PubMed · 15260450
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Judy MacArthur Clark. 2004-06-26. Slaughter without prestunning.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15260450/
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The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence and possible contamination routes of Campylobacter spp. in a pig slaughterhouse. Swab samples were taken from the last part of rectum, from the carcasses surface before meat inspection and from slaughter line surface from 4 different pig herds during slaughtering. Identification of Campylobacter isolates was determined by the use of phase-contrast microscopy, hippurate hydrolysis, indoxyl acetate hydrolysis tests and PCR based restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing using two macro-restriction enzymes SmaI and SalI was applied to in-slaughterhouse contamination analysis of pig carcasses. The study showed that 28 (63.6%) of the 44 samples collected at slaughterhouse were contaminated by Campylobacter spp. Up to 5 different colonies were obtained from each swab sample and a total of 120 different isolates were collected. 23.4% (28 of 120) isolates were identified as C. jejuni (19 from carcasses and 9 from slaughter line surfaces) and 76.6% (92 of 120) isolates as C. coli (28 from faeces, 47 from carcasses and 17 from slaughter line surfaces). The typing results showed identity between isolates from successive flocks, different carcasses, and places in the slaughterhouse in contact with carcasses. The results suggest that cross-contamination originated in the gastro-intestinal tract of the slaughtered pigs and that cross-contamination happened during the slaughter process.
Measurements on 28 pens of pigs containing 384 animals to be slaughtered at a commercial abattoir showed that the mean ear temperatures of the pigs in each pen, measured with a thermal imaging camera, were significantly correlated (r=0.71, P<0.001) with the mean temperature of the blood the pigs lost at exsanguination. In measurements on 220 pigs in 16 of the 28 pens, the mean activity of serum creatine kinase was positively correlated with the mean ear temperature (r=0.55, P<0.05) and the mean concentration of serum cortisol was positively correlated with the mean blood temperature (r=0.50, P<0.05), suggesting that the hotter pigs were suffering from a higher level of stress.
The prevalence and diversity of different Arcobacter spp. in various poultry species in Denmark were investigated using cultural and multiplex PCR methods. A pool of three fresh droppings obtained at the production site from 70 broiler chicken flocks aged 4-5 weeks was examined. In addition, pools of 10 cloacal swabs taken at the abattoir prior to stunning from each of 15, and 37 duck and turkey flocks, respectively, were analyzed. Thirty fresh broiler chicken carcasses and 29 cloacal swabs from the respective viscera were also examined at the abattoir. Finally, 10 caecal and 10 cloacal swabs from ducks at the abattoir were analyzed individually. In total, 85 Arcobacter isolates were obtained. Of these 45, 20 and 7 were identified as Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus and Arcobacter skirrowii, respectively, using a multiplex PCR. Interestingly, some chicken isolates of A. butzleri showed urease activity, and 6 out of seven A. skirrowi isolates were unable to hydrolyse indoxyl acetate. All chicken carcasses examined were found positive for A. butzleri and/or A. cryaerophilus, whereas 21 (72%) of the 29 chicken cloacal swabs were positive for either A. butzleri (13) or A. cryaerophilus (9). Three (4.3%) out of 70 chicken flocks analyzed were positive only for A. cryaerophilus. Of the ten ducks examined individually, 7 carried A. skirrowii and/or A. cryaerophilus in their cloacae. None of the respective caecal samples were positive. Of the remaining 15 duck flocks, 11 (73%) were positive for A. cryaerophilus (7), A. butzleri (2) or A. skirrowii (2). Four (11%) of the 37 turkey flocks analyzed harboured either A. butzleri or A. cryaerophilus. The carriage rate of Arcobacter was higher in live ducks than those of live broiler chickens and turkeys in the present study. In addition, chicken carcasses slaughtered in Denmark were found to be contaminated with Arcobacter. The presence of Arcobacter spp. both on chicken carcasses and in poultry intestine may be of significance to human health.