Haematology and blood-chemistry for predicting abscesses and other abnormalities in slaughtered pigs

Blood values of slaughtered pigs were determined in an attempt to relate the blood profile with the prevalence of abscesses. To this end 319 pigs were selected and grouped into classes on the basis of pathological ante- and post-mortem findings. The classes thus distinguished were (i) no pathology, (ii) pleurisy or pneumonia and (iii) abscesses occurring singly, metastasised or in combination with other abnormalities. By stepwise discriminant analysis it was established that the blood variables ln(fibrinogen) and albumin were particularly suitable for the detection of abscesses in slaughtered pigs. In this way a correct classification of 89.3% of affected pigs is possible. The numbers of false-positives and false-negatives were 19.3% and 10.7%, respectively. For meat-inspection purposes application of blood analyses is promising. For application in meat-inspection practice rapid on-line methods need to be devised.