Original Research

published: 14 March 2016

doi: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00024

Dayane Lemos Teixeira1,2* , Sarah Harley3 , Alison Hanlon3 , Niamh Elizabeth O’Connell4 ,
Simon John More3 , Edgar Garcia Manzanilla1 and Laura Ann Boyle1
1
Pig Development Department, Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Ireland,
2
Departamento de Ciencias Animales, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 3 UCD School of Veterinary
Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland, 4 Institute for Global Food Security, Northern Ireland Technology Centre,
Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between tail lesions, cold carcass
weight, and viscera condemnations in an Irish abattoir. The following data were collected
Edited by:
at the evisceration point from every third pig slaughtered over 7 days: farm identification,
Catherine Mary Dwyer, sex, tail lesion score, viscera inspection outcome, and cold carcass weight. Tail lesions
Scotland’s Rural College, UK
were scored according to a 5-point scale. Disease lesions responsible for lung (pleurisy,
Reviewed by:
pneumonia, and abscess), heart (pericarditis), and liver (ascariasis) condemnation were
Armelle Prunier,
INRA, France recorded based on the decision of the veterinary inspector (VI). Data on 3,143 pigs from
Kenny Rutherford, 61 batches were available. The relationship between disease lesions, tail lesion score,
Scotland’s Rural College, UK
and cold carcass weight was studied at individual carcass level, while the relationship
*Correspondence:
Dayane Lemos Teixeira
between disease lesions and tail lesion score was studied at both carcass and batch level.
dadaylt@[Link] Tail lesions (score ≥1) were found in 72% of the study population, with 2.3% affected by
severe tail lesions (scores ≥3). Pleurisy (13.7%) followed by pneumonia (10.4%) showed
Specialty section:
the highest prevalence, whereas the prevalence of ascariasis showed the greatest
This article was submitted to Animal
Behavior and Welfare, variation between batches (0–75%). Tail lesion score, pleurisy, pleuropneumonia, and
a section of the journal pericarditis were associated with reductions in carcass cold weight (P ≤ 0.05) ranging
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
from 3 to 6.6 kg. Tail lesion score was associated with condemnations for pleurisy,
Received: 29 October 2015
Accepted: 29 February 2016 pneumonia, and pleuropneumonia (P ≤ 0.05) at a batch level. VI shift was associated
Published: 14 March 2016 with condemnations for pneumonia, pleuropneumonia, and pericarditis (P ≤ 0.05) at a
Citation: carcass level and with pneumonia at a batch level. Sex was not associated with viscera
Teixeira DL, Harley S, Hanlon A,
condemnations but males were more likely to be affected by tail lesions. The relation-
O’Connell NE, More SJ,
Manzanilla EG and Boyle LA (2016) ship between overall tail lesion score and the lung diseases at batch level supports the
Study on the Association between relationship between poor health and poor welfare of pigs on farms. The inclusion of tail
Tail Lesion Score, Cold Carcass
Weight, and Viscera Condemnations lesion scores at post-mortem meat inspection should be considered as a health and
in Slaughter Pigs. welfare diagnostic tool.
Front. Vet. Sci. 3:24.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00024 Keywords: carcass, condemnation, meat inspection, pig, tail lesion, viscera

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Teixeira et al. Tail Lesion Scores and Viscera Condemnations

INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS

The primary function of meat inspection is the protection of Data Collection
public health (1). However, there is considerable variation The study was conducted over 7 days during April 2012 in an Irish
internationally in the amount and quality of data relating to abattoir, with a weekly throughput of approximately 10,500 pigs.
animal health, which are routinely collected at meat inspection The sample size calculation was generated using data from the
(2). Some data are routinely collected during meat inspection on literature (20) and AusVet Epitools software (29), as described in
carcass condemnation (3, 4), but little are available with primary detail by Harley et al. (16). Data were collected at three points on
relevance to animal health or welfare (4). the slaughter line: (I) between dehairing and evisceration; (II) at
In some countries, data are routinely collected at meat inspec- post-mortem meat inspection; and (III) at the weighing scales. A
tion for disease surveillance (1) as well as for tracing affected sampling interval of every third pig was used.
herds in national disease control programs [e.g., Salmonella; At the first data collection point, an identification tag was
Alban et al. (5)]. These data are used in epidemiological studies suspended from one hind foot of each study carcass, sex and herd
of disease to investigate risk factors (6), geographical or seasonal identification codes were recorded (further classified as batch), and
differences (3), and variations between herds (7). There is grow- tail lesions were scored on a 0–4 scale (Figure 1). The same person
ing interest in the collection of information relating to animal scored tail lesions throughout the study. At the second data col-
welfare at meat inspection (8–10). Abattoir meat inspection has lection point, the reason and anatomical locations of carcass con-
several advantages over farm-based inspections for the collection demnations and trimmings [data defined and presented in Harley
of data relating to animal-based welfare outcomes (11). EFSA et al. (16)] and disease lesions responsible for lung (pleurisy, pneu-
(12) described many animal-based welfare outcomes that can be monia, pleuropneumonia, and abscess), heart (pericarditis and
measured ante-mortem or post-mortem during meat inspection. endocarditis), and liver (ascariasis) condemnation (Table 1) were
Of these, tail lesions are of particular relevance to pig welfare. Tail recorded as present or absent by the same person throughout the
biting is a widespread behavioral vice of pigs, resulting in poor experiment. These records were on the basis of the decision of the
performance and carcass condemnation (13). The problem also acting Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
reflects deficiencies in the pigs’ environment and health status temporary veterinary inspector(s) (VI) on the line. All data were
(14). Tail lesions have potential as “iceberg” indicators of pig collected from 0900 hours to approximately 1800 hours. There
health and welfare on farm (15). Furthermore, they are highly were three VI shifts (VIS), each of three people, working separate
prevalent and easy to detect and score at meat inspection (2, 16). shifts to the following daily schedule: shift 1, 0700–1030 hours;
Tail damage may provide routes for the spread of infection shift 2, 1050–1420 hours; and shift 3, 1450–1750 hours. For the
(17). This explains the association of tail damage with certain majority of shifts, the VI teams included the same individuals;
pathological lesions (17, 18). Indeed, the relationship between however, there were some substitutions during the study. VIS 1
abscessation and tail biting is particularly well-documented (16, scored 666 carcasses from 10 farms and 13 batches; VIS 2 scored
19–22). However, the association between tail damage and other 1484 carcasses from 19 farms and 27 batches; and VIS 3 scored
lesions may also be explained by shared risk factors (23–25). It is 993 carcasses from 17 farms and 21 batches. At the third data col-
worth noting that even in the absence of overt tail biting, there lection point, one person removed the identification tag from the
may also be a high prevalence of persistent tail chewing and tail hind foot and recorded the line “kill number” of the study in order
manipulatory behaviors performed by pigs in commercial sys- to later obtain cold carcass weights.
tems (26). Evidence suggests that even mild tail damage restricted
to puncture wounds can readily set up pyaemia (27) and is also
associated with lighter carcass weights (16). Tail lesions are also Statistical Analysis
associated with lung pathologies, such as pneumonia, abscesses, Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft® Excel®
and pleuritic lesions in the lungs (3, 21, 22). Ultimately, such for Windows and all other statistical analyses were conducted
pathologies may lead to lung condemnations (28). using SAS 9.3. Dependent variables to be studied were disease
The relationship between tail biting and diseases or condemna- lesions and carcass weight. Disease lesions responsible for vis-
tions of the heart and liver are less well investigated. Nevertheless cera condemnations were classified as present or absent, with
tail lesion severity scores have potential to be used as a predictor the latter including only carcasses without any other disease
for the presence of internal lesions (21). Therefore, the main aim lesion. Carcasses with two different types of lesions responsible
of this study was to evaluate the relationship between tail lesions for viscera condemnation were excluded from the statistical
and viscera condemnations. Ultimately, the existence of such a analyses (except for carcasses with both pleurisy and pneumonia
relationship could help strengthen the case for the inclusion of tail that formed an extra category of disease lesions). Due to the low
lesion severity scoring in the meat inspection process. The data prevalence of endocarditis, it was not considered for statistical
presented in this manuscript are based on observations that were analysis. Explanatory variables were sex, VIS, and tail lesion score.
partly published in Harley et al. (16). In that study, associations Disease lesions were also considered as explanatory variables for
between tail lesion scores and cold carcass weights were found. cold carcass weight. Tail lesion scores 3 and 4 were combined due
Hence, a secondary aim of this work was to determine relation- to the low number of cases in both categories.
ships between tail and disease lesions responsible for viscera Data were analyzed at two levels, carcass level (for disease
condemnations and cold carcass weights. lesions and carcass weight) and batch level (for disease lesions).

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Teixeira et al. Tail Lesion Scores and Viscera Condemnations

FIGURE 1 | Tail lesion scoring system adapted from Kritas and Morrison (21) (Scores 0–4, left to right). (0) No evidence of tail biting. (1) Healed or mild
lesions. (2) Evidence of chewing or puncture wounds, but no evidence of swelling. (3) Evidence of chewing or puncture wounds with swelling and signs of possible
infection. (4) Evidence of chewing or puncture wounds with severe swelling/infection or open, gaping wound in cases of complete tail amputation.

TABLE 1 | Definition of diseases associated with viscera (lungs, heart, In all the models, alpha level for determination of significance
and liver) condemnations detected at meat inspection.
was 0.05. Tendencies toward significance were presented for
Anatomy Disease Appearance/description alpha 0.05–0.10. Data are presented as least square means ± SEs.
affected

Lungs Pleurisy Fibrotic adhesions to thoracic wall RESULTS

Fibrosis of pleural membrane
Pneumonia Plum-colored consolidation of lung parenchyma Descriptive Results
(generally in cranio-ventral lobes)
A total of 3537 pigs were observed during the study. Batches
Abscessation Focal, circular, encapsulated yellow–green lesion
protruding from surface of lung parenchyma
with <20 pigs were excluded and, consequently, the final study
Heart Pericarditis Fibrosis of pericardial sac, with or without fluid population included 3143 pigs from 61 batches and 36 farms.
Endocarditis Inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the Ten carcasses were fully condemned and 62 were partially con-
endocardium demned, while 102 were trimmed. The reason and location of
Liver Ascariasis Multifocal fibrotic lesions in liver stroma, the so-called
partial condemnations and trimmings are described in detail in
“milk spot liver” resultant from Ascaris suum infection
Harley et al. (16).
Source: Ref. (28). The carcass-level prevalence of tail lesions and disease lesions
responsible for viscera condemnation are shown in Table 2. Tail
For farms that sent batches on different days, each batch was lesions (score ≥1) were found in 72% of the study population,
considered separately. Batches with <20 pigs recorded were with 2.3% affected by severe tail lesions (scores ≥3) and more
excluded from the data set. males affected by scores of ≥1 than females. A total of 1114 cases
The analysis of the association of carcass weight with explana- of disease lesions responsible for viscera condemnation were
tory variables was conducted using general linear mixed models recorded, with approximately 71% being related to lung diseases,
(Proc mixed), with inclusion of all second-order interactions and 8% related to heart disease, and 16% related to liver disease. A
batch as a random effect. Carcasses condemned or trimmed were total of 61 carcasses had the lungs condemned for both pleurisy
not included in this analysis. Carcass weight was first studied in and pneumonia.
a bivariate analysis for each factor and then in a multivariable Batch-level descriptive data, relating to overall tail lesion
model. A colinearity effect between sex and tail lesion score was scores, cold carcass weights, and the prevalence of the disease
found and sex was not included in the final model as the variable lesions responsible for viscera condemnation at batch level, are
having the lowest association with the dependent variable. shown in Table 3. As the batches with <20 pigs were excluded
The association of disease lesions with sex, VIS, and tail lesion from the dataset, batch size ranged from 20 to 108 pigs, with an
score at a carcass level was studied using generalized linear mixed average of 51.5 ± 20.90 pigs per batch. At least one batch pre-
models (Proc glimmix), including batch as a random effect. Each sented 0% for each of the disease lesions responsible for viscera
dependent variable was first studied in a bivariate analysis for condemnation. Pleurisy (13.7%) followed by pneumonia (10.4%)
each factor and then a multivariable model was done. A colinear- showed the highest prevalence but the prevalence of ascariasis
ity effect between sex and tail lesion score was found; therefore, showed the greatest variation between batches (0–75%).
sex was not included in the final model.
The association of disease lesions with VIS and tail lesion score Cold Carcass Weight Results
at a batch level was also studied using generalized linear mixed The association between disease lesions responsible for viscera
models (Proc glimmix). For this model, an overall tail lesion condemnations and carcass cold weight at individual carcass level
score was calculated for each batch by weighting the tail scores are presented in Table 4. Scores 2, 3, and 4 were grouped due to the
(i.e., proportion of carcasses with score 1 × 1 + proportion of low number of carcasses affected. There was a significant negative
carcasses with score 2 × 2 + proportion of carcasses with score effect of tail lesion severity score on the cold weight of carcasses
3 × 3 + proportion of carcasses with score 4 × 4). without a disease lesion responsible for viscera condemnation.

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Teixeira et al. Tail Lesion Scores and Viscera Condemnations

TABLE 2 | General description of the study animals, including the ascariasis were 2.5 kg lighter and 3.6 kg heavier, respectively, than
percentage of tail lesions and disease lesions associated with viscera
those with no viscera condemned and similar tail lesion scores
condemnation.
(P ≤ 0.05).
Female % Male % Total %

Farms – – – – 36 –
Disease Lesions Results
Batches – – – – 61 – At the level of the individual carcass, tail lesion score had no rela-
Pigs 1526 48.5 1617 51.5 3143 100.0 tionship with the disease lesions (P > 0.05). VIS showed an effect
Tail lesions on pleuropneumonia (P = 0.018) and pericarditis (P = 0.004). Sex
Score 0 510 33.4 372 23.0 882 28.1 was not associated with any of the reasons for viscera condem-
Score 1 681 44.6 771 47.7 1452 46.2
Score 2 316 20.7 421 26.0 737 23.4
nation in the bivariate analysis with batch as a random factor.
Score 3 12 0.8 30 1.9 42 1.3 However, sex was clearly related to tail score (P < 0.001) and was
Score 4 7 0.5 23 1.4 30 1.0 removed from the multivariable model to avoid colinearity.
Diseases associated with viscera condemnation For data analyzed at a batch level, there were relationships
Lung between the disease lesions responsible for viscera condemnation,
Pleurisy 213 14.0 223 13.8 436 13.9 VIS, and overall tail lesion. VIS was associated with condemna-
Pneumonia 146 9.6 195 12.1 341 10.9
Pleuropneumonia 29 1.9 32 2.0 61 1.9
tions for pneumonia (P < 0.001) and tail lesion score was associ-
Abscessation 6 0.4 6 0.4 12 0.4 ated with condemnations for pleurisy (P = 0.035), pneumonia
Heart (P = 0.004), and pleuropneumonia (P = 0.021). There was also
Pericarditis 38 2.5 48 3.0 86 2.7 an interaction between the effect of VIS and tail lesion score on
Liver condemnations for pneumonia (P < 0.001).
Ascariasis 100 6.6 78 4.8 178 5.7

DISCUSSION
TABLE 3 | Description of the study batches (mean values and SD,
minimum and maximum values), including batch size, overall tail lesion
score, cold carcass weight, and disease lesions responsible for viscera
Descriptive Results
condemnation within batches.
Routine tail docking is no longer permitted under EU Council
Directive 2008/120/EC, but the effectiveness of this method as
Mean SD Minimum Maximum a control for tail biting is widely discussed (30). While docking
Batch size (pigs) 51.5 20.90 20.0 108.0 clearly reduces the risk of tail biting (31), it does not eliminate it
Overall tail lesion score 1.0 0.42 0.2 2.1 (30). Consistent with this, although almost 100% of Irish pigs are
Cold carcass weight 79.6 4.69 63.0 89.8 docked (2), a high prevalence of tail lesions (72%) was detected
Disease lesions responsible for viscera condemnationa in this study.
Lung The prevalence of the lung diseases (pleurisy, pneumonia,
Pleurisy 13.7 13.42 0.0 61.1
and abscesses) and that of livers affected by white spots were
Pneumonia 10.4 12.18 0.0 55.8
Pleuropneumonia 1.7 3.65 0.0 20.6 higher than the mean prevalence reported by Elbers et al. (3)
Abscessation 0.3 0.97 0.0 7.1 and Tuovinen et al. (32). However, it is difficult to compare such
Heart data between studies because of the numerous sources of varia-
Pericarditis 2.8 3.94 0.0 22.2 tion that exist and which influence the effectiveness of detecting
Liver
Ascariasis 7.3 15.60 0.0 75.0
clinical signs of diseases (11). These include variation between
people in detecting disease conditions (11), line-speed, intensity
Prevalence within batch. of working conditions and recording methods employed (3, 33),
a

or even the variation in the description of identical conditions

and terminology (3). Nevertheless, the high prevalence of these
Carcasses without any viscera condemnations and moderate or conditions recorded could be considered a cause for concern for
severe tail lesions (score ≥2) were 1.3 kg lighter than those with the health of the Irish national pig herd.
mild tail lesion scores (score 1; P ≤ 0.05).
Within each disease lesion, carcasses had similar weights
independent of the tail lesion severity (P ≥ 0.05).
Effect of Disease Lesions and Tail Lesions
Carcasses with tail lesions scored as none or mild (score ≤1) on Cold Carcass Weight within Tail Lesion
and lungs condemned for pleurisy and pleuropneumonia were Score
lighter than those with no viscera condemned and similar tail Tail biting represents an important source of financial loss because
lesion scores (P ≤ 0.05). Carcasses with tail lesions scored as mild it is associated with a reduction in animal performance (34). Pigs
(score 1) and that had the heart condemned for pericarditis were with severe tail lesion scores have low weight gain (22, 35) and
also lighter than those with no viscera condemned and similar tail lighter cold carcass weights (16). Similarly, sick pigs are lighter
lesion scores (P ≤ 0.05). (36) as many diseases cause discomfort and lower feed intake
Carcasses with tail lesions scored as moderate or severe (score resulting in lower growth rates and/or an increase in the number
≥2) and for which viscera were condemned for pleurisy and of days to slaughter and ultimately lighter carcasses.

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Teixeira et al. Tail Lesion Scores and Viscera Condemnations

TABLE 4 | Least square means ± SE (number of pigs in each category) of cold carcass weight (kg) with disease lesions responsible for viscera
condemnation (not including carcasses condemned and/or trimmed) within tail lesion score.

Reason for viscera condemnation No. of carcasses* 0 1 ≥2

No disease 2096 80.3 ± 0.65 (634)A,B,a 80.9 ± 0.62 (985)A,a 79.6 ± 0.71 (477)B,a
Lung
Pleurisy 319 76.8 ± 1.11 (77)b 77.9 ± 0.91 (150)b 77.1 ± 1.08 (92)b
Pneumonia 250 77.8 ± 1. 22 (58)a 79.6 ± 1.02 (120)a 78.4 ± 1.24 (72)a
Pleuropneumonia 55 73.7 ± 2.96 (10)b 76.7 ± 1.90 (24) b 75.7 ± 2.18 (21)a
Heart
Pericarditis 42 75.7 ± 2.50 (11)a 76.1 ± 1.83 (20)b 81.8 ± 2.57 (11)a
Liver
Ascariasis 134 82.1 ± 1.60 (33)a 83.2 ± 1.34 (58)a 83.0 ± 1.54 (43)b

Lung abscessation was not included due the low number of carcasses affected.
*Number of carcasses that presented only each disease lesion. These data do not include carcasses condemned and/or trimmed and from batches smaller than 20 carcasses.
A,B,C
With different uppercase superscripts indicate significant differences within rows.
a,b
with different lowercase superscripts indicate significant differences between the condition of viscera condemnation (yes or no) within tail lesion score.

Harley et al. (16) already reported a negative effect of tail lesion However, condemnations due to pleurisy, pneumonia, and pleuro-
severity score on cold carcass weight on the same set of carcasses pneumonia were associated with the overall tail lesion score at batch
as used in the current study. The present study expands these level. Schrøder-Petersen and Simonsen (17) reported that the lungs
findings by showing a difference in cold carcass weight depending are the organs most easily affected by infection arising from tail
on the presence or absence of a viscera disease lesion leading to biting. Similarly, Kritas and Morrison (21) reported an association
condemnation. For carcasses without any disease lesions, there between the severity of tail biting and enzootic pneumonia (EP)
was an average reduction in weight of 1.3 kg associated with tail also at individual level. However, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae,
lesions scored as moderate or severe (scores ≥2) relative to tails the bacteria responsible for EP, does not spread to the lungs via
scored 1. At the same time, within carcasses with tail scores of 0 the blood (21). Hence, the pathogenesis of EP is unrelated to tail
or 1, pleurisy, pleuropneumonia, and pericarditis were associated trauma and suggests that tail biting and EP may share similar risk
with reductions in cold carcass weight ranging from 3 to 6.6 kg factors. In contrast to the current study, Martínez et al. (39) found
when compared to unaffected pigs. Thus, reductions in cold no association between pleuropneumonia and tail lesions. These
carcass weight associated with respiratory disease are similar to authors suggested that the prevalence of pleuritis and pleuropneu-
those observed for moderate or severe tail lesion scores. monia may have been under reported as not all viscera could be
Within tail lesion scores of ≥2, carcasses affected by ascariasis inspected. This could have compromised a possible association
were almost 3.5 kg heavier than unaffected carcasses. Despite the between pleuropneumonia and tail lesions in their study.
low number of carcasses affected, this finding was not expected The high prevalence of pleurisy, pneumonia, and pleuropneu-
as pigs affected by ascariasis show a depressed growth rate (37) monia in pigs originating from batches with higher tail lesion
associated with a decrease in feed conversion efficiency (38). scores supports the association between poor health and poor
However, in support of our finding, Flesja and Ulvesaeter (36) welfare on pig farms. As mentioned above, it also reinforces the
reported that parasitic lesions, including “white spots” in the theory that, aside from providing an entry point for pathology,
liver, occurred most frequently in the middle and heavy weight tail biting is associated with lung diseases because they share the
animals. same risk factors (23–25). It is thought that both conditions are
elicited by stress (10), which suppresses the immune system and,
therefore, contributes to an increased incidence of disease (40).
Association between the Disease Lesions Abscesses are one of the main disease lesions responsible
Responsible for Viscera Condemnation for carcass condemnation (16). Previous studies reported a
and VIS, Sex, and Tail Lesion Score close association between tail lesions and abscessation, both on
There were associations between the VIS and the likelihood of the carcass (18, 20) and in the lungs (19, 21) or even with the
viscera being condemned for pneumonia, pleuropneumonia, and presence of pyaemia (41). In the present study, the prevalence of
pericarditis at carcass level and for pneumonia at a batch level. lungs condemned for abscesses was surprisingly low (<1% of the
These associations may reflect inconsistencies between VIS in study population), which contrasts with previous findings (21)
the detection/identification and classification of disease lesions and which may partially explain the absence of an association.
during meat inspection as previously reported by Elbers et al. (3). Alternatively, the lack of relationship between tail lesions and
It is important to note that even though each VIS scored a rela- lung abscesses could be explained by the fact that some tail lesions
tively high number of farms (at least 10), the fact that some VIS are healed before slaughter (39). There was also no association
may have scored farms with true differences in the occurrence of between viscera condemnation due to pericarditis or ascariasis
disease by chance cannot be dismissed. and the severity of tail lesions, which suggests that these condi-
Concerning tail lesion score, there was no relationship with tions do not share the same risk factors with tail biting. To our
viscera condemnation when analyzed at individual carcass level. knowledge, no previous studies investigated this relationship.

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Teixeira et al. Tail Lesion Scores and Viscera Condemnations

Methodological Issues results could support changes in management, feeding, or housing

All condemnation data were recorded by the same researcher, practices that will improve pig health, welfare, and performance
on the basis of the decision of the acting temporary VI on the thereby leading to economic benefits.
line. Some differences between our findings and those from other
studies could be due to the different objectives of public health ETHICS STATEMENT
versus animal health monitoring (42). The effects found for VIS
on viscera condemnation are representative of the reality of meat This study was approved by the Teagasc Animal Ethics Committee
inspection in busy abattoirs and may have affected the associa- (TAEC 24/2013).
tions with tail lesions.
It is likely that the findings reported in this study are an under- AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
estimation of tail biting, because animals that are severely affected
may die or be culled on farm and are not sent for slaughter (22). DT, SH, LB, AH, NOC and SM contributed to the concept of
Also, viscera are not removed for inspection from any carcasses the work. DT, LB and SH initiated, designed the study, and
that are entirely condemned (although this only represented 10 performed the experiment. DT and EM performed statistical
carcasses in the current study). Moreover, the prevalence of vis- analyses. DL, SM, EM, and LB interpreted data. DT and LB
cera condemnations was established on the basis of the decision wrote the manuscript. SH, SM, NOC, AH, and EM contributed
of the acting VI on the line. Carcasses and viscera with pathologi- to the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the
cal lesions resulting from disease or injury were partially or fully manuscript.
rejected on grounds of public health or consumer acceptability.
It is possible that tail bitten pigs may have a higher rate of viscera ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
pathologies, but not at a level that poses a threat to public health.
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the
CONCLUSION Wellcome Trust Intercalation Funding Award for Sarah Harley
and the Irish Government’s National Development Plan 2007–
This study showed a high prevalence of tail lesions and diseases 2013 for Dr. Dayane Lemos Teixeira (Department of Agriculture,
associated with viscera condemnation. The relationship between Food and the Marine’s Competitive Research Programme – RSF
overall tail lesion score and the lung diseases at batch level sup- 11/S/107). We thank the abattoir manager and staff for their
ports the relationship between poor health and poor welfare of co-operation and Dr. Paul Whyte and Tracy Clegg of UCD for
pigs on farm and reinforces the potential inclusion of tail lesion their advice. Great thanks to staff of the Teagasc Pig Development
scoring as part of the post-mortem meat inspection process for Department (PDD) (Tómas Ryan and Tara Fitzgerald R.I.P.) and
use as a pig health and welfare diagnostic tool. Recording animal to students on work placement at the PDD (Walter Walsh, Maria
health and welfare status during abattoir meat inspection and pro- Garza Valles, Denis O’Grady and Carles Collibeltran) for their
viding producers and their private veterinary practitioner with the help with data collection.

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