Different feed withdrawal times before slaughter influence caecal fermentation and faecal Salmonella shedding in pigs.

Abstract The effects of different pre-slaughter feed withdrawal times (FWT) on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) weight and the gut environment of pigs and Salmonella shedding were investigated. Trial 1 evaluated the effects under experimental conditions (feed withdrawal for 18, 30 and 36 h) and trial 2 under commercial conditions (15 and 30 h). In trial 1, the GIT weight tended to decrease ( P  = 0.07), the caecal pH increased ( P P Enterobacteriaceae numbers and Salmonella positive pigs tended to increase whereas lactobacilli decreased ( P Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella in faeces, and may represent a higher risk of carcass contamination in cases of laceration of viscera.