ANALYSIS OF THE FREQUENCY OF CHANGES AND DISEASE SYMPTOMS IN CATTLE AND PIGS IN POLAND BASED ON THE SANITARY AND VETERINARY INSPECTION RESULTS IN 2019
Authors:   University of Siedlce, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Siedlce, Poland, GÓRSKI Krzysztof , KONDRACKI Stanisław ,   University of Siedlce, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Siedlce, Poland, DANIELEWICZ Agata ,   University of Siedlce, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Siedlce, Poland, KOŁODZIEJCZYK Dorota ,   University of Siedlce, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Siedlce, Poland
Published: March 2024

Lesions or signs of disease found before and after slaughter provide information about the health and well-being of the animals. The testing of slaughter animals and meat is a tool to reduce the risks to the safety and health of consumers and should be carried out systematically. The aim of the study was to analyze the results of post-mortem inspection of pigs and cattle in Poland in 2019. The data from the sanitary and veterinary examination taken from the annual reports prepared by the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate in 2019 were analysed. In the assessment of the causes of lesions and unfitness for consumption, the following diseases were taken into account: tuberculosis, actinomycosis, as well as qualitative deviations: emaciation and watery muscles, icterus, organoleptic changes, incomplete loss of blood, natural death, slaughter in agony, pus foci, contamination and congestion, as well as other changes and parasitic invasions: cysticercosis, echinococcosis, fasciolosis and trichinellosis. The collected material was compiled according to the frequency of pathological changes found in the sanitary-veterinary examination of pigs and cattle in individual provinces in Poland, and then their percentage structure was determined. In 2019, veterinary supervision covered over 1.9 million cattle and over 21.5 million pigs. During the ante-mortem and post-slaughter inspection, diseases or lesions were found in over 7.3 million animals, i.e. 31.4% of the examined slaughter animals. The percentage of carcasses unfit for consumption in cattle was 0.22%, and in pigs it was 0.14%. Among the lesions registered in pigs and cattle, the most numerous group consisted of foci of pus, contamination and congestion – 22.4 and 8.51%, respectively. The presence of foci of pus, contamination and congestion in pig and cattle carcasses was found in all voivodeships. The highest percentage of these changes in cattle carcasses was recorded in the following voivodeships: Kujawsko-Pomorskie (50.71%), Podlaskie (19.29%) and Zachodniopomorskie (11.74%). In all voivodeships, foci of pus, congestion and contamination in pig carcasses were also found. In the Lubuskie voivodeship, such changes were registered in over 90% of the examined pig carcasses, and in the Podlaskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships in over 49% of the examined pig carcasses. In 2019, the number of animals for slaughter showing abnormal health status or symptoms and lesions remained high in Poland. A large number of congestion and contamination proves insufficient care for the conditions of slaughter animals, as well as for hygiene and conditions for slaughtering and carcass cutting and processing.