Transport and Holding at the Abattoir: A Critical Control Point for Salmonella in Market Swine?

The study objective was to compare on-farm and abattoir collected fecal and tissue samples to estimate transport and holding effects on Salmonella contamination of market swine. One-half of study pigs from each commercial finishing herd ( 6) were necropsied on-farm and the other half at a commercial abattoir. The farm Salmonella prevalence was estimated at 5.3% based on culture of fecal samples, ileocecal lymph nodes, and cecal contents. The abattoir Salmonella prevalence estimate was 39.9% based on the same sample types. This study demonstrates that transport and holding at the abattoir is a critical control point for Salmonella contamination