Association between Enzootic Pneumonia-Like Lung Lesions and Carcass Quality and Meat pH Value in Slaughter Pigs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The prevalence of respiratory diseases in slaughter pigs ranges from 19% to 74%. Despite all efforts made to reduce economic losses caused by this condition, respiratory diseases continue to be an important concern for swine herds worldwide. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between respiratory disease and pork quality. The general aim of this study was to investigate the association between the respiratory health of slaughter pigs from different farms and carcass and meat quality. The main findings of this research confirm the negative influence of respiratory diseases on pork quality, resulting in a weight and meatiness reduction and deviation in pH value from the norm. This implies that lung lesions in slaughter pigs negatively influence not only animal health, welfare, and performance but also carcass quality. ABSTRACT: Although the prevalence of respiratory diseases in slaughter pigs ranges from 19% to 74% and continues to be an important concern for swine herds worldwide, only a few studies have investigated the relationship between respiratory disease and pork quality. The general aim of this study was to investigate associations between the prevalence and severity of enzootic pneumonia-like lesions in Polish slaughter pigs on different carcass and meat-quality characteristics at the animal and herd levels. The average prevalence of bronchopneumonic lungs with different degrees of lesions was 94.57%. The majority of lesions indicated the acute stage of enzootic pneumonia. Our results indicate a statistically significant interaction between the mean weight of carcasses depending on the extent of the lesions (p = 0.04) at the animal level. The correlation between meatiness and severity of lung lesions was r = −0.25 (p = 0.00). The correlation between the extent of lung lesions and pH(45) value was r = −0.17 (p = 0.005) on the animal level and r = −0.63 (p = 0.017) at the herd level. This implies that lung lesions in slaughter pigs negatively influence not only animal health and welfare, but also carcass quality.