[Kitchen Cottage]

Hello, long time since I posted!
So Joan of Arc is going to slaughter in two weeks.
She is lonely but won't mix with another pig and has been barren.
When I booked her in, because she is a sow she has to have "trichinella" testing.
She is wormed but I didn't know what this is.... and now I'm worried she's got it!
She has ivermectin regularly, what is trichinella and how widespread is it?
Online was terrifying!
She is my only pig so I've never slaughtered a sow before.

[Womble]

> what is trichinella

It's a parasite, picked up from contact with wild boar, and I believe perhaps also foxes.

The issue is that humans can also be infected if they eat undercooked contaminated pork - hence the testing.

> how widespread is it?

In the UK, it's not at all. I'm new to pigs, but my understanding is that the test is now essentially a formality. However, testing is still mandatory for pigs kept outdoors or "not in controlled conditions".

Basically don't worry. The test results will take a couple of days to come back, but there's no need to lose any sleep over it.

[PK]

The couple of times we have had a positive test it just meant we did not get the livers back.

[harmony]

Nothing to worry about. I don't believe we even have it in this country so am surprised that PK mentions having it twice.