Slaughter by-products: problems, preliminary research and possible solutions.

The collection, storage, disposal and processing of slaughterhouse by-products is an important part of veterinary care in regions with intensive animal husbandry and meat production. Transmission of diseases and environmental pollution through an improper and/or incorrect handling of slaughterhouse by-products needs to be prevented. The use of animal by-products as feedstuff could be of economical benefit to slaughterhouses and could add nutritive value to animal feed. As a results of the centralisation and intensification of slaughtering, the amount of slaughter by-products produced at a single location is increasing. Until now, hardly any attention, in practice or in research, has been paid to the collection and disposal of these by-products. There are important socio-economic reasons to increase scientific knowledge about the handling of slaughter by-products. Several animal by-products were contaminated with Salmonella. We also showed that rapid breakdown of amino acids in poultry by-products occurs during storage at 20 degrees C. It is concluded that as far as safety, environmental care and nutritive value of animal by-products is concerned, diversification and separation of slaughter by-product collection, storage, disposal and processing is necessary. Measures at source, the slaughterline, and some technologies are suggested for future use.