Cattle Slaughterhouse Research Articles

Biomethane Potential of Beef Cattle Slaughterhouse Waste and the Impact of Co-Digestion with Cattle Feces and Swine Slurry

Slaughterhouse waste (SW) poses significant environmental challenges due to its complex composition, but anaerobic digestion offers a way to recover valuable biogas from SW. This study investigated the anaerobic co-digestion of beef cattle slaughterhouse waste (BCSW) with either cattle feces (CF) or swine slurry (SS). The biomethane potential, maximum methane yield (Mmax), lag phase duration, and effective digestion time (Teff) for the individual substrates and the combinations were analyzed. BCSW alone exhibited Mmax of 578.5 Nml CH4/g VSadded with a lag phase of 11 days, while CF and SS alone exhibited Mmax of 397.2 and 289.8 Nml CH4/g VSadded, respectively. Co-digestion of BCSW and SS resulted in Mmax increase of 48–75.5%, with negligible effects on Teff compared to solitary SS digestion. Similarly, co-digestion of BCSW and CF increased Mmax by 6.2–40.4%, with no significant impact on Teff compared to solitary CF digestion. However, both co-digestions led to a reduction in Mmax (12.1–27%) when compared to BCSW digestion alone. Co-digestion with SS shortened the lag phase duration by 2.8–7.8 days and accelerated Teff by 5.8–8.3 days due to SS’s high concentrations of essential micronutrients like cobalt and nickel which aid digestion. This study concluded that co-digestion of BCSW with SS is an effective strategy for enhancing methane production and digestion efficiency, offering a viable approach for proper disposal of BCSW while improving biogas output.

Prevalence of Specific Hygienic Indicator Bacteria in cattle Slaughterhouses of different Capacity in Egypt

Prevalence of Specific Hygienic Indicator Bacteria in cattle Slaughterhouses of different Capacity in Egypt

Comparative ecotoxicological evaluation of tannin coagulants from black wattle and ferrous aluminum sulfate in the treatment of slaughterhouse effluent

Ecotoxicological assessments are crucial for environmental monitoring as they can pre-dict the adverse effects of ecotoxins, such as coagulants, on the ecosystems using contamination bioindicators. This study evaluated the ecotoxicity of two types of coagulants, an inorganic coagulant, ferrous aluminum sulfate (SF), and a biocoagulant based on tannins extracted from black wattle, used in the treatment of cattle slaughterhouse effluents. The planaria Girardia tigrina, which is used as a bioindicator of toxicity in freshwater ecosystems, was used as the test organism for this study. To select the appropriate tannin coagulant for the effluent under study, two types of biocoagulants were investigated: Tanfloc SG (SG) and Tanfloc MTH (MTH), with SG coagulant showing better performance (98.5 % turbidity removal). In the ecotoxicological test, SG and SF coagulants were compared. Both the tannin-based coagulant SG and the inorganic SF were effi-cient for the treatment of the evaluated effluent, yet their lethal concentrations (LC50 - 96h) with regard to G. tigrina was 32.24 % and 42.24 %, respectively. Thus, our results suggest that the effluent treated with the tannin-based coagulant SG showed greater toxicity to G. tigrina than the inorganic coagulant ferrous aluminum sulfate.

Assessment of carbapenem resistance and carbapenemase genes in wastewater from cattle slaughterhouses: Implications for environmental antibiotic resistance surveillance

The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and assess the potential risks associated with cattle slaughterhouse wastewater. A total of 270 wastewater samples were collected from 10 different cattle slaughterhouses for microbiological analysis. Conventional culture methods were employed, followed by disc diffusion, the Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method (mCIM), and the Modified Hodge Test (MHT) to identify carbapenem resistance. The Vitek® 2 compact system was used for species identification and antibiotic susceptibility profiling. Conventional and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were performed to detect specific carbapenemase genes (blaKPC, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48). Among the collected 72 carbapenem-resistant isolates, one Pseudomonas fluorescens, one Aeromonas hydrophila, and two Aeromonas sobria exhibited resistance to meropenem. Additionally, six P. fluorescens and two A. hydrophila isolates demonstrated intermediate resistance to meropenem. Furthermore, five carbapenem-resistant isolates were identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, known to be inherently resistant to most antibiotics. Ten different antibiotics were evaluated in the antibiotic resistance panel and all Aeromonas isolates were found to be resistant to cefazolin and one A. hydrophila was detected as multi-drug resistant. The revealed data indicates that slaughterhouse wastewater can serve as a reservoir for antibiotic-resistant opportunistic pathogens. However, it may not pose a substantial risk for the distribution of carbapenemases, thereby mitigating concerns related to potential public health and environmental hazards associated with this aspect of slaughterhouse operations. This study contributes to understanding of antibiotic resistance in livestock-related environments and underscores the importance of continued monitoring and surveillance.

Survey of Strongyloides infection in Maiduguri cattle abattoir, Nigeria

Gastro-intestinal infection constitutes major constraint to viable livestock industries. The study revealed information on the prevalence of Strongyloides infection in cattle in Maiduguri and environs with reference to sex, age and breeds of cattle in the study area. The result revealed the prevalence of 51 (25.5%) cases after examining 400 faecal samples using faecal sedimentation technique. The result of Strongyloides species infection recorded according to sex of cattle was higher in females with a prevalence of 40 (20.0%) compared to males with a prevalence of 11 (5.5%). The prevalence of infection based on age of cattle revealed higher percentage of 14 (7.0%) after examining 48 cattle in the age bracket of seven (7) years. A lower prevalence of 5 (2.5%) was recorded in cattle within the age bracket of 4 years after examining 36 samples. Breed-wise distribution of infected cattle indicated that Abore was more susceptible, followed by Ambala and Bakoloji breeds with prevalence of 20.5%, 4.5% and 0.5% respectively after examining 150, 36 and 11 faeces from respective breeds. Wadara appeared non-susceptible and therefore had no records of infection after examining low number of three samples from the breed. Bovine Strongyloides infection in Maiduguri and environs was established as a common finding and farmers should therefore be educated on proper use of antihelmintics and with emphasis on strategic antihelmintic medication. Good management practices including improved general hygiene and supplementary feeding of animals during periods of low grazing will have immunity boosting role in control of the parasite.

Investigation and characterization of Aliarcobacter spp. isolated from cattle slaughterhouse in Türkiye.

Aliarcobacter spp. have been isolated from numerous food products at retail and from animal carcasses and feces at slaughter. The objectives of this study were as follows: (i) to isolate Aliarcobacter species from different slaughterhouses' samples and (ii) to detect genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance, biofilm ability, and putative virulence gene profiles of the isolates. A molecular investigation of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors was also conducted using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 150 samples, a total of 22 (14.6%) Aliarcobacter spp. isolates were obtained, with varying levels of antibiotic resistance observed. The genes tetO, tetW, and gyrA were detected in 0%, 31.8%, and 27.2% of the isolates, respectively. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, rifampin, and erythromycin, while tetracycline was found to be the most effective antibiotic, with 81.8% of the isolates showing susceptibility to it. All isolates (100%) harbored more than one of the nine putative virulence genes tested, with 18.1% of isolates carrying more than three. Regarding biofilm formation, 7 (31.8%) and 4 (18.1%) isolates were found to form strong and moderate biofilms, respectively, while one (4.5%) isolate was classified as a weak biofilm producer. ERIC-PCR band patterns suggested that the isolated Aliarcobacter spp. from slaughterhouses had different sources of contamination. These findings highlight the potential risk posed by pathogenic and multidrug-resistant Aliarcobacter spp. in food and the need for control measures throughout the food chain to prevent the spread of these strains. The results indicate that foods of animal origin and cattle slaughterhouses are significant sources of antimicrobial resistant Aliarcobacter.

Levels of Indicator Bacteria and Characteristics of Foodborne Pathogens from Carcasses of Cattle Slaughterhouses in Korea

The initial microbial contamination of carcasses during slaughtering adversely affects spoilage and shelf life and is of global concern for food safety and meat quality. This study evaluated the hygiene and quality using the prevalence of foodborne pathogens and the level of indicator bacteria on 200 carcasses, collecting 10 from each of 20 cattle slaughterhouses in Korea. The distribution of aerobic bacterial count in carcasses was significantly highest at 2.0–3.0 log10 CFU/cm2 (34.1%), whereas the Escherichia coli count was significantly highest at under 1.0 log10 CFU/cm2 (94.0%) (P < 0.05). Clostridium perfringens was most prevalent (60.0% of slaughterhouses; 17.5% of carcasses), followed by Yersinia enterocolitica (30.0% of slaughterhouses; 6.5% of carcasses), Staphylococcus aureus (15.0% of slaughterhouses; 4.0% of carcasses), Listeria monocytogenes 1/2a (5.0% of slaughterhouses; 1.0% of carcasses), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Infantis (5.0% of slaughterhouses; 1.0% of carcasses), and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O:66 (5.0% of slaughterhouses; 0.5% of carcasses). Although 28 C. perfringens isolates from 11 slaughterhouses were divided into 21 pulsotypes, all isolates showed the same toxinotype as type A and only carried the cpa. Interestingly, 83.3% of isolates from two slaughterhouses located in the same province showed resistance to tetracycline. Furthermore, 13 Y. enterocolitica isolates from six slaughterhouses were divided into seven pulsotypes that were divided into biotypes 1A and 2 and serotypes O:5 and O:8, except for isolates that could not be typed. Twelve (92.3%) isolates only carried ystB, but one (7.7%) isolate carried ail and ystA. Moreover, 46.2% of Y. enterocolitica isolates showed multidrug resistance against ampicillin, cefoxitin, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. This study supports the need for continuous monitoring of slaughterhouses and hygiene management to improve the microbiological safety of carcasses.

Analisis Nilai Ekonomi Limbah Rumah Potong Hewan Sapi menjadi Pupuk Organik Cair (Studi Kasus pada RPH Sapi SK Kunak Kota Pontianak)

The increase in population every year has an impact on increasing food demand for beef. The place that plays a role in providing and slaughtering livestock is the slaughterhouse. Pontianak City has one official government-owned cattle slaughterhouse, namely the SK Kunak cattle slaughterhouse. Apart from producing meat, the process also produces by-products, namely waste in the form of rumen, blood, urine, faeces, meat flakes, and fat. However, this slaughterhouse does not have a wastewater treatment plant, so the waste is directly discharged into the environment without further processing. Slaughterhouse waste contains high amounts of organic matter, which can cause air pollution. Cow slaughter waste in the form of rumen and cow blood mainly contains nutrients beneficial for plants, so this waste has economic potential if managed well and appropriately. This research aims to determine the monetary value of slaughterhouse waste in liquid organic fertilizer using a quantitative descriptive approach. The data was analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis by examining the economic value based on calculating the cost of production (HPP) to determine the selling price of the product. The method used in calculating HPP is variable costing, namely, adding up the production costs of making liquid organic fertilizer in the form of raw material costs, labour, and overhead. The research results show that the production cost of organic fertilizer is IDR. 10,750/litre and the selling price with a 20% profit is Rp. 13,000/litre. As an alternative to liquid fertilizer, the price is lower than the market price, which reaches IDR 75,000/Liter. This liquid organic fertilizer can also be a solution to reduce environmental problems.

Causes of Post-Mortem Carcass and Organ Condemnations and Economic Loss Assessment in a Cattle Slaughterhouse.

The study was undertaken to investigate the main causes of carcass and organ condemnations, as well as to estimate the financial losses suffered by a cattle slaughterhouse. In this regard, an active abattoir survey, based on standard post-mortem inspection procedures for meat, was conducted on 151,741 cattle, from January 2021 to December 2022. Overall, 13.27% (n = 20,125) of the carcasses expressed lesions or pathological conditions and, out of them, 1.15% (n = 1738) were totally confiscated, while another 12.12% (n = 18,387) were partially admitted for human consumption. In the case of organs, the general inspection data reveal that 12.28% (n = 18,630), 7.56% (n = 11,477), 1.89% (n = 2862), and 0.27% (n = 412) of the examined liver, lung, heart, and kidney specimens presented one or more types of abnormalities. In addition, regarding the types of specific pathological findings, dystrophies/anomalies (69.8%), circulatory disorders (40.6%), fecal contamination (60.9%), and suspected bacterial/viral infections showed a dominant occurrence in the liver, lung, heart, and kidneys, respectively. Consequently, the total direct financial losses resulting from edible part condemnation over the two years was estimated at EUR 4,021,717.3, which represents 1.17% of the total achievable net revenue without carcass and organ condemnation. Of this, EUR 3,661,400.4 (1.07%) and EUR 360,316.9 (8.73%) was related to carcass and organ condemnation, respectively. The study results demonstrate that the post-mortem inspection of meat at the slaughterhouse level plays a crucial role in identifying pathological lesions, in addition to some other issues, such as fecal contamination or non-compliant laboratory results, relevant to both public health and economic factors.

Influence of animal production systems on the presence of pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli in the bovine production chain

Among the main pathogens involved in food outbreaks worldwide is diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC). Cattle are considered natural reservoirs of DEC, and, during the slaughter stages, they can be a source of contamination for the carcass and final product. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of beef cattle production systems in Southeast Brazil, in the presence of diarrheagenic strains of Escherichia coli. A total of 485 samples were collected at the following points: post-bleeding (A), post-evisceration (B), post-final washing (C), meat cuts (D), bovine feces (F), surfaces (S), feces human (H) and wastewater (AR), from a cattle slaughterhouse, analyzing animals from two production systems: intensive and extensive. The samples were characterized in terms of pathotypes, phylogroups, and serogroups and analyzed using the chi-square test (p < 0.05). 126 samples were positive for E. coli, with points F (100%) and H (80%) being the points with the highest positivity. Only at point F was DEC identified (n = 35), with 28% of the animals in the intensive system and 38% in the extensive system positive for STEC, and 4% of the animals in the extensive system positive for EIEC, with no statistical difference between the production systems. Regarding phylogroups, B1 was the most detected in both systems, with 24% positivity in the intensive system and 68% in the extensive system. Serogroups O113 and O104 were detected, both in 4% of animals raised in an intensive system and in 6% of those in an extensive system. In view of the results, even with the identification of STEC and EIEC in the animals' feces, there was no difference between the rearing systems, with regard to pathotypes, phylogroups, and serogroups.

Determination of copro-prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus and associated factors in domestic dogs: a household cross-sectional study in Huancarama, Peru

Echinococcosis is an important disease with regard to public health and the leading role that humans have in fulfilling the transmission cycle. The objective of this study was to determine the copro-prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in dogs from homes in Huancarama, Peru, and the factors associated with this infection. The research was basic, prospective, quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, and analytical. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee for the Use of Animals (CIEA) and the Institutional Research Ethics Committee (CIEI) of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. The sample comprised of 519 homes. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop layers of information on the study area with georeferencing of the locations of these homes. Information processing was performed using Excel for Windows 2010, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS 25 software, and ArcGIS 10.8. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression tests were performed to determine the possible associations. Categorical variables were statistically contrasted using the chi-square test with 95% confidence intervals and P ? 0.05, which indicated the extreme degree of significance. It was found that 94.4% of the houses had dogs and that the prevalence of E. granulosus was 27.7% (95/343; 95% CI 22.8-32.6). The distance from the house to the cattle slaughterhouse was associated with disease occurrence (P &lt; 0.01). Locations in the Suni altitude zone presented a higher prevalence (41.8%) (P &lt; 0.05). Lack of knowledge that humans can contract echinococcosis was associated with disease occurrence (P &lt; 0.05).

Prevalence of cysticercosis in cattle slaughterhouses in the western region of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2013-2020): Influence of sanitary regulations in reducing risks to human health.

Bovine cysticercosis is a foodborne zoonosis that has a worldwide distribution, and its highest prevalence is found in developing countries with a large volume of cattle production, such as Brazil. The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of cysticercosis during seven years in three slaughterhouses located in the western region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and the impacts of the legislation on the identification and destination of infected carcasses. Three slaughterhouses (Sl) were selected for this study with averages of 200 (SlA), 721 (SlB) and 1138 (SlC) bovines slaughtered per day. The monthly number of slaughtered cattle, infected carcasses with cysticercosis and destination were used to calculate the condemnation occurrence index (COI) and the adjusted seasonal index (ASI). To assess the impact of the legislation, the prevalence rate and destination of infected carcasses were subdivided into the PRE (January 2013 to March 2017) and POST (April 2017 to December 2020) period of Decree 9013 of 2017 and the results were compared by chi-square (P<0.05). SlA recorded the highest cysticercosis rate with 1.54 % and SlC the lowest rate with 0.33 %. In addition, it was observed that in the POST period there was an increase in the identification of infected carcasses in SlA and B (P<0.05). The POST period also resulted in a change in the relative frequency of infected carcasses destination in the three slaughterhouses (P<0.05). The ASI identified an increase in infected carcasses in February and a decrease in November for SlB, proving to be an important tool for planning the inspection team trainings. These results show that the disease is still present in the studied region and highlight the benefits of using the One Health concept in the evaluation of a time series prevalence of bovine cysticercosis by: identifying seasonality of the disease, trends during the time period and impacts brought by updates in the national sanitary legislation.

Detection and isolation of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and microbial population counts on Argentinean Kosher beef for export to Israel

The aim of this study was to provide data on the frequency of Top 7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and microbial population counts on processed beef from Argentinean Kosher cattle abattoirs authorized to export to Israel. A total of 480 samples (forequarters, primal cuts, trimmings) were taken and analyzed for Top 7 STEC detection and isolation and for mesophilic aerobic organism, coliform and E. coli enumeration. Differences in stx detection and microbial population counts on forequarter samples before and after salting were not statistically significant (P &gt;0.05). All samples were negative for Top 7 STEC. Differences were significant for all microbial counts in primal cuts (P &lt;0.001). Neck samples showed a higher level of contamination with the three groups of microorganisms than fore shank and brisket samples. The prevalence of stx was lower than that reported worldwide and in Argentinean export abattoirs. Salting did not significantly reduce the microbial load on forequarters.

Impactos causados ​​por el COVID-19 en industrias cárnicas ubicadas en el Distrito Federal y Goiás

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, spreads more easily in crowded places, including slaughterhouses and meat processing factories, which employ over 560,000 workers in Brazil. However, there is still limited information on how the pandemic has affected meat processing plants in the Federal District and Goiás. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the main operational and structural changes adopted for disease control. The study involved the participation of 15 micro, small, and medium-sized companies, which together employ more than 1,500 workers in cattle, poultry, and swine slaughterhouses, meat processing units, and distribution centers. The study material was obtained through an online questionnaire directed at technical managers, agricultural inspectors, quality control teams and industry managers. The questions focused on potential structural and operational changes that occurred during this period, human resources and employee health, product logistics, and microbiological quality of the produced food. The statistical analysis revealed that 93% of the factories developed contingency plans. Among the changes implemented, 40% introduced a 1-meter distance between workstations, 33.3% increased the frequency of Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), and 27% modified the layout of workstations to avoid face-to-face contact. Approximately 80% of the companies reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the majority (66.7%) choosing to isolate suspected employees and providing them paid medical leave (86%). Regarding finished products, there were challenges in customer delivery (71.4%), while 26.7% of the companies showed an improvement in microbiological quality. No establishments needed to close for procedure revisions related to pandemic control. The contingency plans followed Joint Ordinance nº 19/2020 (MAPA/MS/ME) and primarily aimed to ensure social distancing. However, promoting distance between workstations proved challenging due to the internal organization of meat factories. The pandemic recommendations did not replace existing legal obligations, and companies had to further emphasize their responsibility toward public health.

Prevalence of flukes (Fasciola hepatica and paramphistomids) in cattle in south-eastern Mexico.

The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors and prevalence of trematodes in south-eastern Mexico. The prevalence of trematodes was determined in 1010 bovines. The study was carried out from October 2018 (n=291) to December 2019 (n=719). Only in 2019 rumen and liver fluke eggs were differentiated. Faecal samples (n=311) were obtained from farms in southeast Mexico located in Tabasco, Chiapas and Campeche. In addition, the presence of flukes in liver and rumen from slaughtered cattle in abattoirs was recorded with a total of 408 samples. A logistic procedure was used to obtain the prevalence and the effect of main risk factors such as land physiography (flooded areas and hills), year, sex, animals' age and type of sample obtained (eggs in faeces and flukes). The general prevalence of flukes in cattle was 32.3 % in 2018 and 41.7 % in 2019. Prevalence of F. hepatica (liver fluke) was 18.6 % (134/719) and that of paramphistomids (rumen fluke) was 33.4 % (240/719). The infected cattle from the slaughterhouse indicated a lower prevalence of F. hepatica (1 %) and rumen fluke (26.7 %) than in farms detected by egg in faeces (41.8 % and 42.1 %, respectively). The physiographic zone was decisive in the presence of F. hepatica and rumen fluke, while sex did not represent a risk factor (P > 0.05). The environmental conditions of the Mexican southeast favour the presence of both liver and rumen fluke.

Development and application of a new liver pathology recording system for use in cattle abattoirs

Liver disease in beef cattle has a significant global economic impact on feedlot and abattoir industries due to reduced animal performance, carcase yield, and carcase quality. This study aimed to create a post-mortem data collection tool which could be deployed at chain speed on an abattoir floor, as well as to evaluate pathological findings in both normal and condemned livers from an Australian beef cattle population. The first 1006 livers were used to formulate a user-friendly, high-throughput liver grading tool for use in an abattoir setting and to evaluate the histological features of common liver abnormalities. Subsequently, over 11,000 livers from a Southeast Queensland abattoir were analyzed. The most observed defects in condemned livers were liver abscessation, fibrosis, adhesions, and liver fluke, with histological features similar to previous reports. Bacterial culture was performed in 29 cases of liver abscessation, revealing a different balance of flora to that reported internationally. This study has developed an easy to use, efficient data collection tool that enables rapid, highly detailed assessment of large numbers of beef cattle livers at slaughter. This tool will allow thorough investigation into the effect of liver disease on beef production, in both industry and research contexts.

Reuse of effluents from cattle slaughterhouses: multicriteria evaluation

Cattle slaughterhouses generate a large amount of effluent with a high concentration of organic and inorganic compounds. However, the choice of appropriate technologies can produce effluents with sufficient quality for the practice of reuse as a strategy for saving water. This study aimed to determine the efficiency of effluent treatment systems from cattle slaughterhouses to promote the reuse of effluents, specifically for fertigation. The multicriteria analysis was employed, adopting the ELECTRE I method. The effluent treatment alternatives, the definition of the degree of importance, and the weights of each established criterion were considered. The estimated volume of effluents generated in slaughterhouses in Brazil was 85.374 million m³/year, with a high concentration of biochemical/chemical oxygen demand, nutrients, oils, and greases, solids, and E. coli. The treatment technologies that showed the best performance were UASB reactor + ultrafiltration and activated sludge + ultrafiltration, producing effluents with compatible quality for agricultural reuse under Brazilian legislation.

Prevalence and characterization of pathogenic Escherichia coli from carcasses and environmental samples of cattle and pig slaughterhouses

Prevalence and characterization of pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> from carcasses and environmental samples of cattle and pig slaughterhouses

A comparison of food safety conformity between cattle and pig slaughterhouses

The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the level of conformity with food safety requirements in cattle and pig slaughterhouses in the qualification procedure of beef and pork suppliers to a large-scale meat processing plant. Seventy-two slaughterhouses supplying beef and pork to the meat processing plant were audited. The audits were carried out in 2019–2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the evaluated slaughterhouses met the audit requirements, but 10% were not qualified. There were two and half times more disqualified pig slaughterhouses than cattle ones. Large-sized slaughterhouses were scored significantly better than the medium-sized ones. The results made it possible to identify areas requiring urgent improvement in slaughterhouses, especially in the case of food safety/HACCP and non-conformities control, site hygiene, and pest control. Significantly more complete fulfillment of the requirements was found in cattle than in pig slaughterhouses. The highest differences between cattle and pig slaughterhouses were found in the area of site hygiene, pest control, and production process criteria. The highest scored criterion for both types of slaughterhouse was SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 issues. This indicates that prevention spreading of COVID-19 in the work environment was highly ensured.

Some like it hot, some like it cold; proteome comparison of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo strains propagated at different temperatures

Leptospirosis is a global zoonotic disease affecting humans and livestock species. Bacterin vaccines lack cross protection between serogroups, and include multiple serovars propagated at 29 °C. Recent work demonstrated substantial variation in the transcriptome of identical species and serovars of Leptospira. Here, substantial differences in protein abundance profiles were identified in Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo; strain HB203, which was isolated in the 1980s, compared to newer strains TC129 and TC273 isolated in 2016, and whether they were propagated at the routine temperature of 29 °C, compared to 37 °C which more closely emulates host infection. While 388 and 385 significantly differentially expressed (DE) proteins (FDR of 0.01) were identified in HB203 versus TC129, and HB203 versus TC273 when propagated at 29 °C respectively, only 66 and 4 DE proteins were identified in HB203 versus TC129, and HB203 versus TC273 when propagated at 37 °C respectively. Within each strain comparing temperatures, HB203 had 524 significantly DE proteins, TC129 had 347 DE proteins, and TC273 had 569 DE proteins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD032831. Results highlight significant differential protein expression among identical serovars of L. borgpetersenii suggesting that bacterin vaccine design can benefit from consideration of strains employed and effects of temperature on growth. SignificanceLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. While leptospirosis affects over one million people per year, symptoms range vastly in severity from completely asymptomatic, to flu-like, to multi-organ failure and death in severe cases. Incidental hosts become infected after encountering pathogens directly from contact with another host, including domestic or wildlife animals, or indirectly from contaminated environments. Though animal vaccines exist, they lack cross protection across serogroups, and instead rely on inclusion of multiple carefully selected serovars from laboratory strains prepared at ~29 °C. Recent interest in gene expression at the Leptospira strain level, along with a newly achieved culture temperature of 37 °C (which more closely resembles host body temperature), led us to investigate the proteomic profiles of an older, established challenge strain HB203 in comparison to TC129 and TC273, two strains isolated in 2016 from abattoir cattle in the central United States. Herein, we identify substantial proteomic differences not only between strains of the same species and serovar, but notably between growth temperatures, collectively suggesting that bacterin vaccine composition may benefit from investigating strain selection and the temperature employed for growth of the bacteria used in bacterin preparation.