An Integrated Analysis of Abattoir Lung Lesion Scores and Antimicrobial Use in Italian Heavy Pig Finishing Farms
Matteo Recchia,
Sergio Ghidini,
Claudia Romeo,
Federico Scali,
Antonio Marco Maisano,
Federica Guadagno,
Silvio De Luca,
Adriana Ianieri,
Giovanni Loris Alborali
Affiliations
Matteo Recchia
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Sergio Ghidini
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Claudia Romeo
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Federico Scali
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Antonio Marco Maisano
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Federica Guadagno
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Silvio De Luca
Independent Researcher, Chester CH1 2NH, UK
Adriana Ianieri
Department of Food and Drug, Parma University, Via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy
Giovanni Loris Alborali
Section Diagnostic and Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘Bruno Ubertini’ (IZSLER), Via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
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.
