The aim of the study was to evaluate the hygienic status of sheep carcasses skinned with two different procedures, the pulling down and Y cut methods, with and without the use of compressed filtered air inflation. Five sheep carcasses per day for each of the four skinning methods considered were sampled on ten different slaughtering days using wet and dry swab techniques at a local abattoir specialised in ovine slaughtering. A pool of four different sampling sites (brisket, shoulder, thorax and rump) was considered for each animal. Furthermore, ten animals were also randomly selected on different slaughtering days for each of the four skinning techniques and the four sampling sites were separately swabbed and analysed in each animal. The total viable count (TVC) and Enterobacte riaceae count were performed and the presence of Salmonella spp. was also tested. The daily average mean value of each parameter was in compliance with limits set by Regulation (EC) 1441/2007, falling into satisfactory or acceptable category for Enterobacteriaceae and within the acceptable level range for TVC for both the methods used with and without air de-pelting. For both TVC and Enterobacteriaceae count, no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) were recorded between samples obtained from carcasses skinned with and without air inflation for either of the skinning methods used and any of the sites sampled. No Salmonella spp. were detected in any of the tested samples. Nonetheless, no improvement in the carcass hygiene was detected either and, for this reason, other aspects should be taken into consideration when considering adopting the gas de-pelting method.
Keywords: Carcass hygiene; Gas de-pelting; Sheep; Slaughtering.