Abstract:
Slaughterhouses provide a safeguard that prevents the public from consuming meat of poor
quality or meat which may be infected with zoonotic diseases. This work reviews a 3-year
database of cattle that were slaughtered and inspected between 2010 and 2012 at Dodoma
abattoir, Tanzania. In addition, meat inspection was undertaken for 1 month (December 2013).
The aim of this study was to establish causes of organ and carcass condemnations and their
financial implications as well as the magnitude of slaughter of pregnant cows at Dodoma
abattoir. During retrospective study, it was found that a total of 9015 (10.5%) lungs, 6276 (7.3%)
intestines, 5402 (6.3%) livers, 3291 (3.8%) kidneys and 41 (0.05%) carcasses were condemned.
Pulmonary emphysema (3.4%), fasciolosis (4.5%), pimply gut (5.7%), kidney congenital cysts
(1.9%) and hydatidosis (3.1%) were major causes of organ condemnations. This large number
of condemned edible organs and/or carcasses implies that public health considerations result
in deprivation of valuable protein. Occurrence of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, fasciolosis and
tuberculosis illustrates the possible public health problem and presence of environmental
infections. Of the 794 cows slaughtered in December 2013, 46% were pregnant. Financial loss
as a result of organ and/or carcass condemnations was estimated at $9892. Condemnation of
organs and/or carcasses and indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant cows represent a significant
loss of meat and revenue and a reduction in growth of future herds, which has a negative
effect on the livestock industry. This justifies appropriate surveillance and disease control
programmes coupled with strict enforcement of legislation governing animal welfare to curb
the slaughter of pregnant animals.
