ORAL PRESENTATIONS ORAL PRESENTATIONS SLATTED PEN FLOORS REDUCE SALMONELLA IN MARKET SWINE HELD IN ABATTOIRS

Summary: The objective of this study was to directly compare Salmonella isolation rates from pig slaughtered after ~4 hours holding on slatted or solid concrete floors. Seven truckloads (replicates) of market swine ( ~ 120 kg) from a fully integrated farrow-to-slaughter operation were studied. At unloading, groups of pigs (15-30) were sorted to 1) no-hold (20-45 minutes waiting), 2) pens with solid concrete floors (~4 hours), 3) slatted concrete floors (~4 hours). Postmortem samples were cultured for Salmonella. Those pigs held in pens with slatted floors (63.6%) had significantly (P < 0.05) less Salmonella in their ceca than those held on solid floors (72.7%)