TY - JOUR

T1 - An Integrated Analysis of Abattoir Lung Lesion Scores and Antimicrobial Use in Italian Heavy Pig Finishing Farms

AU - Recchia, Matteo

AU - Ghidini, Sergio

AU - Romeo, Claudia

AU - Scali, Federico

AU - Maisano, Antonio Marco

AU - Guadagno, Federica

AU - De Luca, Silvio

AU - Ianieri, Adriana

AU - Alborali, Giovanni Loris

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Respiratory diseases significantly affect intensive pig finishing farms, causing production losses and increased antimicrobial use (AMU). Lesion scoring at slaughter has been recognized as a beneficial practice to evaluate herd management. The integrated analysis of abattoir lesion scores and AMU data could improve decision-making by providing feedback to veterinarians and farmers on the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatments, thus rationalizing their use. This study compared lung and pleural lesion scores collected at Italian pig slaughterhouses with on-farm AMU, estimated through a treatment index per 100 days (TI100). Overall, 24,752 pig carcasses, belonging to 236 batches from 113 finishing farms, were inspected. Bronchopneumonia and chronic pleuritis were detected in 55% and 48% of the examined pigs, respectively. Antimicrobials were administered in 97% of the farms during the six months prior to slaughter (median TI100 = 5.2), notwithstanding compliance with the mandatory withdrawal period. EMA category B (critical) antimicrobials were administered in 15.2% of cases (median TI100 = 0.06). The lung score was not associated with the total AMU, but significant, positive associations were found with the past use of critical antimicrobials (p = 0.041) and macrolides (p = 0.044). This result highlights the potential of abattoir lung lesion monitoring to rationalize antimicrobial stewardship efforts, contributing to AMU reduction.

AB - Respiratory diseases significantly affect intensive pig finishing farms, causing production losses and increased antimicrobial use (AMU). Lesion scoring at slaughter has been recognized as a beneficial practice to evaluate herd management. The integrated analysis of abattoir lesion scores and AMU data could improve decision-making by providing feedback to veterinarians and farmers on the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatments, thus rationalizing their use. This study compared lung and pleural lesion scores collected at Italian pig slaughterhouses with on-farm AMU, estimated through a treatment index per 100 days (TI100). Overall, 24,752 pig carcasses, belonging to 236 batches from 113 finishing farms, were inspected. Bronchopneumonia and chronic pleuritis were detected in 55% and 48% of the examined pigs, respectively. Antimicrobials were administered in 97% of the farms during the six months prior to slaughter (median TI100 = 5.2), notwithstanding compliance with the mandatory withdrawal period. EMA category B (critical) antimicrobials were administered in 15.2% of cases (median TI100 = 0.06). The lung score was not associated with the total AMU, but significant, positive associations were found with the past use of critical antimicrobials (p = 0.041) and macrolides (p = 0.044). This result highlights the potential of abattoir lung lesion monitoring to rationalize antimicrobial stewardship efforts, contributing to AMU reduction.

KW - abattoir

KW - AMU

KW - lung scoring

KW - pneumonia

KW - porcine respiratory disease

KW - stewardship program

KW - surveillance

U2 - 10.3390/ani14111621

DO - 10.3390/ani14111621

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38891668

AN - SCOPUS:85195998718

VL - 14

JO - Animals

JF - Animals

SN - 2076-2615

IS - 11

M1 - 1621

ER -