Liver spots on a sow

Hey all,

Got this sow yesterday and was completely jazzed. She was going nuts in my trap to the point where the trap got busted up an she was pissed. Any way, after field dressing her I found her liver was loaded with spots. I called bradda Paka for a second opinion on whether to take the meat or not and his suggestion was dump it. I knew that was the correct call but was bummed because I hate wasting animals and meat. In this case it was a good call, Thanks Bro.

I'd also like to thank bradda Kona and Andrew for helping with getting her out of the trap and knowledge of the spots.

I'll do more research on this but in the mean time if any of you have clinical insight please chime in.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f66/12/86/42/29/liver_10.jpg[/img][/url][/img][img][url=https://servimg.com/view/12864229/68][img]

Evan posted a similar picture on this forum

https://hawaiisportsman.forumotion.com/boar-huntaz-hogs-n-dogs-f5/white-spot-on-liver-t1076.htm?highlight=liver

The spots appear to be different in size and shape, but still nasty looking

Aloha, Ike

I hate to waste meat too, but I would have dump'em too. Better safe than sorry.

yummy me like. nah das a common reaction to worm eggs migrating throughout the body then ends up in the liver in the kidnys whatever organs even the brain.try digg around inside you going see the worms. roundworms that.

Much mahalo's.

The information below was obtained from a Veterinarian here on Oahu. It sounds like this is a common occurrence with pigs.
Another possibility is Hepatitis E or HEV.

Next time I'll cut the liver up and see if I find any gross. Sounds like fun

Ascaris –milk spot
Ascaris suum is a large round worm which lives in the intestinal tract of pigs, with a prevalence of between 50 and 75% of herds. The female worm produces around 2 million eggs per day, however, production is very variable. The eggs are difficult to find in the faeces and special techniques are employed to attempt to find the egg. The eggs are very sticky and are resistant to most disinfectants, but heat (steam) are direct sunlight are effective in destroying the egg’s viability. The eggs are able to survive for more than 7 years in pasture or housing.
Once ingested the egg hatches and the larvae pass through the intestinal wall and migrate via the blood stream to the liver. The worm is only in the liver for 5 days. The liver damage heals by scarring, producing the white marks on the liver surface or ‘milk spot liver’. These lesions heal within 25 days. The larvae leave the liver and migrate to the lungs where they contribute to respiratory diseases such as Enzootic pneumonia or Swine Influenza. Ascaris may cause a cough in piglets in the farrowing house. The larvae are then coughed up and swallowed and once back in the intestinal tract they mature to adults. The time interval from ingestion to producing eggs can be as short as 40 days. Ascaris is important to the pig industry as the disease reduces growth rates and feed conversion and may aggravate other diseases. It also has a direct economic loss to the slaughtering industry though liver condemnations.

Bummer H8t to waste meat but had no choice..