Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics
Abstract Background The objective of this study was to examine the inter-relationships between pig farm management and facilities (as assessed by questionnaire) and post-mortem lung lesion (lung score assesment), which are the result of respiratory infections. The relationships between carcass chara...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Veterinary Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03968-2 |
| _version_ | 1797233551492513792 |
|---|---|
| author | Zbigniew Kuberka John F. Mee Aurelia Walaszek-Kayaoglu Małgorzata D. Klimowicz-Bodys Arkadiusz Dors Anna Rząsa |
| author_facet | Zbigniew Kuberka John F. Mee Aurelia Walaszek-Kayaoglu Małgorzata D. Klimowicz-Bodys Arkadiusz Dors Anna Rząsa |
| author_sort | Zbigniew Kuberka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The objective of this study was to examine the inter-relationships between pig farm management and facilities (as assessed by questionnaire) and post-mortem lung lesion (lung score assesment), which are the result of respiratory infections. The relationships between carcass characteristics and post-mortem lung lesion scores were also investigated. Results Questionnaire responses were collected from 22 self-selecting pig farmers about their farm facilities/management and health condition of the respiratory system of pigs, including the occurrence of clinical respiratory signs, results of laboratory testing for respiratory pathogens, and the use of respiratory vaccines. When fatteners were sent to the abattoir, their carcasses (n = 1,976) were examined for evidence of respiratory disease by lung lesion (pleuritis pneumonia-like (PP-like) and enzootic pneumonia-like (EP-like) lesions) scoring and the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Index (APPI) was calculated. Carcass characteristics were recorded and, retrospectively, the prevalence of cachectic pigs was calculated. Using these variables, the relationships between farm facilities/management and lung lesions scores and the relationships between the latter and carcass characteristics and cachexia were explored. The key findings relating farm facilities and management to lung lesions were: slatted floors were associated with significantly higher EP-like lesions scores than litter bedding in weaners, single-stage fattening in the same building was associated with significantly higher EP-like lesions scores than two-stage fattening, but herd size, stocking density, use of all-in/all-out (AIAO) rule, technological break duration and variation in daily temperature did not affect lung lesions scores. The key findings relating lung lesion scores to carcass characteristics were: a significant, negative correlation between EP-like scores and carcass weight but not with other carcass characteristics, a significant positive correlation between PP-like scores and carcass meat content and prevalence of cachectic carcasses and a significant positive correlation between lung APPI and prevalence of cachectic carcasses. Conclusions It can be concluded that both farm facilities and management affect lung lesions scores and that the latter affect carcass characteristics. Lung lesion scoring is an inexpensive technique suitable for rapid monitoring of large numbers of carcasses that can be performed after animal slaughter. It provides useful information to inform producers about possible deficits in farm facilities or management and is a predictor of economic loss due to poorer quality carcasses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:17:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd61a42999b44351a924a29255673cc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-6148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:17:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd61a42999b44351a924a29255673cc42024-03-31T11:23:33ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482024-03-0120111010.1186/s12917-024-03968-2Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristicsZbigniew Kuberka0John F. Mee1Aurelia Walaszek-Kayaoglu2Małgorzata D. Klimowicz-Bodys3Arkadiusz Dors4Anna Rząsa5Private PracticeAnimal and Bioscience Department, Teagasc the Agriculture and food Development AuthorityDepartment of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life SciencesDivision of Infectious Diseases of Animals and Veterinary Administration, Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life SciencesDepartment of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Science, Poznań University of Life SciencesDepartment of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life SciencesAbstract Background The objective of this study was to examine the inter-relationships between pig farm management and facilities (as assessed by questionnaire) and post-mortem lung lesion (lung score assesment), which are the result of respiratory infections. The relationships between carcass characteristics and post-mortem lung lesion scores were also investigated. Results Questionnaire responses were collected from 22 self-selecting pig farmers about their farm facilities/management and health condition of the respiratory system of pigs, including the occurrence of clinical respiratory signs, results of laboratory testing for respiratory pathogens, and the use of respiratory vaccines. When fatteners were sent to the abattoir, their carcasses (n = 1,976) were examined for evidence of respiratory disease by lung lesion (pleuritis pneumonia-like (PP-like) and enzootic pneumonia-like (EP-like) lesions) scoring and the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Index (APPI) was calculated. Carcass characteristics were recorded and, retrospectively, the prevalence of cachectic pigs was calculated. Using these variables, the relationships between farm facilities/management and lung lesions scores and the relationships between the latter and carcass characteristics and cachexia were explored. The key findings relating farm facilities and management to lung lesions were: slatted floors were associated with significantly higher EP-like lesions scores than litter bedding in weaners, single-stage fattening in the same building was associated with significantly higher EP-like lesions scores than two-stage fattening, but herd size, stocking density, use of all-in/all-out (AIAO) rule, technological break duration and variation in daily temperature did not affect lung lesions scores. The key findings relating lung lesion scores to carcass characteristics were: a significant, negative correlation between EP-like scores and carcass weight but not with other carcass characteristics, a significant positive correlation between PP-like scores and carcass meat content and prevalence of cachectic carcasses and a significant positive correlation between lung APPI and prevalence of cachectic carcasses. Conclusions It can be concluded that both farm facilities and management affect lung lesions scores and that the latter affect carcass characteristics. Lung lesion scoring is an inexpensive technique suitable for rapid monitoring of large numbers of carcasses that can be performed after animal slaughter. It provides useful information to inform producers about possible deficits in farm facilities or management and is a predictor of economic loss due to poorer quality carcasses.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03968-2PigsHealth monitoringLung scoringPost-mortem examinationFarm questionnaire |
| spellingShingle | Zbigniew Kuberka John F. Mee Aurelia Walaszek-Kayaoglu Małgorzata D. Klimowicz-Bodys Arkadiusz Dors Anna Rząsa Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics BMC Veterinary Research Pigs Health monitoring Lung scoring Post-mortem examination Farm questionnaire |
| title | Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| title_full | Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| title_fullStr | Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| title_short | Relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions' scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| title_sort | relationships between pig farm management and facilities and lung lesions scores and between lung lesions scores and carcass characteristics |
| topic | Pigs Health monitoring Lung scoring Post-mortem examination Farm questionnaire |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03968-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zbigniewkuberka relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics AT johnfmee relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics AT aureliawalaszekkayaoglu relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics AT małgorzatadklimowiczbodys relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics AT arkadiuszdors relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics AT annarzasa relationshipsbetweenpigfarmmanagementandfacilitiesandlunglesionsscoresandbetweenlunglesionsscoresandcarcasscharacteristics |