Cross-location standardization of lung scoring during post-mortem inspection of fattening pigs under industrialized conditions at two different slaughterhouses

摘要

Due to modifications in the framework of meat hygiene since 2004 by the so called hygiene package and in particular with the Regulation (EC) No. 219 from 2014, the importance of pathological-anatomical slaughter findings as indicator of herd health increased. Animal health and welfare can be improved on the basis of standardized animal health assessment systems based on slaughter check findings that are continuously reported to the farmers. The presented research deals with the verification of a simplified evaluation system of surface-related lung lesions. The system was developed for routine meat inspection in industrial abattoirs. The authors validated the systems capability at a second abattoir to standardize the lung lesion evaluation of Authorized Qualified Assistants (AQAs; Synonymous to official auxiliaries in Reg. (EC) No. 854/2004) across abattoirs. Furthermore, a theoretical and hands-on training was conducted to standardize the official lung lesion evaluation. The training program was specified by including identified status-quo deficits before it was carried out. Subsequently the evaluation performance was rechecked. Although the status-quo performances varied between abattoirs, improvements were achieved in both the inter- and intra-abattoir variability in all diagnostic keys with reduced deviations from the reference by half. In particular the AQAs' awareness for the usefulness of herd health assessments could be increased. According to the presented results, improvement with standardization of lung lesion evaluation under industrial slaughter conditions seems achievable across abattoirs by using the developed lung lesion evaluation system and the applied training program. General education improvements of official lung assessment are considered necessary.