Original Research

Arthritis in slaughter pigs

G. V. Turner, M. G. Collett, C. M. Veary, Charlotte Kruger
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 62, No 3 | a1767 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v62i3.1767 | © 2020 G. V. Turner, M. G. Collett, C. M. Veary, Charlotte Kruger | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 27 November 2018 | Published: 30 September 1991

About the author(s)

G. V. Turner, Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa
M. G. Collett, Department of Pathology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
C. M. Veary, Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Charlotte Kruger, Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa

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Abstract

Joints obtained from 192 pig carcases were examined by means of standard microbiological and macro- and histopathological procedures. Approximately 32% of the joints were considered normal; 35,5% showed lesions consistent with osteochondrosis and a non-specific synovitis was present 'in 24,4%. Only 6,1% of taints were arthritic and yielded either Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus spp. The remainder (2,30/0) had periarticular lesions such as abscesses. The study emphasises that an accurate diagnosis and correct evaluation of pig carcases showing joint lesions, is absolutely essential if a high standard of meat inspection is to be obtained and unnecessary economic losses are to be avoided.

Keywords

Pigs; arthritis; osteochondrosis; meat inspection

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Crossref Citations

1. Carcass condemnation causes of growth retarded pigs at slaughter
Jorge Martínez, Pedro J. Jaro, Gorka Aduriz, Ernesto A. Gómez, Bernardo Peris, Juan M. Corpa
The Veterinary Journal  vol: 174  issue: 1  first page: 160  year: 2007  
doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.05.005