Prevalence of post mortem lesions recorded in the largest Italian rabbit slaughterhouse over a fifteen-years period (2003-2017)
-
D. Conficoni |
-
M. Cullere |
- N. Lago |
- L. Alberghini |
- T. Rossin | Show more
Submitted: 2019-03-19
|Accepted: 2019-10-23
|Published: 2020-03-31
Downloads
Keywords:
meat inspection, slaughterhouse study, post mortem lesions, rabbit
Supporting agencies:
The research was entirely founded by the Department of Animal Medicine
Productions and Health
Viale Dell’Università 16
35020 Legnaro- PD (Italy)
Abstract:
The present research was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of gross lesions in condemned rabbit carcasses by analysing data recorded in a large Italian slaughterhouse. From 2003 until 2017, a total of 103 080 019 rabbits were processed: 101 722 673 were finishing rabbits and 1 357 346 were breeding females. A total of 742 397 carcasses were condemned due to lesions. Condemned carcasses from young rabbits (n=545 070) evidenced: 33.6% enteritis, 31.5% subcutaneous abscesses, 29.7% cachexia and 3.84% lung disease. Among breeding rabbits (n=197 327) there were 38.9% cachexia, followed by 35.8% uterine pathologies (breeding females), 14.9% subcutaneous abscesses, 5.42% ulcerative pododermatitis, 2.61% chronic nephritis and 2.47% lung disease. Regarding season-related lesions, for growing rabbits the total prevalence of lesions and diseases was the highest in winter (enteritis increased in winter, but subcutaneous abscesses were higher in summer). Rabbit does showed the highest prevalence of subcutaneous abscesses in summer and ulcerative pododermatitis in winter. From 2003 to 2017, the overall number of condemned carcasses doubled in both categories, with a sharp increase from 2012 till 2017. The prevalence of lesions among slaughtered rabbits differed between growing and breeding categories, which was attributable to different farming conditions, physiological status and slaughter age. Based on the above-mentioned findings, better management strategies at different stages of the rabbit production chain seem to be a necessary way to manage resulting waste and address possible economic concerns.
References:
Coudert P., Rideaud P., Vyrag G., Cerrone, A. 2006. Pasteurellosis in rabbits. In: Recent Advances in Rabbit Sciences, Maettens, L., Coudert, P. (Eds.).
Cost 848. ILVO Ed, Belgium, 147-162. Avalilable at: https://world-rabbit-science.com/Documents/Cost848.pdf. Accessed June 2019.
Cullere M., Dalle Zotte A. 2018. Rabbit meat production and consumption: state of knowledge and future perspectives. Meat Sci., 143: 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.04.029
Dalle Zotte A., Szendrő Zs. 2011. The role of rabbit meat as functional food. Meat Sci., 88: 319-331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2011.02.017
EFSA. 2005. The impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbits. EFSA J. 267: 1-31. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2005.267
Engebretsen K.A., Johansen J.D., Kezic S., Linneberg A., Thyssen J.P. 2016. The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis. J. Eur. Acad. Dermatology Venereol., 30: 223-249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13301
European Commission, 2002. REGULATION (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 October 2002 - laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption. Off. J. Eur. Communities, 1-95. https://doi.org/10.1007/88-470-0409-8_2
European Commission. Directorate-General For Health And Food Safety DG (SANTE), 2017. Overview report Commercial Rabbit Farming in the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2772/62174
Ferreira A., Monteiro J.M., Vieira-Pinto M. 2014. The importance of subcutaneous abscess infection by Pasteurella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of meat condemnation in slaughtered commercial rabbits. World Rabbit Sci., 22: 311-317. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2014.2238
Kozák A., Večerek V., Steinhauserová I., Chloupek P., Pištěková V. 2018. Results of slaughterhouse carcass classification (capable for human consumption, capable for processing and ondemned) in selected species of food animals. Vet. Med. (Praha), 47: 26-31. https://doi.org/10.17221/5799-vetmed
Matics Zs., Cullere M., Dalle Zotte A., Szendrő K., Szendrő Zs., Odermatt M., Atkári T., Radnai I., Nagy I., Gerencsér Zs. 2018. Effect of cage and pen housing on the live performance, carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 33: 321-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2018.1532329
Petracci M., Bianchi M., Biguzzi G., Cavani C. 2010. Preslaughter risk factors associated with mortality and bruising in rabbits. World Rabbit Sci., 18: 219-228. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2010.781
Princz Z., Dalle Zotte A., Radnai I., Bíró-Németh E., Matics Zs., Gerencsér Zs., Nagy I., Szendrő Zs. 2008. Behaviour of growing rabbits under various housing conditions. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 111: 342-356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2007.06.013
Rampin F., Piccirillo A., Schiavon E., Poppi L., Grilli G. 2008. Detection of pathological lesions in slaughtered rabbits. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 7: 105-111. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2008.105
Rosell J.M., de la Fuente L.F. 2009. Culling and mortality in breeding rabbits. Prev. Vet. Med., 88: 120-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.08.003
Rosell J.M., de la Fuente L.F. 2008. Health and body condition of rabbit does on commercial farms. In Proc.: 9th World Rabbit Congress. 10-13 June, Verona, Italy, 1065-1070.
Rosell J.M., De La Fuente L.F., Badiola J.I., De Fernandez L.D., Casal J., Saco M. 2009. Study of urgent visits to commercial rabbit farms in Spain and Portugal during 1997-2007. World Rabbit Sci., 17: 127-136. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.652
Sokołowski D., Sosada K. 2004. [The season’s influence on the prevalence of bacterial hand infection]. Wiad. Lek. 57, 449-452. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/15765760 .
Szkucik K., Paszkiewicz W., 2010. Morbid traits and qualitative changes in rabbits slaughtered in Poland between 2000-2010. Med. Wet., 67: 690-693.
Tantiñá M., Rosell J.M., Facchin E., 2000. Salud Pública. In: Enfermedades del Conejo. Rosell, J.M. (Ed.), Vol 1, Ch. IX,
Ediciones Mundi-Prensa, Madrid, Spain, 465-513.
European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. 2004. Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004. Off. J. Eur. Union 2003, 8.
Voslarova E., Večerek V., Bedanova I., Vecerkova L. 2018. Mortality
in rabbits transported for slaughter. Anim. Sci. J., 89: 931-936. https://doi.org/10.1111/asj.13002
