| dc.description.abstract | A cross-sectional study was conducted at Gulu City main abattoir, to establish the prevalence, and types of indigestible foreign materials (IFMs) in the fore stomachs of slaughtered cattle. The association between the occurrence of IFMs among slaughtered cattle and selected predisposing factors [age, sex, origin, breed and body condition score (BCS)] were established. Systematic sampling technique was used to select cattle among the ones presented for slaughter. Ante mortem and postmortem examinations were done to collect data on the BCS, and types/frequencies of occurrence of IFM among the selected cattle respectively. A total of 282 animals were considered for the study. It was found that 26.95% (n=282) of the carcasses contain IFMs. The types of IFMs recovered from the selected animals included, polythene, mosquito nets, pieces of cloth and wood, leather, hairball, nail, and robes. Polythene was the most frequently (86.84%, n = 282) encountered IFM followed by nets (50%), pieces of clothes (35.53%), ropes (19.74%), leather and mango seeds were at (3.95%) each, nails and hairball were rarely (1.32%) encountered. Combinations of polythene and nets contributed (47.37%), polythene and ropes (17.11%), polythene, ropes & clothes (6.58%), polythene, clothes, and nets (25%). Most of these foreign materials were found in the rumen (92.10%), very few (1.32%) in reticulum alone while 6.58% were recovered from both rumen and reticulum. The frequency of occurrence of IFMs was higher (43.18%) among older cattle above 4 year of age, compare to those below 4 years (23.95%). A significantly higher proportion of cows/heifers (40%) had IFMs compare to 24.47% in bulls/steers. Most (68.13%) of the animals with poor body condition score had IFMs compare to only (7.47%) of those with average BCS. Poor body condition and female sex were statistically significant (p = 0.00 and 0.031 respectively) factors associated with occurrence of IFMs in cattle slaughtered at Gulu city abattoir. Foreign materials in the environment remains a big problem to cattle rearing in Gulu and the surrounding districts. Appropriate measures to mitigate environmental pollution due to irresponsible disposal of IFMs should be put in place to minimize cases of hardware disease among cattle in Gulu and surrounding districts. | en_US |
