Meat Inspection and Slaughter Solutions

Handling of Lesions Indicative of Prior Septicemia in Sows

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Abstract

During meat inspection, abscesses may be found which indicate that an animal has suffered from septicemia at an earlier stage in life. In Denmark, due to the national legislation such animals are sent to the rework area for an extended pyemia examination with incisions targeting the predilection sites for such abscesses. Tissue with abscesses found at this stage is removed from the carcass. Next, the carcass is sent for mandatory de-boning after which almost all carcasses are accepted, although all bones separated from de-boned carcasses are condemned and treated as category 2 animal byproducts. The food safety value of this approach has been questioned. It should be noted here that abscesses have no impact on food safety but are regarded as a quality issue only (Bækbo et al., 2016). Preliminary studies and analyses using register data from the largest sow abattoir in Denmark have shown that almost no abscesses are overlooked at the pyemia examination (Pedersen et al., 2017). However, routine recordings at meat inspection may not have been sufficiently detailed to address this issue. Hence, to elucidate whether and where abscesses could be found after the pyemia examination a prospective study was needed. Based upon the outcome, the examination could be updated, and the legislation amended.

How to Cite:

Petersen, J. V. & Alban, L., (2019) “Handling of Lesions Indicative of Prior Septicemia in Sows”, SafePork 13(1), 82–83. doi: https://doi.org//safepork.11187