Prevalence of post mortem lesions recorded in the largest Italian rabbit slaughterhouse over a fifteen-years period (2003-2017)

Conficoni, Daniele; Cullere, Marco; Lago, N.; Alberghini, Leonardo; Rossin, T.; Zotte, Antonella Dalle; Giaccone, Valério

doi:10.4995/wrs.2020.11530

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Conficoni et al. (2020) found cachexia to be highly prevalent in condemned carcasses in the Italian slaughterhouse. In the period from 2003 until 2017, cachexia was the third most frequent finding recorded in young rabbits (29.7%) and the most frequent cause of carcass condemnation for breeding females (38.9%).…”

Section: Assessment Of Scenario 3: Road Transport Of Rabbitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Significant weight loss, associated with emaciation or cachexia, typically results from catabolism of body fat and protein in excess of caloric intake (Ford and Mazzaferro, 2012). Conficoni et al (2020) found cachexia to be highly prevalent in condemned carcasses in the Italian slaughterhouse. In the period from 2003 until 2017, cachexia was the third most frequent finding recorded in young rabbits (29.7%) and the most frequent cause of carcass condemnation for breeding females (38.9%).…”

Section: Emaciation and Cachexiamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2022

EFS2

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This opinion, produced upon a request from the European Commission, focuses on transport of domestic birds and rabbits in containers (e.g. any crate, box, receptacle or other rigid structure used for the transport of animals, but not the means of transport itself). It describes and assesses current transport practices in the EU, based on data from literature, Member States and expert opinion. The species and categories of domestic birds assessed were mainly chickens for meat (broilers), end-of-lay hens and dayold chicks. They included to a lesser extent pullets, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails and game birds, due to limited scientific evidence. The opinion focuses on road transport to slaughterhouses or to production sites. For day-old chicks, air transport is also addressed. The relevant stages of transport considered are preparation, loading, journey, arrival and uncrating. Welfare consequences associated with current transport practices were identified for each stage. For loading and uncrating, the highly relevant welfare consequences identified are handling stress, injuries, restriction of movement and sensory overstimulation. For the journey and arrival, injuries, restriction of movement, sensory overstimulation, motion stress, heat stress, cold stress, prolonged hunger and prolonged thirst are identified as highly relevant. For each welfare consequence, animal-based measures (ABMs) and hazards were identified and assessed, and both preventive and corrective or mitigative measures proposed. Recommendations on quantitative criteria to prevent or mitigate welfare consequences are provided for microclimatic conditions, space allowances and journey times for all categories of animals, where scientific evidence and expert opinion support such outcomes.

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Section: Assessment Of Scenario 3: Road Transport Of Rabbitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Emaciation and Cachexiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2022

EFS2

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“…Die häufigsten Gründe für die Genussuntauglichkeitserklärung von Mastkaninchen sind laut einer italienischen Studie Enteritis (33.6%), subkutane Abszesse (31.5%) und Kachexie (29.7%). 5 In der Tschechischen Republik konnte ein abnehmender Trend über die Jahre festgestellt werden. Kam es zwischen 1989-1994 noch in 3.0% Fällen zu Konfiskaten, waren es 1995-2000 nur noch 1.2%.…”

Section: Behandelte Mastdurchgänge (Md)unclassified

Health, performance and use of medication in professional Swiss meat rabbit production

Schwarz

Schädler

Albini

et al. 2021

SAT

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Health, performance and use of medication in professional Swiss meat rabbit production Husbandry conditions for rabbits in Switzerland are at a high animal welfare level in international comparison. Wire mesh flooring is prohibited and group housing is mandatory up to the age of eight weeks. Despite these animal-friendly husbandry standards, animal losses seem to be a significant problem, although reliable data on professional Swiss meat rabbit production is lacking to date. A herd survey was carried out in 52 rabbit farms to address this situation. At the same time, each new litter and each fattening group was documented with a standardized form focusing on animal death and the use of medication by the farmer over a one year period. In the case of increased mortality or new health problems, dead rabbits were sent to the National Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases (Zurich) for pathological examination including bacteriological and parasitological diagnostics. Data from 32 farms were evaluated. The average mortality of young animals (birth to weaning) was 14.9% (1.0-30.0%) and of fattening rabbits (weaning to slaughter) 17.3% (4.3-31.8%). Intestinal diseases, mainly dysentery, intestinal coccidiosis and mucoid enteropathies, were the primary cause of death (68.2%). Eimeria spp., Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens were identified as the most frequent pathogens. Respiratory diseases were found in 18.7% of the examined rabbits, with Pasteurella multocida identified as the most common pathogen. 60.0% of the farms used antibiotics during the study period and a third (34.7%) of all the fattening animals were medicated with at least one antibiotic. The present results confirm that despite high animal welfare standards infectious diseases and mortality rates represent a considerable problem in professional Swiss meat rabbit production. Risk factors of increased morbidity and mortality should be identified to improve rabbit health, to reduce the high mortality rate and the extensive use of antibiotics in professional Swiss meat rabbit production. Practicable management improvements with specific prevention strategies should be developed.

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The Incidence of Liver Damage Found during Postmortem Examination at the Slaughterhouse

Válková

Voslářová

Ninčáková

et al. 2023

Animals

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We monitored liver damage in cattle (cows, heifers, fattening bulls, and calves culled from the herd), pigs (sows, finishing pigs, and piglets culled from the farm), sheep (ewes and lambs), goats (does and kids), rabbits, and poultry (end-of-lay hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, domestic ducks, and domestic geese) in the period from 2010 to 2021. All animals (n = 1,425,710,143) reared on Czech farms and slaughtered at slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic were included in the analysis. We determined the total number of damaged livers for individual categories of animals and also analyzed separately the incidence of damage of acute, chronic, parasitic, and other origin. The overall incidence of liver damage was higher in adult animals compared to fattening animals in all species. In cattle and pigs, the incidence was also higher in young animals culled from the herd compared to fattening animals. When comparing adult animals by species, the incidence of liver damage was highest in cows (46.38%), followed by sows (17.51%), ewes (12.97%), and does (4.26%). When comparing fattening animals by species, the incidence was highest in heifers (14.17%) and fattening bulls (7.97 %), followed by finishing pigs (11.26%), lambs (4.73%), and kids (0.59%). When comparing young culled from the herd by species, it was higher in piglets (32.39%) than in calves (17.6 %), and when poultry and rabbits were compared, the incidence was highest in turkeys (3.38%), followed by ducks (2.20%), geese (1.09%), broiler chickens (0.08%), and rabbits (0.04%). The results indicate that fattening animals have a better liver condition than mature animals and that culled young have a worse liver condition than older fattening animals. Chronic lesions represented the dominant proportion of pathological findings. Parasitic lesions occurred, first and foremost, in animals grazed on meadows with likely parasitic invasion, i.e., in ewes (7.51%), lambs (3.51%), and heifers (1.31%), and in animals in which antiparasitic protection is limited in view of the protection of meat from antiparasitic residues, i.e., finishing pigs (3.68%). Parasitic damage to the liver was rarely detected in rabbits and poultry. The results obtained represent a body of knowledge for measures to improve the health and condition of the liver in food animals.

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Prevalence of post mortem lesions recorded in the largest Italian rabbit slaughterhouse over a fifteen-years period (2003-2017)

Cited by 4 publications

References 14 publications

Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

Health, performance and use of medication in professional Swiss meat rabbit production

The Incidence of Liver Damage Found during Postmortem Examination at the Slaughterhouse

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