• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.11
• /
• pp.1818-1827
• /
• 2018

Objective: The objective of this work was to determine the prevalence of the pathologies that caused the condemnation of pig carcasses in an area of intensive pig farming and Mediterranean climatology and to evaluate their influence in a risk-based inspection procedure for slaughterhouses. Methods: A retrospective observational investigation was carried out from 2002 to 2016 into the pathological processes that caused the condemnation of pig carcasses in a slaughterhouse from South-eastern Spain. The seasonal effect on the causes of condemnation carcass was reported. Negative binomial model was used to evaluate the effect of season on the rate of antemortem rejections and post-mortem condemnations. Histopathological examinations were performed to confirm the diagnosis. Results: The risk of antemortem rejections (0.0564%) was significantly greater in summer (risk ratio [RR] = 1.57). Autumn was associated with higher rate (RR = 1.69) of the total postmortem condemnations (0.1046%). Significantly higher rates of pronounced anaemia (0.0111%) were observed in summer (RR = 3.20). The main causes of anaemia were observed gastroesophageal ulcers and haemorrhagic enteropathies. Significantly highest risk of erysipelas (0.0074%) were observed in autumn (RR = 5.485). About other zoonosis, only eight cases (0.0013%) of carcasses were declared unfit due to tuberculosis lesions. Porcine muscular cysticercosis was not detected. Nevertheless, nonspecific causes such as generalized infections and emaciation represented the half of the condemned carcasses (50.90%). Conclusion: The pathologies leading to the condemnation of carcasses in this study can be considered representative of the pathologies that affect the pig population from a region with a high intensive production and Mediterranean climatology because this slaughterhouse receives a lot of animals from many farms of different size in a high intensive pig production zone (Mediterranean region). Increased knowledge of environmental factors that may foment the appearance of the diseases is essential for implementing inspection programs based on risk assessment in pig's slaughterhouses.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.191-199
• /
• 2022

We investigated the virulence genes, O-serotypes, antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic E. coli isolated from carcasses (n=455) and environmental (n=372) samples of 11 cattle and 12 pig slaughterhouses from December 2020 to December 2021. E. coli were isolated from nine carcasses (2.0%), three slaughter facilities (1.4%), two utensils (2.7%) and three abattoir workers (3.5%) from four cattle and four pig slaughterhouses. Among all isolates, 13 STEC (76.5%) were identified, followed by four EPEC (23.5%). As a result of the antibiotic susceptibility test, all isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial, of which 70.6% isolates showed multidrug resistance patterns. The serotypes were diverse in pigs compared to cattle, with serotypes O18, O66, O109 in cattle and O9, O76, O85, O100, O153, and O159 in pigs. In a single cattle slaughterhouse, eight STEC O66 were isolated from various types of sample (4 slaughter animal surfaces, 3 gloves, and 1 knife) with two antimicrobial resistance patterns (CHL-FIS-STR and CHL-FIS). Those two types of strain were suspected cross-contamination from utensils to slaughter animal surfaces. These results showed that pathogenic E. coli were detected in carcasses and various environmental samples in cattle and pig slaughterhouses. Nationwide monitoring and hygiene management are required to prevent cross-contamination of STEC isolate slaughterhouses.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.121-131
• /
• 2004

This experiment was executed to control effectively endemic disease of swine farms in Incheon metropolitan city. Mainly using PigMon program which had been developed by the College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Minnesota(USA), we examined lesions of gastric ulcer and interstitial nephritis additionally. 446 heads of pigs shipped from 5 farms in Incheon to a slaughterhouse from June in 2003 to May in 2004 were examined. Infection rates by farms were obtained as follows; 1. Pneumonia was varied from 34.6% to 74.1% and pneumonic score was 1.47∼7.06. As for atrophic rhinitis, four farms were 100% and one farm was 89.5% and rhinitis score was 1.3∼3.2. 2. The infection rate of pericarditis and peritonitis was 1.0∼3.9% and liver white spots, papular dermatitis were observed in pigs of 9.8∼29.7%, 16.7∼51.4% respectively. 3. The outbreak rates of interstitial nephritis, lesions of ileal thickening and gastric ulcer were 15.4∼24.1%, 7.7∼13.5%, and 62.7%∼86.2% respectively.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2005

To evaluate the microbiological quality of pork carcasses at different slaughtering process in large and small scale slaughtering houses, swabbing method was used to analyze microorganisms on the surface of pork belly in each process of before evisceration, after evisceration, before final wash, after final wash and in chilling. In autumn time, large scale slaughterhouse showed lower incidence of aerobic microorganisms (10²∼10³ CFU/㎠) than those of small scale slaughterhouse (10⁴∼10/sup 5/ CFU/㎠) during all processing lines. Samples from cold room of large scale slaughterhouse showed lower incidence of aerobic cells (10² CFU/㎠) than small scale slaughterhouse (10⁴ CFU/㎠). In winter and spring time, large scale slaughterhouse showed lower incidence of aerobic microorganisms than those of small scale slaughterhouse during the slaughtering process of before evisceration, after evisceration and before final wash, except spring samples from before final wash and chilling at cold room storage in spring time. After final wash, different sampling place of carcass such as belly, ham, jowl showed the different washing effect depending on the small and large scale slaughterhouse. After final wash, ham and belly had lower aerobic cell counts, but jowl had higher aerobic cell counts than each site before final wash.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among high-risk groups overseas is high, but studies in these groups are rare in South Korea. We conducted the present study from April to November 2012 to obtain data on the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for HEV among slaughterhouse workers in South Korea. Methods: Slaughterhouse workers from 80 workplaces nationwide were surveyed in South Korea in 2012. The subjects comprised 1848 cases: 1434 slaughter workers and 414 residual products handlers. By visiting 80 slaughterhouses, which were mixed with 75 of which also performed residual products handling, we conducted a questionnaire survey for risk factors and obtained blood samples in order to determine the seropositivity and seroprevalence of HEV. Anti-HEV IgG and IgM were measured using HEV IgG and IgM enzyme-linked immunospecific assay kits and HEV antigen was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The seropositivity of anti-HEV IgG was 33.5% (slaughter workers 32.8% and residual products handlers 36.2%), and among the seropositive individuals the seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgM was 0.5% (slaughter workers 0.5%, residual products handlers 0.7%). The response rate of HEV-antigen as measured by RT-PCR was 0.2%. Risk factors significantly related to anti-HEV IgG seropositivity were age, sex, and working duration (slaughter workers only). Conclusions: There were significant risk factors (sex, age, and working duration) for HEV identified in our study. All three positive cases for HEV-antigen by RT-PCR were related to pig slaughter but without statistical significance. To prevent HEV, an educational program and working guidelines may be needed for high risk groups.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.111-129
• /
• 1990

Based on the gross lesion, a survey of ulcer prevalence was carried out on pigs (3,161 heads) at a slaughterhouse in seoul from April to December in 1989. The pigs stomachs were observed anatomically and classified, according to the presence or absence of foreign bodies. Ulcer prevalence is usually classified according to size of pig farm, ages, and supplied month. The results in the studies were as follows, 1. Fundus followed the highest rate with 28.2%, esophagus with 24.5％ each of cardiac and pyloric part with 7.8% and 4.1％ in cases of gastric mucosa pathological studies examed total 3,161. In the acute ulcer prevalence, fundus follwed with 5.4%, esophagus with 2.6%, each of cardiac and pyloric part with 0.8% and 0.3%. When prevalent frequencies of fundus are compared with cardiac and pyloric part, they have meaning.(P <0.05). 2. In the survey pig of total 3,161, pathological changes of epithelium tissue foliowed 44.0%, erosion(11.5%), chronic ulcer(14.8%), acute ulcer(1.6%), scar formation (1.7%) and perforation (0.9%). 3. In general monthly prevalence rates of gastric lesion are higher in spring and fall than in summer. 4. In the size of pig farms, ulcer showed higher rate at professional farms than raising on the side. 5. When there are more fluid condition in stomach and they are old, the ulcer appeared for more. 6. Foreign bodies in stomach were sand, hairballs, and intestinal worms were detected (1%).

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.1109-1119
• /
• 2018

In this paper, we report the development of a nondestructive prediction model for lean meat percentage (LMP) in Korean pig carcasses and in the major cuts using a machine vision technique. A popular vision system in the meat industry, the VCS2000 was installed in a modern Korean slaughterhouse, and the images of half carcasses were captured using three cameras from 175 selected pork carcasses (86 castrated males and 89 females). The imaged carcasses were divided into calibration (n=135) and validation (n=39) sets and a multilinear regression (MLR) analysis was utilized to develop the prediction equation from the calibration set. The efficiency of the prediction equation was then evaluated by an independent validation set. We found that the prediction equation - developed to estimate LMP in whole carcasses based on six variables - was characterized by a coefficient of determination ($R^2_v$) value of 0.77 (root-mean square error [RMSEV] of 2.12%). In addition, the predicted LMP values for the major cuts: ham, belly, and shoulder exhibited $R^2_v$ values${\geq}0.8$ (0.73 for loin parts) with low RMSEV values. However, lower accuracy ($R^2_v=0.67$) was achieved for tenderloin cuts. These results indicate that the LMP in Korean pig carcasses and major cuts can be predicted successfully using the VCS2000-based prediction equation developed here. The ultimate advantages of this technique are compatibility and speed, as the VCS2000 imaging system can be installed in any slaughterhouse with minor modifications to facilitate the on-line and real-time prediction of LMP in pig carcasses.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2021

The aim of this study is to evaluate the possibility of treating slaughterhouse by-products using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). The diluted pig liver was fed to MEC reactors with the influent COD concentrations of 772, 1,222, and 1,431 mg/L, and the applied voltage were 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 V. The highest methane production of 5.9 mL was obtained at the influent COD concentration of 1,431 mg/L and applied voltage of 0.9 V. In all tested conditions, COD removal rate was increased as the influent COD concentration increased with average removal rate of 62.3~81.1%. The maximum methane yield of 129~229 mL/g COD was obtained, which is approximately 80% of theoretical maximum value. It might be due to the bioelectrochemical reaction greatly increased the biodegradability of pig liver. Future research is required to improve the methane yield and digestibility through optimizing the reactor design and operating conditions.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.332-344
• /
• 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate slaughtering performance, carcass grade, and quantitative traits of cuts according to seasonal influence by each month in pigs slaughtered in livestock processing complex (LPC) slaughterhouse in Korea, 2017. A total of 267,990 LYD ($Landrace{\times}Yorkshire{\times}Duroc$) pig data were used in this study. Results of slaughter heads, sex distribution, carcass weight, backfat thickness, grading class, total weight, and fat and lean meat percentages of each cut predicted by AutoFom III were obtained each month. The number of slaughtered pigs was the highest in early and late fall but the lowest in midsummer. Only in midsummer that the number of females was higher than that of castrates. During 2017, carcass weight was the lowest in late summer. Backfat thickness was in the range of 21-22 mm. In mid and late spring, pigs showed high 1+ grade ratio (37.05% and 36.15%, respectively). For traits of 11 cuts predicted by AutoFom III, porkbelly showed lower total weight, lean weight, and fat weight in midsummer to early fall but higher lean meat percentage compared to other seasons. Weights of deboned neck, loin, and lean meat were the highest in midfall compared to other seasons (p<0.05). In conclusion, characteristics of slaughtering, grading, and economic traits of pigs seemed to be highly seasonal. They were influenced by seasons. Results of this study could be used as basic data to develop seasonal specified management ways to improve pork production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.1227-1231
• /
• 2004

Pig oocytes contain high levels of lipids in the ooplasm, which reduces the visibility of the germinal vesicle (GV) under microscopic examination. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of relative centrifugation force (RCF) on the visibility and maturation rates of the GV stage oocytes after centrifugation. In Experiment 1, cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) were collected from slaughterhouse ovaries and randomly allocated to different RCFs (3,000 rpm: 970 g; 6,000 rpm: 3,900 g; or 10,000 rpm: 10,840 g) for 10 or 20 min. Percentages of visible GV were 76-79% in the oocytes centrifuged with 10,000 rpm, which were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those with 3,000 and 6,000 rpm. No significant differences in GV visibility were observed among oocytes with different lengths of centrifugation (p<0.05) regardless of the RCFs. In esperiment 2, the maturation rate of the oocyte was found significantly lower in the 20 min than in the 10 min group received 10,840 g of RCF (30 vs. 75%, p<0.05). In conclusion, the GV of porcine oocytes can be clearly visible by centrifugation at 10,840 g for 10 min without compromising their subsequent maturation rates and a longer centrifugation time (20 min) had no beneficial influence on the visibility of GV stage pig oocytes.