The Health and Welfare of Pigs from the Perspective of Post Mortem Findings in Slaughterhouses

Abstract

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 (p < 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.