Analysis of post-mortem inspection outcomes in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) slaughtered in the province of Caserta (Campania region, southern Italy)

To date, data on post-mortem inspection outcomes in water buffaloes are absent. The present study aimed to analyze the prevalence of lesions recorded in buffaloes slaughtered from 2018 to 2022 in the province of Caserta by analyzing the data extracted from the Management Information System for Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health (GISA Campania). Between 2018 and 2022, 185,583 buffaloes were slaughtered, with a growing trend from 2018 (n=29,705) to 2022 (n=47,366). A total of 3985 lesions were recorded. At least one lesion was found in 2846 animals (1.53%). The area most frequently affected by lesions was the reproductive system (n=1046/3985; 26.24%) followed by the udder (n=929/3985; 23.31%), liver (n=511/3985; 12.82%), lungs (n=386/3985; 9.69%) and musculoskeletal system (n=192/3985; 4.82%). Degeneration was the most commonly observed condition in the liver (n=387/511; 75.73%), while pneumonia and pleuritis were frequently reported in the lungs (n=197/386; 51.04%). Additionally, traumatic injuries to the musculoskeletal system were also prevalent (n=152/192; 79.17%), while pericarditis and myocarditis were commonly found in the heart (n=64/102; 62.74%). During the period analyzed, a tuberculous-related lesion was found in 186 animals (15.41%), with a decreasing trend observed over the years. The number of lesions observed in this study is relatively low and has been decreasing over the years. This decline may be related to the adoption of stricter biosecurity measures for controlling infectious diseases and the modernization of livestock practices toward precision farming. This study demonstrates how the slaughterhouse can be an important epidemiological tool. Incorporating increasingly specific data at the slaughterhouse provides epidemiological information that can be used to understand disease trends and causes.