Microbiological assessment of carcass surfaces and bacteriological examination of organs from mobile slaughtered cattle in Germany

Abstract The increasing interest in mobile slaughter as a welfare-oriented alternative to conventional methods necessitates evaluation of its microbiological safety. This study assessed carcass surface contamination and bacteriological status of organ tissues from mobile slaughtered cattle across four German farms. Surface swabs (n = 62) and organ samples (n = 84) were analysed for total viable counts (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae , and Escherichia (E.) coli . Results showed all carcass surfaces met EU process hygiene criteria, with no significant association between visible hide contamination and microbial load. Bacteriological examination revealed 85.0% of the organ samples were germ-free, and transport times up to 2 h did not increase microbial contamination. These findings indicate that, under controlled hygiene practices, mobile slaughter can achieve microbiological standards comparable to conventional slaughter. Moreover, bacteriological examination based solely on delayed evisceration is not supported, suggesting a need for risk-based application of such diagnostics in mobile slaughter settings.