The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses
The health and welfare of pigs was evaluated on the basis of the data on patho-anatomic findings obtained during the veterinary examination of pigs slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the period from 2010 to 2017. High numbers of lesions in organs found especially in lungs (finis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/825 |
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| author | Vladimir Vecerek Eva Voslarova Zbynek Semerad Annamaria Passantino |
| author_facet | Vladimir Vecerek Eva Voslarova Zbynek Semerad Annamaria Passantino |
| author_sort | Vladimir Vecerek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The health and welfare of pigs was evaluated on the basis of the data on patho-anatomic findings obtained during the veterinary examination of pigs slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the period from 2010 to 2017. High numbers of lesions in organs found especially in lungs (finisher pigs 41%, sows 24% and piglets 52%), kidneys (finisher pigs 14%, sows 32% and piglets 15%) and liver (finisher pigs 12%, sows 18% and piglets 19 %) indicate impaired health and welfare of pigs transported for slaughter. The differences in the number of findings between finisher pigs, sows and piglets were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The character of most findings was chronic, which document health and welfare problems occurring on farms as a result of the current pig husbandry. However, acute findings were also detected and indicated processes occurring shortly before and during transport to the slaughterhouse. An important finding is the incidence of parasitic lesions in the liver in finisher pigs (finisher pigs 4%, sows 1% and piglets 1%) that documents persistent occurrence of parasitic invasions on pig farms. Findings of traumatic lesions on limbs in sows and piglets (finisher pigs 0.08%, sows 0.14% and piglets 0.15%) are far below the frequency of the findings in organs; however, their incidence should be further reduced by adjusting the technology of housing, transport and handling. In conclusion, the level of health and related welfare of pigs based on the assessment of post mortem findings in the slaughterhouses vary. Overall, the worst situation is in piglets, followed by sows and the best evaluated are finisher pigs. Post mortem inspection revealed significant numbers of patho-anatomic changes even in pigs considered fit to be transported to the slaughterhouse and slaughtered for human consumption. It is clear that there is still a considerable space for improving the level of health and welfare of the individual categories of pigs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:56:51Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:56:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd3abfdea44743e194d602418fff183d2023-11-19T23:54:13ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-05-0110582510.3390/ani10050825The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in SlaughterhousesVladimir Vecerek0Eva Voslarova1Zbynek Semerad2Annamaria Passantino3Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech RepublicCentral Veterinary Administration of the State Veterinary Administration, 120 00 Prague, Czech RepublicCentral Veterinary Administration of the State Veterinary Administration, 120 00 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 981 68 Messina, ItalyThe health and welfare of pigs was evaluated on the basis of the data on patho-anatomic findings obtained during the veterinary examination of pigs slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic in the period from 2010 to 2017. High numbers of lesions in organs found especially in lungs (finisher pigs 41%, sows 24% and piglets 52%), kidneys (finisher pigs 14%, sows 32% and piglets 15%) and liver (finisher pigs 12%, sows 18% and piglets 19 %) indicate impaired health and welfare of pigs transported for slaughter. The differences in the number of findings between finisher pigs, sows and piglets were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The character of most findings was chronic, which document health and welfare problems occurring on farms as a result of the current pig husbandry. However, acute findings were also detected and indicated processes occurring shortly before and during transport to the slaughterhouse. An important finding is the incidence of parasitic lesions in the liver in finisher pigs (finisher pigs 4%, sows 1% and piglets 1%) that documents persistent occurrence of parasitic invasions on pig farms. Findings of traumatic lesions on limbs in sows and piglets (finisher pigs 0.08%, sows 0.14% and piglets 0.15%) are far below the frequency of the findings in organs; however, their incidence should be further reduced by adjusting the technology of housing, transport and handling. In conclusion, the level of health and related welfare of pigs based on the assessment of post mortem findings in the slaughterhouses vary. Overall, the worst situation is in piglets, followed by sows and the best evaluated are finisher pigs. Post mortem inspection revealed significant numbers of patho-anatomic changes even in pigs considered fit to be transported to the slaughterhouse and slaughtered for human consumption. It is clear that there is still a considerable space for improving the level of health and welfare of the individual categories of pigs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/825finisher pigcull sowpigletslaughterpost mortem examinationhealth |
| spellingShingle | Vladimir Vecerek Eva Voslarova Zbynek Semerad Annamaria Passantino The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses Animals finisher pig cull sow piglet slaughter post mortem examination health |
| title | The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses |
| title_full | The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses |
| title_fullStr | The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses |
| title_short | The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses |
| title_sort | health and welfare of pigs from the perspective of post mortem findings in slaughterhouses |
| topic | finisher pig cull sow piglet slaughter post mortem examination health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/825 |
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