Attitudes of veterinarians to a standardized slaughter-monitoring program for pigs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine attitudes of participating veterinarians toward a standardized slaughter-monitoring program for swine.


METHODS
Survey by mail questionnaire.


METHODS
30 of 35 veterinarians in Minnesota who had participated in the program in 1993.


METHODS
Survey was conducted regarding a slaughter-monitoring program. Respondents answered questions related to professional experience, use of slaughter inspections, methods, advantages and disadvantages of the program, effects on clients and business, labor requirements, referral of inspections, confidence in identifying lesions, and usefulness of reports for on-farm decision making.


RESULTS
27 respondents expressed overall satisfaction with the program. Perceived advantages of the program included use of standardized methods, quality of reports, inspection of more types of lesions, and accumulation of data. Disadvantages predominantly related to increased time commitments for veterinarians. Data considered most useful for on-farm decision making were white spots on livers, nasal turbinate atrophy, and lesions indicative of papular dermatitis and enzootic pneumonia. Respondents perceived positive effects of participating in this program in the areas of recruitment of clients, frequency of visits to clients, recommendations made to the clients, satisfaction of client needs, and generation of revenue.


CONCLUSIONS
A standardized slaughter-monitoring program designed to provide improved information from slaughter inspections may be beneficial to the businesses of participating veterinarians.
Davies
P R
PR
Department of Clinical and Population Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul 55108, USA.
Bahnson
P B
PB
Grass
J J
JJ
Marsh
W E
WE
Dial
G D
GD
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D005513:Food Inspection; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018634:Veterinarians