Causes of organ condemnation in food animals slaughtered at a municipal abattoir in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: The abattoir is a registered premise where food animals are hygienically processed and converted to meat through methodical inspection carried out by certified public health veterinarians. This study was conducted to assess the causes of organ condemnation in food animals slaughtered at the Bodija abattoir in Oyo state. Methods: A retrospective abattoir-based survey was conducted for the year 2014. The data collected included: the throughput of food animals slaughtered, various disease conditions recorded, total number of suspected and laboratory based confirmed cases (where available) respectively, and total number of condemnations (partial or total condemnation) with organs involved. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and one-way Analysis of Variance test (ANOVA). Results: A total of 9527 (433.0±144.4), 1488 (67.6±52.4), 4971(226.0±132.9), and 1195(54.3±18.6) cattle, sheep, goat and pigs were slaughtered respectively. Some of the slaughtered cattle, sheep and goat, 29.4% (n = 1822), 1.4 % (n = 1488) and 3.8% (n = 4971) respectively, had abnormal conditions that led to condemnations of organs respectively. For organ specific condemnations, 447 (21.7%) and 141 (6.8%) livers were condemned due to fasciolosis and hepatitis respectively. Pimply gut, pneumonia and nephritis accounted for 433 (21.0%) intestines, 141 (6.8%) lungs and 88(4.3%) kidneys condemnations respectively. Overall, tuberculosis accounted for 402 (19.5%) condemnations of lungs, liver, kidneys and spleens. Significance: Organ condemnations constitute a huge meat loss and reduction in per capita animal protein consumption. It is emphasized in this work that pathological conditions encountered at the abattoir are preventable if adequate disease surveillance and control programs are implemented at critical control points of the red meat value chain.