DefinePK

Abstract

This study was conducted on ruminants slaughtered at the Bolgatanga municipal abattoir in Ghana for the period 2010-2014. The aim was to investigate the causes of whole carcass and organ condemnation in ruminants slaughtered at this facility and assesses the associated financial losses. This was done by analyzing veterinary records on local slaughter of livestock and pathological conditions at slaughter for a total of 11,843 cattle, 13,722 sheep and 19,904 goats. The study revealed that 0.064 % cattle carcasses were totally condemned due to tuberculosis, cysticercosis and jaundice. The main causes of organ condemnation in cattle were pimply gut (3.82%), abscess (2.77%), fasciolosis (2.39%), hydronephritis (1.16%), traumatic reticulo-pericarditis (0.92%), jaundice (0.39%), tuberculosis (0.04%), pneumonia, ( 0.04%), contagious pleuro-pneumonia (0.04%) and cysticercosis (0.008%). Pimply gut (16.81%) and pneumonia (0.75%) were responsible for organ condemnation in small ruminants. The total direct economic loss due to organ and carcass condemnation amounted to GHc 67,295.00(18,693.06 USD, (USD= GHc 3.60). Bacterial and parasitic diseases were the causes of carcass and organ condemnation in ruminants and these were associated with huge economic losses.