POLYARTHRITIS OF PIGS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA: THE ROLE OF ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE

A 3-month survey of polyarthritis in pigs was carried out at 3 metropolitan abattoirs in Western Australia. The incidence of total carcass condemnations for polyarthritis was 0.46% and partial condemnation for "arthritis" 1.66% of 15,919 pigs. It was demonstrated that the majority of joint lesions found in either total or partial condemnations were identical pathological conditions, usually differing only in the number of joints involved. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated from the joints of 63% of pigs condemned for polyarthritis; it appears that this organism is the most significant aetiological agent of polyarthritis in Western Australia. The role of mycoplasmas has not been determined. The groww and microscopic lesions seen in affected joints were those of a non-suppurative proliferative polysynovitis. The stifle and elbow joints showed the highest incidence of the most severe lesions. Pigs condemned for polyarthritis over a 6-month period were traced back to 125 farms. Eighty per cent of pigs that had been condemned for polyarthritis had not been vaccinated against erysipelas or were of doubtful vaccination status. Only 3% of pigs had been vaccinated as recommended. The results would suggest that erysipelas vaccine is not directly implicated in the pathogenesis of polyarthritis. The majority of pigs condemned for polyarthritis originated from poorly managed small piggeries run as sideline enterprises. There was no significant pattern to the geographical distribution of polyarthritis cases in Western Australia. Likewise, no significant realtionship was established between polyarthritis condemnations and either breed, sex or bodyweight of thepigs involved.     

Disease conditions responsible for condemnation of carcasses and organs in short-horn Zebu cattle slaughtered in Tanzania

A retrospective study (1987–1989) of disease conditions in slaughter animals was carried out in Morogoro Region in the Eastern zone of Tanzania. The study was based on pathological conditions responsible for condemnations of whole carcasses and organs. The results show that the main causes of condemnations of whole carcasses were tuberculosis (44%), emaciation (28%) and Cysticercus bovis (16%). Heads were condemned because of abscesses (55%) and tuberculosis (30%), whereas C. bovis (54%) and calcified cysts (46%) were responsible for condemnations of tongues. Liver flukes (70%) and calcified cysts (13%) were the major causes of liver condemnations. Causes of condemnation of kidneys were infarcts (60%), hydronephrosis (19%) and nephritis (14%), whereas those responsible for the lungs were pneumonia (51%), emphysema (22%), pleurisy (14%) and hydatidosis (8%). Pericarditis (36%), calcified cysts (35%) and C. bovis (17%) were observed in condemned hearts.     

Slaughter stock abattoir survey of carcasses and organ/offal condemnations in Arusha region,northern Tanzania

The current study reviews a 3-year record of slaughtered animals in Arusha abattoir to determine the causes of carcasses and organ/offal condemnations. A total of 115,186 cattle, 61,551 sheep, 37,850 goats and 13,310 pigs were slaughtered. Out of the slaughtered cattle, 8.6% were pregnant. Up to 125 (0.108%), 39 (0.063%), 40 (0.106%) and 132 (0.992%) of all cattle, sheep, goats and pig carcasses, respectively, were totally condemned. Cysticercosis was the leading cause of total carcass condemnations in cattle (0.051%) and in pig (1.397%), while emaciation accounted for 0.045% and 0.074% of carcass condemnations in sheep and goats, respectively. Livers and lungs were the most condemned organs in all four animal species. The main cause of condemnations of cattle livers was fasciolosis (8.6%), while stilesiosis in sheep and goats accounted for 8.1% and 7.3%, respectively. Ascariasis (4.03%) was the only cause of liver condemnation in pigs. Pneumonia was the leading cause of lung condemnations at the rates of 3.99%, 2.43% and 2.83% in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. Because of their zoonotic nature, occurrences of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, fasciolosis and tuberculosis may pose a public health risk. Thus, there is a need to introduce appropriate control measures of livestock diseases to minimise the rate of infection and reduce economic losses.     

Poultry abattoir survey of carcass condemnations in Fars province, southern Iran

Official post-mortem inspection records of poultry in 11 industrial poultry abattoirs in the Fars province, southern Iran, between 20 March 2002 and 19 March 2006 were used to investigate the character and prevalence of poultry loss caused by disease and pathological changes in the province. Linear regression analysis for study of time trend and χ²-test for investigation of seasonal pattern were used as statistical methods. In the study period, 130,967,021 birds were slaughtered. As a result of official veterinary inspection, 959,416 (0.73%) birds were condemned. The condemnation risk was calculated for each quarter in a year. Cachexia and septicemia were the most common reasons for rejection of carcasses and were responsible for 62% of the total condemnations. The condemnation risk due to septicemia increased over the study period from 0.14 to 0.22%. The rejection risk due to overscalding declined over the study period from 0.07 to 0.01%. No trends in time were observed for the other causes of condemnation. In conclusion the majority of condemnations are caused by disease and improving the standard of disease prevention and control on farms is necessary. These results could form the basis of an assessment of trends in condemnations in poultry slaughterhouse and should prove useful to the poultry industry as a baseline data for future comparison.     

Causes and implications of bovine organs/offal condemnations in some abattoirs in Western Nigeria

Food animals though sources of protein and revenue to man, also serve as vehicles of disease transmission. This work reviews a three year record of slaughtered cattle in 12 abattoirs/slaughter slabs in western Nigeria to determine the economic and public health issues associated with their disease conditions. Out of 641,224 cattle slaughtered, 51,196 (7.98%) were attributable to 14 diseases/conditions including tuberculosis, pneumonia, fascioliasis, pimply gut, paramphistomosis, cysticercosis, dermatophilosis, tonsillitis, taeniasis, ascariosis, abscess, mange, mastitis and immature fetuses. Pneumonia (21.38%), fascioliasis (20.28%) and tuberculosis (7.95%) were major reasons for condemnations; least being ascariosis (0.01%). The lungs (45.66%) and liver (32.94%) accounted for most organ condemned while the heart (0.02%) was the least affected. The proportions of pneumonia, fascioliasis and immature fetuses observed were not statistically different (Mean = 3895.7; 3654.0; 3467.3); however, a significant difference existed with other conditions (Mean_A = 3895.7; 3654.0; 3467.3; Mean_B = 1359.7; 1057.7; 510.3). Organs/offal condemnations constituted loss of revenue and animal protein as 124,333 kilogrammes worth of meat valued in Naira at N41,613,043 (332,904) was lost over the period giving an average of N13,871,014 (332,904) was lost over the period giving an average of N13,871,014 (110,968) annually. This, coupled with fetal wastage represented an economic loss; with associated public health implications.     

Common conditions leading to cattle carcass and offal condemnations at 3 abattoirs in the Western Province of Zambia and their zoonotic implications to consumers

From a total of 32 717 cattle slaughtered, 183 whole carcass condemnations were attributable to 9 diseases and conditions, namely, tuberculosis (TB), cysticercosis, emaciation, generalised lymphadenitis, jaundice, abscesses, moribund, sarcosporidiosis and odour. Bovine TB was the most important cause of condemnations (152/183, 83.1%). Bovine cysticercosis and sarcosporidiosis accounted for 5/183 (2.7%) and 8/183 (4.4%), respectively, while each of the remaining conditions contributed less. Among the many conditions responsible for offal/organ condemnations were fascioliasis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, hydatidosis and TB. In terms of number and weight, Fasciola gigantica infections made livers and lungs the most condemned offals (20.1% and 0.7%, respectively). Hydatidosis was the cause of 0.9% lung and 0.1% liver losses. Cysticercus bovis contributed to only 0.05% of all inspected tongues, hearts, and heads. TB was very rare in heads (0.01%). The financial impact of whole carcasses and offals condemned during the study period was enormous and deprived livestock farmers of the much needed revenue and consumers of protein sources. Much or all of the condemned material that could have been useful was wasted by not being retrieved for conversion to processed meat, bone meal or pet food. Failure to detect lesions of potential zoonotic diseases at slaughter poses a health risk to consumers especially when meat is eaten undercooked.     

Pyaemia in pigs

Pyaemia is by far the most important cause of condemnation in pigs slaughtered in Singapore abattoirs. Between 1983 and 1987, 1757 from a total of 4,899,731 pigs were condemned by meat inspectors for pyaemia, accounting for 0.036% of the total condemnations. The common post-mortem findings of affected pigs during the 5-year period are presented. Abscesses were most commonly seen in the liver (22%), spleen (21%), gastrohepatic lymph node (20%) and bronchial lymph node (17%). Pseudomonas pseudomallei was the most predominant organism isolated, accounting for 39% of the pyaemic cases. The public health significance of abscesses in pigs is discussed with particular reference to melioidosis.     

Endocarditis in chickens caused by subclinical infection of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus

Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus causes endocarditis in humans and acute septicemia in domestic birds. We describe here the infective endocarditis caused by the bacterium found among clinically healthy broilers at two abattoirs in Japan. The chickens were thought to be healthy because of the lack of clinical symptoms and normal levels of mortality before slaughtering. At the time of inspection, some chickens were condemned because of organ disorders characterized by vegetative valvular endocarditis as well as focal necrosis in heart, liver, and spleen. Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus was isolated from the organs as a pure culture, indicating that the bacterium probably was the causative agent of the disorders. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of the isolates collected at the abattoirs from chickens grown in nine different farms indicated that the isolates were different variants of the same clonal lineage and may have been derived from the same ancestor. These results suggest that S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus causes infectious endocarditis in chickens and that healthy chickens may possess the bacterium in their normal flora as an opportunistic pathogen.     

Survey of pigs' kidneys with lesions consistent with PMWS and PDNS and ochratoxicosis. Part 1: concentrations and prevalence of ochratoxin A

One thousand condemned pigs' kidneys were collected in February 2002 from two pig abattoirs in England to assess the possible contribution of ochratoxicosis to postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS); 250 of the kidneys with macroscopic lesions consistent with nephrosis/nephritis (pale or white cortical lesions) were selected, and the concentration of ochratoxin A was measured in samples of renal cortex by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Low concentrations were detected in 230 (92 per cent) of the kidneys tested, and in 41 (16.4 per cent) of them the concentration was below the limit of quantification of 0.2 microg/kg. In 187 (74.8 per cent) of the kidneys, the concentration was more than 0.2 microg/kg, and the highest concentration detected was 2.3 microg/kg. The mean (sd) concentration was 0.31 (0.33) microg/kg. The identification of ochratoxin A was confirmed by mass spectrometry. The concentrations of ochratoxin A did not exceed the threshold assessed by the Food Standards Agency to be safe for human food.     

Abattoir condemnation of pigs and its economic implications in Singapore

Losses due to mortality and rejection of carcases and viscera in a population of 2,959,607 pigs admitted for slaughter in Singapore abattoirs between 1984 and 1986 were studied. Mortality losses were 2822 pigs (9.5 per 10,000 admissions) while 3039 whole carcases (10.3 per 10,000 admissions) were condemned at post-mortem examination. The main reason for rejection of carcases was pyaemia (30.3%). Kidneys and livers were the two main organs of economic value rejected. Rejection of kidneys was primarily due to nephritis (54.8%) while liver condemnation was mainly due to cirrhosis (38.6%). The financial loss from abattoir rejection was S$5.27 millions or S$1.78 per pig admitted. The value of abattoir condemnation data as a tool in preventive medicine is discussed.     

Incidence of fascioliasis in cattle slaughtered in Buachi (Nigeria).

A survey was carried out in Bauchi abattoir during the period March 1973 to February 1974 in order to estimate the incidence of bovine fascioliasis. A total of 14,270 cattle originating from various markets in North-eastern Nigeria were examined. The incidence rate varied considerably, the highest being recorded in cattle from markets adjacent to large floodplains. The overall incidence rate was 31-7 per cent. The monthly incidence was highest during the periods immediately before and after the onset of the rains and was more a reflection of the marketing policy of the cattle owners than of the epizootiology of the disease. The annual loss in revenue caused by liver condemnations alone was estimated as 19,375 Naira.     

A retrospective study on the prevalence of ostrich carcass and organ condemnations in Botswana

A retrospective study on the prevalence of ostrich carcass and organ condemnations in Botswana was conducted by reviewing meat inspection records available at the Botswana Ostrich Company Abattoir in Gaborone for the 3 year period that the abattoir had been in operation. The most frequently condemned organs were lung (85.1%), liver (8%), intestine (3.3%), heart (2.7%) and kidney (0.8%). The most frequently encountered macroscopic findings were contamination (80%), congestion (10%), enteritis (3%), haemorrhage (2%), pigmentation (2%), white spots on the liver (1%) and peritonitis (1%). The frequencies of the various macroscopic findings on all the organs increased over the 3 years of the study. Ninety-five percent (95%) of the findings were all abattoir associated, especially the external contamination of organs (80%). The 5% that were acquired during the lifetime of the birds included enteritis, peritonitis and white spots on the liver. No whole carcass condemnations or carcass trimmings were recorded, nor where there any zoonotic causes of condemnation.     

The prevalence, gross lesions and histopathology of aortic onchocerciasis in Nigerian cattle

The incidence of aortic onchocerciasis due to Onchocerca armillata among slaughtered cattle in Ibadan, Nigeria, was about 2 per cent between 1979 and 1980. The average number of nodules per thoracic aorta was 7 and the mean size of each nodule was 9.7 +/- 2.6 mm. About 54 per cent of the nodules examined were calcified, and nodular calcification appeared to be related to the degree of infection or reinfection with the parasite. The histopathology of the aortic lesions is described.     

The effects of health classification and housing and management of feeder pigs on performance and meat inspection findings of all-in-all-out swine-finishing herds

The effects of health classification and of housing and management on performance and meat inspection findings were studied in 166 all-in-all-out finishing herds in Finland in 1995 and 1998. Producers could buy either health-classified (certified free of certain diseases) or standard-class pigs for their farms. Herds that had attained a certain level of housing and management were eligible to join the LSO 2000 management system for finishing herds. In 1995, none of the study herds were LSO 2000 units. In 1998, 76 of them had become LSO 2000 units, while 90 had remained as non-LSO 2000 units. Continuous outcome variables (daily gain and time in the finishing unit) were analysed with a mixed-model procedure with repeated measurements from the same farms. Discrete variables were analysed either with Poisson regression (mortality, whole- and partial-carcass condemnations, organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses) or logistic regression (liver condemnations, pneumonia, pleuritis). The models were adjusted for the year, size of the herd and the average slaughter weight of the batch.The benefits obtained by the health classification of the feeder pigs included a substantial increase in daily gain (37g, about 5%) and decrease in time in the finishing unit (4 days, about 4%), decrease in mortality (odds ratio, OR 0.68), a substantial decrease in pneumonia (OR 0.37) and pleuritis (OR 0.60), and a substantial decrease in liver (OR 0.45) and organ (OR 0.72) condemnations. Classification of the pigs did not have an effect on the prevalence of whole-carcass condemnations, arthritis or abscesses. The health-classified pigs had, unexpectedly, more partial-carcass condemnations (OR 1.15) than the standard-class pigs. The obtained benefits of the LSO 2000 units were an increase in daily gain (14g, about 2%), decrease in time in the finishing unit (2 days, about 2%), a decrease in mortality (OR 0.69) and a decrease in whole-carcass (OR 0.69) and partial-carcass (OR 0.81) condemnations. The LSO 2000 units did not have any advantage over the non-LSO 2000 units in their prevalence of liver or organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses, pneumonia or pleuritis.     

A retrospective survey of hydatidosis in livestock in Shiraz, Iran, based on abattoir data during 1999-2004

Meat inspection records in an abattoir located in Shiraz, a city in southwest Iran and the capital of Fars province, during a 5-year period from 20 March 1999 to 19 March 2004 were used to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis in sheep, cattle, and goats in the region. A total of 844,039 animals (cattle 131,716; sheep 577,090; goats 135,233) slaughtered in the 5-year period and overall 34,856 (4.1%) livers and 123,402 (14.62%) lungs were condemned. Hydatidosis was responsible for 28.7 and 15.4% of total livers and lungs condemnations, respectively. The overall trend for all livestock and in both organs was a significant downward one. The annual prevalence of liver condemnations due to hydatidosis was decreased from 2.1, 1.8, and 1.0% in 1999-2000 to 0.62, 0.33, and 0.20% in 2003-2004 for cattle, sheep, and goats, respectively. The corresponding features for lung condemnation due to hydatidosis were relatively higher than liver, declining from 3.0, 4.6, and 4.4% in 1999-2000 to 1.3, 1.5, and 0.56% in 2003-2004, for cattle, sheep, and goats, respectively. Greater awareness among farmers, destruction of organs containing hydatid cysts, prevention of access of dogs to raw offals and implementation of national rabies control program could be responsible factors. Data showed significant seasonal pattern for hydatidosis in all species. Liver condemnations due to hydatidosis were higher in the spring and summer for sheep, whereas lung condemnations were higher in summer for both sheep and goats. Liver and lung condemnations in cattle were higher in winter. This could be attributed to various factors such as sources of slaughtered animals, changes in management practice and ecological factors. The overall trend was relatively the same when annual condemnations were adjusted for the effect of seasonal variation. The present survey provides baseline data for the future monitoring of this potentially important parasitic disease in the region.     

Commercial moose meat production in SwedenLa production commerciale de viande d'élan en SuèdeGewerbliche produktion von elchfleisch in Sweden

Moose meat is produced commercially in Sweden by the hunting of wild, free-range animals. Extensive forests, continual rejuvenation of the browse resource, a moderate climate, and the relative absence of natural causes of mortality contribute to the maintenance of a large and productive moose population. Hunting rights are owned by the landowner and both hunting rights and harvested animals are marketed. Exported moose meat is federally inspected and carcasses are processed in federally approved abattoirs. One commercial operation studied in detail in 1979 had fewer than 1% of its processed carcasses condemned. All traumatized tissue was removed from carcasses during processing. Weight loss associated with carcass cooling plus removal of traumatized tissue averaged 10% of fresh carcass weight. The average retail value of boneless moose meat sold on the Swedish market in 1979 was approximately U.S. $10.00 per kg. The annual moose harvest in 1981 totalled 152 000 animals with an estimated total carcass yield of 19.7 million kg. The present level of commercial production is insufficient to meet the demands of foreign or domestic markets. Not all harvested moose are marketed, however, and the commercial sale of moose meat is increasing, a trend that will probably continue if the recent levels of moose harvest are maintained.     

THE DETECTION OF ARTHRITIS IN PIGS IN AN ABATTOIR AND ITS PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

The results of a study of the prevalence in each joint of arthritis in pigs as detected by meat inspectors is presented. A prevalence of arthritis in 1.07% of carcases was obtained, of which 0.28% were condemned totally and 0.79% condemned partially. With partial condemnations there was a bias to the left side in the hindquarters, and a significant bias to the hindquarter as compared with the forequarter. A consequence was that undetected arthritic lesions, especially in the forequarter and probably containing viable Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, are finding their way to the consumer.     

A retrospective survey of liver fluke disease in livestock based on abattoir data in Shiraz, south of Iran

Meat-inspection records in an abattoir located in the Fars province (southern part of Iran) from 20 March 1999 to 19 March 2004 were used to determine the prevalence and long-term trend of liver fluke disease in sheep, cattle and goats in the region. A total of 844,039 animals (cattle 131,716; sheep 577,090; goats 135,233) slaughtered in the 5-year period and overall 34,856 (4.1%) livers were condemned. Fasciolosis and dicrocoeliosis were responsible for 54 and 21% of total liver condemnations, respectively. The prevalence of liver condemnations due to fasciolosis was decreased from 3.89, 3.20 and 2.63% in 1999-2000 to 1.07, 0.59 and 0.24% in 2003-2004 for cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. The corresponding features for dicrocoeliosis were similar, declining from 1.47, 1.76 and 2.10% in 1999-2000 to 0.69, 0.34 and 0.25% in 2003-2004, respectively. Drought climatic conditions in conjunction with a greater awareness among farmers could be responsible factors.     

Two-year study of bovine hepatic abscessation in 10 abattoirs in County Cork, Ireland

The livers from 6337, 12- to 16-month-old heifers slaughtered in 10 domestic abattoirs over a period of two years were examined; 368 (5.8 per cent) had gross lesions, of which 120 (1.9 per cent) had abscesses, 74 (1.17 per cent) had only scarring, and 44 (0.7 per cent) had telangiectasis (so-called 'sawdust' liver). Of the 120 livers in which abscesses were detected, 53 (44 per cent) had a single large abscess (>4 cm diameter), 44 (36.6 per cent) had a single small abscess (<4 cm), and 23 (19 per cent) had more than two abscesses; in 20 of them (16.6 per cent) the abscesses were resolving, and in 10 (8.3 per cent) the abscesses were ruptured. Forty-three (35.8 per cent) of the livers with abscesses had adhesions to the diaphragm and diaphragmatic lung lobes, three (2.5 per cent) had adhesions to other abdominal organs, 12 (10 per cent) also had scarring and two (1.7 per cent) also had lesions due to liver fluke. There was no significant association between the liver fluke lesions and the abscesses. In 46 (38.3 per cent) of the livers the abscesses were located in the mid-dorsal diaphragmatic or dorsocranial area of the liver; 28 (23.3 per cent) were adjacent to the posterior vena cava and could as a result have caused thromboembolic disease. Clinical signs attributable to the abscesses were observed in only one animal.     

Survey of pigs' kidneys with lesions consistent with PMWS and PDNS and ochratoxicosis. Part 2: pathological and histological findings

One thousand condemned pigs' kidneys were collected in February 2002 from two pig abattoirs in England to assess the lesions due to postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (pmws) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (pdns) and the possible contribution of ochratoxicosis; 174 of the kidneys were pale, 295 were swollen and 81 were abnormally firm with the gross appearance of fibrosis. The main macroscopic finding was the presence of multifocal pale cortical lesions, observed in 446 of the kidneys, and there were large cysts in 266 of them. Histopathological lesions of non-suppurative tubulointerstitial nephritis, with degeneration and fibrosis of renal tubules, were identified in 213 of 250 (85.2 per cent) of the kidneys examined. These lesions were consistent with those reported in cases of pmws and pdns. The tubular degeneration and fibrosis were also consistent with ochratoxicosis. A higher mean concentration of ochratoxin A was significantly (P=0.020) associated with the presence of multifocal pale cortical lesions consistent with ochratoxicosis, but a causal relationship was not confirmed because histochemistry was not used to detect ochratoxin in the lesions directly. There was no significant correlation between the microscopic lesions and the concentration of ochratoxin. The degenerative lesions may have been caused by previous exposure to ochratoxin that had subsequently been excreted, but the microscopic lesions also included non-suppurative interstitial nephritis, which was unlikely to have been caused by ochratoxicosis.