A Retrospective Study after 10 Years (2010–2019) of Meat Inspection Activity in a Domestic Swine Abattoir in Tuscany: The Slaughterhouse as an Epidemiological Observatory

“…The disease has also been reported with varying percentages in slaughtered pigs in Portugal [ 30 ] and Switzerland [ 56 ]. Swine erysipelas is influenced by various factors [ 57 ], among which sudden changes in environmental temperature are particularly important [ 50 , 57 ]. Although the causes of skin erythema in pig carcasses are multiple, including incorrect husbandry and/or stress, inappropriate exsanguination at slaughter, and generalized infectious disease [ 14 ], classical erysipelas cutaneous lesions are characteristic and a study conducted in the US showed that cases of suspected swine erysipelas condemned at an abattoir were always appropriately classified [ 58 ].…”

“…Interestingly, a communication failure between CA and farmers has been hypothesized by other authors in the case of a stationary trend of the main diseases over the years [ 22 ], which was observed also in this study. In Britain, it was observed that companies that paid attention to the feedback received from the slaughterhouse improved their scores over time, presumably associated with improved measures in disease management [ 50 ].…”

Analysis and Comparison of the Frequency of Pathological Conditions and Lesions in Slaughtered Animals in Poland in 2009 and 2017

“…The safety of raw materials for the production of meat products depends on the health of slaughter livestock (Januškevičiené et al 2010). A measurable indicator of the health and hygienic condition of slaughter animals is the frequency of changes and disease conditions, as well as quality deviations found during the sanitary and veterinary examination of slaughter animals before and after slaughtering (Sánchez et al 2018). The quality of carcasses and meat depends on the technology of rearing and on the conditions of transport and ante-mortem trading of animals.…”