Major causes of organ and carcass condemnation and associated financial losses in cattle slaughtered at Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir from 2008-2012, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the major causes of organ and/or carcass condemnation and to estimate the financial loss encountered in cattle slaughtered at ELFORA abattoir. The study is based on retrospective analysis of five year data record at slaughter house cattle (n=21864) and active abattoir survey involving pre and postmortem inspection of 1200 cattle conducted from October 2013 to April 2014. From a total of 23,064 slaughtered cattle, both during retrospective and cross-sectional studies, 15,971 (69.2%) had one or more than one type of abnormalities that lead to organ and/or carcass condemnation. Of these 67.7%, 40.3%, 38.8%, 23.0%, 19.9%, 7.0% and 5.0% were accounted to pathologies attributed to liver, kidney, lung, spleen, heart, tongue and heads condemnation, respectively. Liver was the most commonly condemned organ due to zoonotic parasites (32.8%), which include Fasciola species, Cysticercus bovis and Cystic echinococcosis. Parasites were the major causes of organs particularly liver, lung and heart condemnation. Carcass condemnation was mainly attributed to TB and TB like lesions, oedema, abscess and Cysticercus bovis. Overall, the total economic loss incurred due to organ and carcass condemnation was estimated to reach 3,522,005.00 Ethiopian Birr during the study period. Hence, awareness creation through animal health extension work and treatment of sick animal will play key role in reducing the loss. Implementation of detailed meat inspection at the abattoir is recommended. Also further study to identify the causative agents of abscess; and to characterize hydatid cysts, and causes of tubercle like lesions will be important for designing control strategy.

Keywords: Carcass; Condemnation; ELFORA; Fasciolosis; Hydatid cyst; Organ; Ethiopia