Disease conditions responsible for condemnation of carcasses and organs in short-horn Zebu cattle slaughtered in Tanzania

Abstract

A retrospective study (1987–1989) of disease conditions in slaughter animals was carried out in Morogoro Region in the Eastern zone of Tanzania. The study was based on pathological conditions responsible for condemnations of whole carcasses and organs. The results show that the main causes of condemnations of whole carcasses were tuberculosis (44%), emaciation (28%) and Cysticercus bovis (16%). Heads were condemned because of abscesses (55%) and tuberculosis (30%), whereas C. bovis (54%) and calcified cysts (46%) were responsible for condemnations of tongues. Liver flukes (70%) and calcified cysts (13%) were the major causes of liver condemnations. Causes of condemnation of kidneys were infarcts (60%), hydronephrosis (19%) and nephritis (14%), whereas those responsible for the lungs were pneumonia (51%), emphysema (22%), pleurisy (14%) and hydatidosis (8%). Pericarditis (36%), calcified cysts (35%) and C. bovis (17%) were observed in condemned hearts.