Table 1.
Overview of the sampling protocol in 5 slaughterhouses before and during the slaughter of the first flock.
| Samples | No. of samples | Samples | No. of samples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before slaughter of the first flock | |||
| Hanging area | Evisceration line cont. | ||
| Three shackles before the hanging area | 1 | Evisceration machine | 1 |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport trail before the hanging area | 1 | Head puller—1 element | 1 |
| Three shackles after the hanging area | 1 | Crop puller—1 element | 1 |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport rail after the hanging area | 1 | Neck breaker1—1 element | 1 |
| Three shackles after stunning | 1 | Neck skin cutter1—1 element | 1 |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport rail after stunning | 1 | Lung remover1—1 element | 1 |
| Scalding tank | Inside and outside bird washer—1 element | 1 | |
| Three shackles | 3 | Cooling line1 | |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport rail | 3 | Construction of the chilling baths | 3 |
| Doors (400 cm2)1 | 3 | Water of the chilling baths | 4 |
| Roof (400 cm2)1 | 3 | Cutting line1 | |
| Side surface just above the water level (100 cm2) | 3 | Three shackles of line | 3 |
| 25 ml scalding water | 4 | Two wheels and 25 cm of transport rail | 3 |
| Plucking machine | Knives to cut tail | 1 | |
| Three shackles | 3 | Knives to cut wings | 1-3 |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport rail | 3 | Knives to cut back | 1 |
| Plucking fingers—1 element (including behind the disc) | 3 | Knives to cut breast | 1 |
| Plastic bands between fingers (400 cm2) | 3 | Knives to cut piece of back of the thigh | 1 |
| Construction (400 cm2) | 3 | Knives to cleave the thighs in two | 1 |
| Evisceration line | Conveyer belts for transport of wings | 2 | |
| Three shackles | 3 | Conveyer belts for transport of breasts | 2 |
| Two wheels and 25 cm transport rail | 3 | Conveyer belts for transport of thighs | 2 |
| Rectum bore—1 element | 1 | Conveyer belts where the whole carcasses are sorted in accordance with weight | 2 |
| Vent cutter—1 element | 1 | ||
| During slaughter of the first flock | |||
| Four transport crates after use # (4 × 400 cm2) | 6 | Neck skins after evisceration (25g) | 30 |
| Swabs of feathers before scalding | 3 | Pooled sample of 10 duodena | 6 |
| Swabs of feathers after scalding | 3 | Pooled sample of 10 ceca | 6 |
| Feathers from the plucking machine (25g) | 3 | 25 ml of chilling water1 | 6 |
| 25 ml scalding water | 6 | Neck skins after chilling (25g) | 30 |
| Neck skins after plucking (25g) | 30 | Thighs (25 g skin)1 | 30 |
1
If present; #: In total 24 transport crates were sampled; 4 swab samples were pooled together to obtain 6 samples in the laboratory.