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 slaughter at known times after their last feed. The time of feeding, quantity and type of last feed, time of loading, time in transit, distance travelled, time in lairage and time of slaughter, were recorded. The mean +/- SD 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 weighed 3.04 kg. The means and ranges for times from last feed to loading 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 for distance travelled was 193.1 (43-320) km. Ten stomachs were collected at random from a further load of pigs from one farm. They had been fed 0.64 kg dry pellets and were slaughtered 18.5 h later. The mean and range for wet stomach contents weight was 0.87 kg (0.24-1.33). Samples were dehydrated and the mean calculated stomach dry matter content for the 10 pigs was 127.4 +/- 69.1 g.