ABATTOIR OBSERVATIONS OF THE WEIGHTS OF STOMACHS AND THEIR CONTENTS IN PIGS SLAUGHTERED AT KNOWN TIMES AFTER THEIR LAST FEED

From 15 farms, 1242 pigs (range per farm 12-169) were sent for slaught er at known times after their last feed. The time of feeding, quantity and type of last feed, time of loading, time in transit, distance tra velled, time in lairage and time of slaughter, were recorded. The mean +/- so stomach weight and wet stomach contents weight were 0.68 +/- 0 .12 and 0.55 +/- 0.45 kg, respectively. There were 148 stomachs (11.9% ) with wet contents weights > 1 kg, nine > 2 kg but < 3 kg, and one we ighed 3.04 kg. The means and ranges for times from last feed to loadin g interval, time in transport, and time in lairage were 13.6 (0-40), 3 .1 (0.75-6.0) and 4.1 (2.1-12.5) h, respectively. The mean and range f or distance travelled was 193.1 (43-320) km. Ten stomachs were collect ed at random from a further load of pigs from one farm. They had been fed 0.64 kg dry pellets and were slaughtered 15.5 h later. The mean an d range for wet stomach contents weight was 0.87 kg (0.24-1.33). Sampl es were dehydrated and the mean calculated stomach dry matter content for the 10 pigs was 127.4 +/- 69.1 g.