Petechial haemorrhages in carcass fat of slaughtered lambs

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Abstract
A newly recognised problem of petechial haemorrhages in external adipose tissue of lambs was investigated at a meat works. The causal factor was electrical stunning, but animal- associated predisposing factors were also important as indicated by a decline in prevalence as the killing season progressed. It is suggested that these are associated with the age of the lambs and, thereby, the maturity of tissues. Histologically, the lesions showed focal capillary haemorrhage, platelet and fibrin thrombi, and concentration of leucocytes about the thrombus. Although this distribution superficially resembled a reactive change, it was concluded that it was an agonal lesion and suggested that the concentration of leucocytes was a result of a filtration phenomenon.