Sheep Abattoirs Research Articles

Date Scraps and Rumen Content Extract in Broiler Feed: Effects on Growth Performances, Carcass Yields, Meat Quality and Economic Efficiency

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the effect on the production performances and carcass characteristics of local broiler chickens of replacing corn with cull dates from agri-food industries in oasis zones and of complementing this with rumen content extract from sheep abattoirs in the chickens’ feed rations. A total of 200 male and female day-old chicks of local stock, with an average weight of 25±2g, were divided randomly into 4 groups of 50 individuals, each group distinguished by the respective rate of substitution of corn by cull dates (0%, 20%, 30% and 40%) for a period of 48 days. Each group was divided into ten (10) cages of 5 subjects. The live weights after 48 days improved for all experimental groups, recording an increase of +162g (20%); +82g (30%) and +31g (40%). All of the characteristics remained unchanged for all groups with the exception of liver weight, which was lower in the experimental groups. Substituting until 40% of the corn by culls dates while adding 250 ml rumen content extract per kilogram of broiler feed increased the live weight and average daily gain compared to the control.

Slaughter hygiene in European cattle and sheep abattoirs assessed by microbiological testing and Hygiene Performance Rating

The aim of this study was to describe slaughter hygiene in a selection of ovine and bovine abattoirs in Europe, as assessed by microbiological testing and Hygiene Performance Rating (HPR) audits, and to compare the results obtained by these different approaches. Two types of microbiological testing were used: standardized study testing, which was similar in all abattoirs, and the abattoirs' own mandatory microbiological testing. Ten cattle slaughter lines were visited in Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Spain and 10 sheep slaughter lines were visited in Norway, UK, and Spain. HPR scores were obtained for each operation along the slaughter line and summed up into a total score (%). For the standardized study testing, gauze-cloth swabbing of approximately 800 cm2 of cattle carcasses and 600 cm2 of sheep carcasses was used on 25 warm carcasses at each slaughter line. In contrast, the mandatory microbiological testing conducted by the abattoirs used different types of equipment, methods, and analyses. Higher mean counts of Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli were obtained from sheep carcasses (−0.6 and −0.9 log CFU/cm2, respectively) than from cattle carcasses (−1.4 and −2.5 log CFU/cm2, respectively), and the numbers of E. coli detected on cattle carcasses were particularly low. A close relationship was found between the total HPR score and the Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli results obtained by the standardized study testing. For cattle, R2 values were 0.69 and 0.62 for Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli, respectively, and for sheep the equivalent values were 0.62 and 0.60. The correlations between the HPR results and the microbiological results from the abattoirs’ mandatory sampling were low, which could reflect fact that in 90% of the samples, bacteria tested were below the limit of detection with the methods used. This study reports the methodology and results from the first European baseline study on slaughter hygiene. The correlation between the HPR results and the standardized study testing of the carcasses suggests that HPR could be a useful proxy measure for improving slaughter hygiene and risk management.

EFFECTS OF REPLACING CORN WITH CULL DATES AND RUMEN CONTENT EXTRACT ON PRODUCTION PERFORMANCES AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKEN CARCASSES

Ponte Academic JournalAug 2019, Volume 75, Issue 8 EFFECTS OF REPLACING CORN WITH CULL DATES AND RUMEN CONTENT EXTRACT ON PRODUCTION PERFORMANCES AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKEN CARCASSESAuthor(s): Yamouna Bara ,Rafik Arbouche, Yasmine Arbouche, Etienne Montaigne, Baa Abdelhamid, Arbouche FodilJ. Ponte - Aug 2019 - Volume 75 - Issue 8 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2019.8.11 Abstract:The aim of this study was to determine the effect on the production performances and carcass characteristics of local broiler chickens of replacing corn with cull dates from agro-food industries in oasis zones and of complementing this with rumen content extract from sheep abattoirs in the chickens� feed rations. A total of 200 male and female day-old chicks of local stock, with an average weight of 25�2 g, were divided randomly into 4 groups of 50 individuals, each group distinguished by the respective rate of substitution of corn by cull dates (0 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 %) for a period of 48 days. Each group was divided into ten (10) packages of 05 subjects. The live weights after 48 days improved for all experimental groups, recording an increase of + 162 g (20 %) ; + 82 g (30 %) and + 31 g (40 %). All of the characteristics remained unchanged for all groups with the exception of liver weight, which was lower in the experimental groups. Substituting 40% of the corn by culls dates while adding 250 ml rumen content extract per kilogramme of broiler chicken feed increased the live weight and average daily gain. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

A comparison of two evisceration methods on hygienic quality in the pelvic area of sheep carcasses

The aim was to compare the effects of two evisceration methods under operational conditions, on the pelvic hygiene of sheep carcasses. Method 1: rectum sealed with plastic bag and pushed through the pelvic cavity. Method 2: rectum cut, placed back inside and pulled out from the carcass. The 18 largest Norwegian sheep abattoirs participated. Sampling areas were i) 400cm2 inside the pelvic cavity (n=623), ii) 100cm2 outside the circum-anal incision (n=622). There were pooled samples by swabbing the same area of five carcasses, representing totally 3115 carcasses. Mean E. coli results from Method 1: −1.61logCFU/cm2 inside and −0.25logCFU/cm2 for the outside area. Results from Method 2: −1.56logCFU/cm2 inside and −0.42logCFU/cm2 outside. There were no significant differences between the two methods. Both evisceration methods can produce carcasses that are of practically identical high hygienic quality.

Addressing the Challenges of Conducting Observational Studies in Sheep Abattoirs.

Simple SummaryCollecting data, particularly data on animal behavior, on-site at abattoirs, can be hindered by a series of challenges. These challenges are summarized and recommendations are offered for those planning similar studies. Particular emphasis is placed on examining interactions between dogs, handlers and sheep in animal-processing facilities because this is a significantly under-researched area in the literature. There is significant merit in collecting data via video-recording software, but the subsequent potential for hardware issues and sampling difficulties must be recognized and addressed.The competing needs of maintaining productivity within abattoirs, and maintaining high standards of animal welfare, provide fertile grounds for applied research in animal behavior. However, there are challenges involved in capturing useful behavioral data from the supply chain (from paddock to processing plant). The challenges identified in this report are based on a review of the scientific literature as well as field study observations. This article describes those challenges as they relate to collecting behavioral data on livestock-herding dogs, humans and livestock as they interact in abattoirs, and provides insights and recommendations for others embarking on animal studies in confined spaces, as well as in commercial settings. Direct observation of livestock behavior permits animal-welfare assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of operations in unfamiliar and high-pressure contexts, such as abattoirs. This brief report summarizes the factors that must be considered when undertaking in situ studies in abattoirs. There is merit in passive behavioral data-collection using video-recording equipment. However, the potential for hardware issues and sampling difficulties must be anticipated and addressed. Future research directions and recommendations to avoid such issues are discussed. This information will be highly beneficial to future abattoir studies focusing on efficiency and animal welfare at commercial abattoirs. Furthermore, it may also be relevant to any analyses involving large cohorts of animals in a confined environment.

Traceability systems and origin based meat products in the South African sheep meat industry

ABSTRACTIn a consumer-driven world, consumers want to experience a connection between the product that they are consuming and the product's origin. To guarantee the validity of this connection and therefore the origin attribute of the product, traceability systems are required. The main purpose of this paper is to assess current traceability systems implemented in South African sheep abattoirs, thereby establishing their ability to guarantee the origin of a carcass. Research indicated that the South African sheep abattoirs have traceability systems in place and they can guarantee the origin of a meat product. The descriptive analysis and hypothesis tests identified the tipping factor for the implementation of a traceability system, as the requirement from retail markets to which these abattoirs deliver their product.

Risk factors for new infection with Leptospira in meat workers in New Zealand

ObjectiveTo evaluate risk factors for new infection with Leptospira interrogans sv Pomona and Leptospira borgpetersenii sv Hardjo in meat workers.MethodsSera were collected twice approximately 12 months apart from 592 workers...

Risk of infection and associated influenza-like disease among abattoir workers due to two Leptospira species.

The aims of this study were to determine the annual incidence of infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona and/or Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo and its association with influenza-like illness (ILI) in meat workers in New Zealand. Sera were collected twice, 50-61 weeks apart, from 592 workers at eight abattoirs slaughtering sheep (n=4), cattle (n=2) and deer (n=2), and tested by the microscopic agglutination test for Hardjo and Pomona. Forty-nine (8·3%) participants either seroconverted or had at least a twofold increased serological titre against either serovar. The worker infection risk was higher in sheep abattoirs (11·9%) than in abattoirs processing deer (0%) or cattle (1·2%) (P<0·01). The annualized risk of mild (ILI) or severe clinical disease attributable to the two Leptospira serovars was 2·7%. This study has demonstrated that meat workers are at substantial risk of infection and clinical disease, suggesting further investigation of infection sources and preventive measures are warranted.

Impact of “Grain to Green” Programme on echinococcosis infection in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic among the human population of Xiji County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, where the prevalence is estimated to be between 2.2% and 3.6%. Government-run sheep abattoirs in Xiji County have closed in recent years and, as a consequence, slaughter is carried out mostly at rural market places. The market place in Xinglong Township, Xiji County, is home to an increasing number of stray dogs and the lack of government control over slaughter practices potentially favours Echinococcus granulosus transmission. A survey of sheep, goats and cattle reared in Xiji County was conducted in Xinglong Market and Xinglong Township to determine prevalence and transmission dynamics of E. granulosus infection. The liver and lungs of all livestock aged one year and older were examined macroscopically post mortem; visual examination and palpation of organs determined overall prevalence of E. granulosus. Cysts consistent in appearance with E. granulosus were observed in 2/184 sheep (prevalence 1.0%) and 1/55 of the cattle examined (prevalence 1.8%); 0/13 goats were found to be infected. However, microscopic examination of these suspected cysts failed to confirm these samples as E. granulosus, giving a prevalence of confirmed infection of zero percent in all three species. The prevalence of liver fluke was 61.3% in sheep and 12.7% in cattle with a significant difference between males and females (p≤0.001). Considering the high prevalence of echinococcosis in the local human population, the absence of CE observed among commercially slaughtered livestock was surprising. Several explanations for this discrepancy and their implications are proposed.

Sero-Prevalence and Risk Factors for Leptospirosis in Abattoir Workers in New Zealand

Leptospirosis is an important occupational disease in New Zealand. The objectives of this study were to determine risk factors for sero-prevalence of leptospiral antibodies in abattoir workers. Sera were collected from 567 abattoir workers and tested by microscopic agglutination for Leptospira interrogans sv. Pomona and Leptospira borgpetersenii sv. Hardjobovis. Association between prevalence and risk factors were determined by species specific multivariable analysis. Eleven percent of workers had antibodies against Hardjobovis or/and Pomona. Workers from the four sheep abattoirs had an average sero-prevalence of 10%–31%, from the two deer abattoirs 17%–19% and the two beef abattoirs 5%. The strongest risk factor for sero-positivity in sheep and deer abattoirs was work position. In sheep abattoirs, prevalence was highest at stunning and hide removal, followed by removal of the bladder and kidneys. Wearing personal protective equipment such as gloves and facemasks did not appear to protect against infection. Home slaughtering, farming or hunting were not significantly associated with sero-prevalence. There is substantial risk of exposure to leptospires in sheep and deer abattoirs in New Zealand and a persisting, but lower risk, in beef abattoirs. Interventions, such as animal vaccination, appear necessary to control leptospirosis as an occupational disease in New Zealand.

Comparison of aerial counts at different sites in beef and sheep abattoirs and the relationship between aerial and beef carcass contamination

The study examined and compared levels of aerial contamination in commercial beef and sheep plants at four sites, i.e. lairage, hide/fleece pulling, evisceration and chilling. Aerial contamination was determined by impaction and sedimentation onto Plate Count Agar to enumerate Total Viable Counts, MacConkey Agar to enumerate coliforms and Violate Red Bile Glucose Agar to enumerate Enterobacteriaceae. The levels of aerial contamination were similar at equivalent sites in beef and sheep plants, irrespective of the sampling method or the type of organisms recovered. Mean log counts recovered on each medium in the chillers were generally significantly lower (P < .05) than the corresponding mean log numbers recovered at the other three sites. The relationship between impaction (air) and sedimentation (surface) counts could be described by the surface to air ratio (SAR) which in this study had an R2 of 0.77. Further studies in an experimental plant compared counts recovered from the neck of beef carcasses with aerial counts determined by impaction and sedimentation onto agar and irradiated meat pieces. A relationship between counts on beef carcasses and in the air could not be established, irrespective of the method used to compare counts.

Human-animal relationships at sheep and cattle abattoirs

AbstractThere are accumulating international data in a number of livestock industries that show that a negative attitude by stockpeople towards interacting with pigs, dairy cattle and poultry is correlated with increased levels of fear and stress in farm animals and in turn reduced animal productivity. While most of this research has been on-farm, one study has shown similar attitude-behaviour correlations in a pig abattoir. The major aim of this research was to examine the stockperson attitude-behaviour at sheep and cattle abattoirs. Twenty-two Australian abattoirs participated in the collection of stockperson attitudes and behaviour (81 stockpeople — 35 cattle stockpeople and 46 sheep stockpeople; six abattoirs slaughtering cattle, six slaughtering sheep and ten slaughtering both cattle and sheep). Several significant correlations between stockperson attitudes and behaviour were detected. In particular, the perceived pressures imposed by perceived lack of control over their actions, perceived time constraints, perceived effect of poor facilities and inappropriate beliefs about arousing livestock were all associated with frequent use of forceful handling behaviours by the stockperson. These results were similar to observations in pig abattoirs that have been reported previously. These relationships at cattle and sheep abattoirs indicate that there may be an opportunity to improve stockperson behaviour and consequently reduce stress in sheep and cattle at abattoirs by targeting attitudes (and behaviour) for improvement, with appropriate educational and training material in a way that is similar to the uses of such training with livestock species in farm settings.

Use of a Poisson-gamma model to assess the performance of the EC process hygiene criterion for Enterobacteriaceae on Irish sheep carcasses

An assessment of the performance of an EC 1441/2007 microbiological criterion was conducted based on the new Poisson-gamma modelling framework characterising within-batch and between-batch variability in Enterobacteriaceae counts on pre-chill sheep carcasses. Since the model does not assume within-batch constant variance but instead represents an association between within-batch means and dispersion measures, the operating characteristic (OC) curves could be constructed with confidence intervals arising from the uncertainty in the within-batch spread conditional to the within-batch mean. The model predicted that in Ireland the microbiological criterion would categorise the hygiene of sheep processing as ‘satisfactory’ (below mT = 1.5 log CFU/cm2) and ‘acceptable’ (between mT and MT = 2.5 log CFU/cm2) on average 98.6% (95% CI: 84.6–100%) and 1.4% (95% CI: 0–14.8%) of the times a batch is tested by taking the mean log of five individual samples. On average, batches produced beyond ∼260 CFU/cm2 and ∼1660 CFU/cm2 of mean Enterobacteriaceae concentration would have at least 95% confidence of being spotted by the ‘acceptable’ and the ‘unsatisfactory’ criterion (>MT), respectively, although under the existing contamination levels virtually no tested batch will prompt the revision of hygiene procedures in the Irish sheep abattoirs. This work proposes the definition of microbiological limits in arithmetic means, as by simulation this approach was found to lead to the definition of sampling plans that are both more effective (i.e., reduced uncertainty around the acceptance probabilities) and with more discriminatory power than those based on the common mean log scale. Based on the relatively low levels of Enterobacteriaceae on Irish pre-chill sheep carcasses (4.5 CFU/cm2), a new lower limit mT′ of 60 CFU/cm2 derived from the arithmetic means approach has been suggested so that batches of up to the 95th percentile of mean concentrations (∼22 CFU/cm2) be considered as originating from a ‘satisfactory’ process with at least 95% confidence. This more conservative mT′ implies that 1.5% (95% CI: 0–16.3%) of the tested batches will emit a warning signal in the long run. Increasing sample size however will not affect the average probability of warning but will have an impact on reducing the uncertainty resulting from the between-batch variability.

Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 in beef and sheep abattoirs in Ireland and characterisation of isolates by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and Multi-Locus Variable Number of Tandem Repeat Analysis

This study aimed to investigate verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 in the largest beef and sheep slaughter plants in Ireland over a one-year period. Samples consisted of pooled rectal swabs (n=407) and pooled carcass swabs (n=407) from 5 animals belonging to the same herd or flock and minced meat (n=91) from the same sampling date. E. coli O157 isolates were characterised using PCR for a range of genes, i.e. 16S, rfbE, fliC, vtx1, vtx2, eaeA and confirmed VTEC O157 isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and typed using Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multi-Locus Variable Number of Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). VTEC O157 was isolated from 7.6% and 3.9% of bovine rectal and carcass swab samples and from 5.8% and 2.9% of ovine rectal and carcass swab samples respectively. None of the bovine minced meat samples (n=77) and only one of the 14 ovine minced meat samples was positive for VTEC O157. Following PFGE and MLVA, cross contamination from faeces to carcasses was identified. While PFGE and MLVA identified the same clusters for highly related strains, MLVA discriminated better than PFGE in addition to being more rapid and less labour intensive. Results showed that cattle and sheep presented for slaughter in Ireland harbour VTEC O157, and although the levels entering the food chain are low, this should not be overlooked as possible sources of zoonotic infection; molecular typing was able to demonstrate relationships among strains and could be used to elucidate the sources of human infection.

Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep in South Africa

Serum samples from 600 sheep were collected from 5 different provinces randomly chosen in South Africa. Two sheep abattoirs (representing formal slaughter of sheep) and 1 rural location (representing informal slaughter of sheep) per province were also selected randomly. The serum samples were tested for anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies using 2 different serological tests: an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test available as a commercial kit. This study provides the first published data on seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep in South Africa, although positive titres have been found previously in wild felids, ferrets, chinchillas and a dog. Data on seroprevalence in sheep is considered important because consumption of mutton is universally considered to be a source of zoonotic transfer to humans. Seroprevalence in humans in South Africa was previously found to be 20 % and it is postulated that this may be linked to the informal slaughter and consumption of mutton. During this study, the overall national seroprevalence per province in sheep was found to be 5.6 % (IFA) and 4.3 % (ELISA), respectively. This is lower than in other countries, possibly because South Africa has an arid climate. Differences in seroprevalence in different areas studied suggested an association with the climate and a significant correlation (P > 0.05) was detected between the prevalence of T. gondii and the minimum average temperature. The seroprevalence was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) in sheep originating from commercial farms (7.9 %) than in rural sheep in the informal sector (3.4 %). Also, sheep managed extensively had a seroprevalence of 1.8 %, which was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the seroprevalence in sheep under semi-intensive or intensive management systems (5.3%). An incidental finding of interest was the considerable movement of sheep to abattoirs and mutton after slaughter. The highest consumption of mutton was in the Western Cape Province (29.9%) while the highest concentration of sheep is found in the Eastern Cape Province (30.1%).

Conditions in Lairages at Abattoirs for Ruminants in Southwest England and In Vitro Survival of Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Kedougou, and Campylobacter jejuni on Lairage-Related Substrates

Information on lairages (regarding design, construction materials, and use of bedding and cleaning regimes) was collected for 21 commercial cattle and/or sheep abattoirs in southwest England. Overall, roughened or grooved concrete was the most common lairage flooring material. Straw bedding was used in the majority of lairages and was changed between animal batches, daily, weekly, and monthly in roughly 5, 60, 15, and 10%, respectively, of the surveyed lairages. Lairages were commonly washed with cold water with no detergents and/or disinfectants, and only about half the lairages were washed daily. Also, a three-pathogen cocktail inoculum comprising Escherichia coli O157 (NCTC 12900), Salmonella Kedougou (VLA S488/01), and Campylobacter jejuni (VLA C4) (at 8, 8, and 7 log CFU/ml or 8, 8, and 7 log CFU/g, respectively) was suspended in either broth (for nonfecal contamination) or bovine feces (for fecal contamination). Samples of the four most common substrates present in lairages (concrete, straw, metal, and hide) were contaminated in vitro with either fecal or nonfecal inocula and subsequently held in the laboratory at 10 or 25°C for 1 week. Bacterial counts for these samples were monitored daily and used to assess the number of days required for a 90% reduction of each pathogen population. In most cases, pathogens survived for >1 week, with survival rates being higher for straw or hide than for concrete or metal and higher for fecal contamination than for nonfecal contamination. Overall, if survival rates for the three pathogens under practical lairage conditions were similar to the in vitro survival rates found in this study, contamination of lairages with pathogens could be carried over from one batch of animals to another and/or from one day to the next.