Observations of variable inter-observer agreement for clinical evaluation of faecal consistency in grow-finishing pigs |
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Authors: | Pedersen Ken Steen Holyoake Patricia Stege Helle Nielsen Jens Peter |
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Institution: | a Department of Large Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark;b Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia |
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Abstract: | Inter-observer agreement for assessment of faecal consistency in pigs was evaluated using a scoring system with 3 categories. In a pilot study, 3 observers performed an examination of faecal samples post-collection. The samples were obtained from pigs (12-13 weeks old) in 4 herds with a history of diarrhoea associated with Lawsonia intracellularis, Brachyspira spp. and/or Porcine Circovirus Type 2. Observer 1 examined all the faecal samples from the 4 herds. Observer 2 only examined the faecal samples from herds 1 and 2. Observer 3 only examined the faecal samples from herds 3 and 4. We observed a substantial agreement in faecal consistency scores between Observers 1 and 3 (kappa=0.64, 95% CI: 0.51-0.78). In contrast, only a fair agreement was observed between Observers 1 and 2 (kappa=0.24, 95% CI: 0.14-0.34). The variations in inter-observer agreement detected in the current study suggest that misclassification error can be a problem in studies assessing faecal consistency. Solutions may include developing a standardized system for scoring the consistency of pig faeces, calibration when more than one observer is involved in clinical studies and using a more objective measure of faecal consistency. |
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Keywords: | Diarrhoea Faecal consistency Inter-observer agreement Kappa Pigs |
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