Assessment of the major causes of organ condemnation and its economic significance in cattle slaughtered in the Arua city abattoir, Uganda

Abstract

Abattoirs provide opportunity for passive surveillance of livestock diseases in a population of food animals in an area. This makes it possible to assess the extent of exposure of the public to certain zoonotic diseases and to estimate the financial losses incurred through condemnation of affected organs. Condemnation of organs has significant effect on supply of adequate amounts of quality animal proteins to the population and reduces the profits of the producers or traders. This poses a challenge in meeting the nutritional needs of the population. Continuous surveillance of causes of losses to farmers and traders at slaughter informs control strategies to improve quality of meat at abattoir and increase profits. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 25th March 2024 to 3rd of April 2024 to determine the major causes of organ condemnation in Arua city abattoir and its financial significance. Two hundred seventy-two (272) cattle were examined through antemortem and postmortem inspections, Males 155 (56.9%) and females 117 (43.1%). The Zebu breed 189 (69.5%) and Ankole long horn 83 (30.5%) were the two breeds examined in the study. Out of these 272 cattle examined, 108 (39.7%) had organ condemnations with four (3.7%) livers totally condemned and eighty-three (76.85%) livers were partially condemned due to fascioliasis, total Liver condemnation due to fascioliasis was at 80.55%. Two (1.85%) livers were partially condemned due to abscessation. Nineteen (17.6%) lungs were partially condemned due to congestion. The condemned organs were weighed using a round hanging spring balance weighing scale and the condemned livers had a total weight of 173.8kg and the condemned lungs weighed 21kgs. Rate of condemnations due to parasitic cause was higher in the liver than abscessation and liver condemnation caused the highest financial loss. The direct financial loss from liver condemnation was 3,476,000Ugx and from lung condemnation was 315,000 Ugx. The total direct financial loss incurred due to organ condemnation at the study area was 3,791,000Ugx (1,024.6 USD). This rate of organ condemnation was high and indicative of high financial losses for livestock farmers and traders. To address the challenge of organ condemnation and its associated financial loss, measures such as Sensitization and education of the farmers in the districts of Pader, Apac, regular deworming programs for livestock, change of the grazing systems at farm level, humane slaughter of animals so as to maintain good lung quality and keeping of detailed records of condemned organs in Arua city abattoir to determine the pattern and trend of organ condemnation should be put in place.