A guide to sampling and post-mortem of pigs
Equipment required:
- standard post-mortem kit including boning and skinning knives, scissors, scalpel blades, forceps
- large shears or pruning secateurs to cut through ribs and jaw, bone saw
- shears or small axe and hammer for brain removal
- dry swabs, swabs in media (viral transport media, Amies media/charcoal), specimen jars for individual
- fresh samples, 10% formalin, large containers for pooled formalin fixed samples
- personal protection equipment – overalls, gloves, mask, eye protection
- laboratory submission forms, permanent markers.
Sampling guidelines:
- The base sample list is not exhaustive – consider submitting any other samples that may be useful (i.e. feed, water etc) and any lesions or abnormalities.
- Fresh and fixed samples of any discrete lesions should also be submitted.
- Consider sampling cohort animals (i.e. blood, faeces, swabs).
- Complete a submission form to submit with samples. Tape to the outside of the esky/box of samples. Submissions forms and detailed packaging instructions are available on agric.wa.gov.au.
- Consider sending photographs or videos to the DPIRD laboratory at DDLS@dpird.wa.gov.au .
Contact the DPIRD laboratory on (08) 9368 3351 prior to submission if you suspect a reportable, zoonotic or exotic disease.
Base sample list – pigs | ||
---|---|---|
Ante-mortem samples | Post-mortem samples | |
Fresh | Fixed | |
Blood:
| Spleen Lymph nodes Tonsil Ileum Brain (swab or small section of cortex) Liver Lung Kidney Stomach contents Faeces | Brain (submitted whole) Kidney Liver Lung Spleen Lymph nodes Tonsil Stomach Small and large intestine Ileum Heart Skeletal muscle |
| Collect a 3x3cm piece of tissue and
| Pool tissues into 10% neutral
|