Remote post-mortem veterinary meat inspections in bovine and analysis of post-mortem inspection outcomes: preliminary results

Abstract

The work aimed to collect and analyse data obtained from the routine post-mortem veterinary inspection of bovine viscera and to evaluate the reliability of remote veterinary meat inspections. A comparative study was conducted on viscera belonging to 30 bovines.  For each bovine, findings were recorded simultaneously by two veterinarians, one conducting an on-site post-mortem inspection and another performing the remote inspection through a tablet.  A total of 10 (33.33 %) bovines were healthy. In a total of 18 (60.00 %) and 11 animals (33.00 %) pulmonary and hepatic lesions were respectively, observed. The most reported finding was pleuritis recorded in 17 animals (56.67 %), followed by pneumonia (16.67 %). The agreement between the two methods used for the post-mortem inspection of bovines was generally high. In an overall 73.33 % of bovines the findings recorded by the veterinarian who conducted the on-site post-mortem inspection and those recorded by the veterinarian performing the remote inspection were overlapping. In conclusion, a move to a remote post-mortem inspection has a negligible negative impact on public health since the most frequently detected lesions recorded were of scarce significance and in most cases, they were effectively detected by the veterinarian through the tablet.