Acta Vet. Brno 2020, 89: 341-347

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb202089040341

Patho-anatomic findings in finisher pigs, sows, and piglets detected during veterinary slaughterhouse inspection

Vladimír Večerek1, Eva Voslářová1, Zbyněk Semerád2

1University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Brno, Czech Republic
2State Veterinary Administration, Prague, Czech Republic

Received May 10, 2020
Accepted December 21, 2020

The number of patho-anatomic findings detected during the veterinary examination of slaughtered pigs was analyzed. From 2010 to 2017, a total of 20 550 072 finisher pigs, 484 710 sows, and 94 279 piglets were slaughtered in the Czech Republic. By comparing the overall amount of patho-anatomic findings expressed as an index of the ratio of the number of findings to the number of slaughtered animals, the highest incidence of patho-anatomic findings was determined in piglets (index 1.52), followed by sows (index 1.23), and the lowest in finisher pigs (index 0.81). The most numerous was the occurrence of chronic findings (finisher pigs: index 0.724%, sows: 0.926, piglets: 0.877). Furthermore, a high frequency of acute findings was found (finisher pigs: index 0.037, sows: 0.207, piglets: 0.373). The findings of traumatic and parasitic nature were significantly (P < 0.001) lower than those of chronic and acute character. The differences in the total number of findings and in the number of findings by the type of damage were significant (P < 0.001) between the individual pig categories. The results show that the worst health condition was observed in piglets, followed by sows, and the best in finisher pigs. Furthermore, the number of findings was significantly decreasing in finisher pigs (r = -0.7143, P = 0.047); no significant change was found in sows (r = -0.643, P = 0.086); however, it was significantly increasing in piglets (r = +0.857, P = 0.007). Therefore, there is a particular need for health improvement in piglets and also in sows.

Funding

This study was supported by the Veterinary Scientific Committee of the Czech Republic.

References

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