As the slaughter stage has the highest impact on the number of
contaminated carcasses, control measures should also be implemented
here. Carcass decontamination may lead to a considerable
decrease in contamination, but should be used only in addition to
other control strategies such as hygiene, cleaning and disinfection,
education and training. As Salmonella contamination rates and the
possibility of cross-contamination are slaughterhouse specific, categorizing
abattoirs in groups reflecting their contamination rate (as
is done for pig herds in several national control programs) could be
a first step in motivating slaughterhouse owners and personnel to
take measures to reduce the Salmonella contamination of slaughtered
carcasses. In this way, pig farmers will be able to deliver their
‘as Salmonella-free as possible’ pigs to a slaughterhouse that can
produce low contaminated pig carcasses, resulting in more reward
for control efforts undertaken at the primary production level.
Although further research is required, a critical evaluation of pig
production, transport and slaughter procedures combined with
adequate control measures must be the first steps in reducing
the Salmonella rate in the final pig carcass.