Abstract
Carcass and organ condemnations cause big economic losses in the cattle industry. A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to May 2016 with the aim of identifying gross pathological changes that cause organ condemnation and to estimate the direct financial losses attributed to the condemned organs in cattle slaughtered at Hawassa municipal abattoir. Prior to slaughter, animals were subjected to routine ante-mortem examination. Post-mortem examination was used to identify the gross pathological changes. From the total of 384 slaughtered cattle examined postmortem, 171 (44.5%) liver, 137 (35.7%) lung, 36 (9.4%) spleen, 26 (6.8%) heart, 25 (6.5%) kidney and 9 (2.3%) tongue were totally condemned. Major causes of total condemnation of organs were fasciolosis, hydatidosis, pneumonia, emphysema, cirrhosis, calcification, nephritis, splenitis, edema, Cysticercus bovis, hemorrhage and abscess. There was statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in condemnation of heart between animals with different body condition score. However, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between animals’ body condition score in condemnation of kidney, tongue, spleen, liver and lung. There was statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between age in condemnation of lung and liver. The total financial loss calculated in this study, due to organ condemnation was 15,843.89 USD (342,228.00ETB) per annum. Therefore, the observation of such level of abnormalities and substantial financial loss with condemnation of affected organs warrants the veterinary institution of appropriate control measures. Key words: Abattoir, cattle, financial loss, Hawassa, organ condemnation.
Highlights
Abattoirs played an important role in surveillance of various diseases of human and animals
The objectives of the present study were: to identify the major causes of organ condemnation and to calculate the direct financial loss attributed to the condemned organs in cattle slaughtered at Hawassa Municipal Abattoir
The common macroscopic lesions encountered on liver were 21.1% Fasciolosis, 9.4% hydatidosis, 7.3% cirrhosis, 3.9% calcification, 1.5% abscess and 1.3% local necrosis
Summary
Abattoirs played an important role in surveillance of various diseases of human and animals. Surveillance at the abattoir allows for all animals passing into human food chain to be examined for unusual signs, lesions or specific diseases (Alton et al, 2010). Abattoir data can be a source of valuable information on the incidence and epidemiology of animal diseases. This can help to know to what extent the public is exposed to certain zoonotic diseases and estimate the financial losses incurred through condemnation of affected organs (Raji et al, 2010; Cadmus and Adesokan, 2009; Singla and Juyal, 2014)
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