Pig meat inspection as a health and welfare tool

• Autores: C. Devitt, L. Boyle, D.L. Teixeira, N.E. O'Connell, M. Hawe, A. Hanlon
• Localización: Veterinary Record, ISSN-e 2042-7670, Vol. 180, Nº. 4, 2017
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • THERE is growing acknowledgement of the value of expanding the role of meat inspection to better inform animal health and welfare management plans on pig farms. However, the use of meat inspection data as a health and welfare diagnostic tool can depend on wider contextual issues, such as stakeholder engagement and communication processes between processors and producers.

    The aim of this study was to use a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) strategic analysis tool to explore the potential development of pig meat inspection as an animal welfare and diagnostic tool.

    Two focus groups were conducted: focus group 1 with four Republic of Ireland government veterinarians involved in meat inspection and farm animal welfare, and focus group 2 with four meat inspectors working in Northern Ireland. Three telephone interviews were conducted with managers of pig processing plants, and interviews were also conducted with representatives from Bord Bia (the Irish state agency for the promotion of Irish food), the Food and Veterinary Office, Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, European Food Safety Authority and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland. From the focus groups and interviews key issues were identified and clustered according to whether they made a positive or negative contribution to the development of meat inspection, and whether they were external or internal to pig slaughter processes.

    The final SWOT framework comprised two strengths, three opportunities, six weaknesses and five threats. Issues around relationships and communication between producers and their veterinary practitioner, processors and producers were common to both the strengths and weakness clusters. Practical challenges within the processing plant were also named. The SWOT framework results highlighted issues within the current system of information feedback on meat inspection, especially within the Republic of Ireland, and the wider challenges of communication and problems of distrust.

    The authors conclude that there is an immediate need to address the poor and inconsistent communication between stakeholders, which impedes the development of meat inspection data as a pig health and welfare diagnostic tool.