Nodular lesions found in Irish poultry during veterinary inspection at poultry meat plants.

This investigation was carried out on three categories of old birds including cage layers, game birds (ducks and pheasants) and free-range birds. During the study 137,918 carcasses were examined grossly at slaughterhouses and 2040 condemned carcasses underwent detailed post-mortem examination. A total of 419 of the condemned carcasses had nodular lesions. On histological examination of the nodular lesions, one case of bacterial granuloma in a free-range layer, two cases of parasitic granulomata in ducks, 337 cases of different types of tumours and 79 cases of miscellaneous lesions with a nodular appearance were diagnosed. Overall, there was a total condemnation rate of 1.5%. The prevalence of various types of nodular lesions was discussed.