An Abattoir Survey on the Pathology of Swine Livers

Abstract

A five-week study on the pathology of condemned livers of 100 pigs comprising 75 porkers and 25 sows at Shah A lam abattoir was conducted. The liver lesions consisted of36 with milk spots, 16 with perihepatitiS, 12 with abscessations, 11 with cholangiohepatitzs, 8 with cholangitzs, 5 with nodular hyperplasia, 4 with focal necrosis, 3 with post-necrotic scarring, 2 with liPidoszS and one case each of cystic bile duct hyperplasia, massive necrosis and hepatocarcinoma. Milk spots due to migration of Ascaris suum larvae was a major pro blem in porkers (41 %). Fourteen (39%) of the milkspot livers were severely affected having a 4 + lesion score with all the lobes affected. PerihepatitIs was seen only in porkers while nodular hyperplasia only in sows. Escherichia coli and Kliebsiella sp. were the common bacteria Isolated from the abscesses. The possible causes of the lesions are discussed.