Using abattoir liver pathology data to identify and address on-farm pig welfare problems.
Abattoir liver pathology data provides a retrospective welfare audit that connects slaughter findings to on-farm conditions, creating a feedback loop that, when used properly, drives welfare improvement. The relationship between liver condemnation rates and on-farm welfare is robust - farms with high condemnation rates consistently have higher parasite burdens, poorer hygiene standards, and worse overall health indicators. The welfare significance extends beyond liver health to the overall parasitic burden affecting pig comfort, growth, and immune function throughout their lives. Systematic use of this data as a welfare management tool is underutilized in many production systems.