Western
Meeting of Poultry
Clinicians and Pathologists
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Clinicians and Pathologists
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Trends in Major Condemnations of Chickens in Canada and Its Western Provinces From 1998 to 2000 L. Kumor1 and A. A. Olkowski Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The following presentation is based on the Veterinary Condemnation Records provided by the Meat and Poultry Products Division of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The current work evaluates changes in four major condemnation categories of chickens in Canada and its western provinces between 1998 and 2000. Ascites, cellulitis, dead on arrival (DOA) and dark coloured carcasses (DCC) accounted for 73%, 86% and 85% of total condemnations in 1998, 1999 and 2000, respectively. Cellulitis continues to be a major cause of condemnations in Canada and has grown from 3.8 million (0.76%) condemned in 1998 to over 4.9 million (0.90%) in the year 2000. It is also a dominant cause of condemnations in all western provinces. In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, cellulitis had grown only slightly for the last three years and remained in the 0.5% to 0.6% range. Alberta reached its peak in 1999 where more than 0.7% of chickens were condemned because of cellulitis, and then, in 2000, it dropped to 0.58%. British Columbia has shown the biggest increases in cellulitis condemnations exceeding the national averages in 1999 and 2000. (Figure 1) The second most common reason for chicken condemnations - ascites - showed declining trends nationally and in all four western provinces. This is completely opposite to the patterns we had observed between 1986 and 1994, where condemnations caused by ascites have increased almost 6 fold, finally reaching its peak in 1996, when 0.38% ascites birds were condemned. In 2000, the prevalence of ascites in Canada dropped to 0.33% level. Manitoba and Saskatchewan echoed the national pattern and had the lowest condemnation rate for ascites in western Canada. Alberta, even though the declining drift is quite obvious, still has the highest percentage of ascites condemnations in the west, and it is approximately 65% higher than the national average. In BC, the ascites condemnation tendencies are less predictable, as the level climbed up from 0.41% in 1998 to 0.57% in 1999, and went down again to 0.44% in 2000. (Figure 2) Presented condemnation figures for ascites may suggest that the prevalence of ascites is diminishing. However, we are of the opinion that the downward trends in ascites are the effect of the changes in the evisceration methods, modifications to the inspection approach, and ongoing discussions on mitigating ascites carcass disposition criteria, rather than real decline. Dark coloured carcasses (DCC), formerly known as cyanosis, like ascites, seems to be the highest in Alberta (0.30%), followed by Manitoba and Saskatchewan (0.22%) and BC (0.12%) for the year 2000. Continuous drops in DCC have been noticed in Alberta where DCC decreased from 0.42% in 1998 to 0.30% in 2000; in BC, DCC decreased from 0.18% in 1998 to 0.12% in 2000. On the national scene, cyanosis remained relatively unchanged (approximately 0.29%) during the analyzed period; however, retrospective data indicate that the percentage of birds condemned because of this condition is constantly rising in the last 14 years, and, in fact, DCC numbers are approaching condemnation rates similar to those of ascites. (Figure 3) Condemnation rates for birds dead on arrival (DOA) appear to be decreasing in all western provinces, as well as in the entire country. Alberta leads the way with the lowest condemnation figures of DOAs in 2000 (0.21%). This is approximately two times lower than the condemnation levels for this condition seen in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the country. (Figure 4) Overall, there is a slow, but steady decline in total chicken condemnations nationally and in western Canada. Total condemnations in Canada decreased from 2.7% in 1998 to 2.3% in 2000. Alberta and BC showed similar values for the same period. However, Manitoba and Saskatchewan recorded the biggest decrease in total condemnations (almost 1.0% from 1998 to 2000). (Figure 5) Decreases in recorded ascites and DOA condemnations have likely been the main factors contributing to the overall decline in total condemnations.
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