Prevalence and financial losses associated with <i>Bovine</i> fasciolosis at SAAFI and Sumbawanga municipal abattoirs, Rukwa, Tanzania

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and financial losses of Bovine fasciolosis at SAAFI and Sumbawanga municipal abattoirs.  Primary data was collected for one month (November/December 2012) through meat inspection. Secondary data was retrieved from the abattoir records for the period of five years (January 2008 to December 2012). During the one month of prospective study period, a total of 677 cattle were slaughtered at SAAFI abattoir and 45.4% of the livers were  condemned due to fasciolosis. At Sumbawanga municipal abattoir 594 cattle were slaughtered, 47.1% of the livers were also condemned due to fasciolosis. The overall prevalence of fasciolosis for five years at SAAFI abattoir was 26.5% (10 592 cattle slaughtered and 2 801 livers were  condemned due to fasciolosis) while that of Sumbawanga municipal  abattoir was 16.4% (23 612 cattle slaughtered and 3 862 livers were condemned due to fasciolosis). Fasciola gigantica was found to be the liver fluke species affecting cattle slaughtered in Rukwa region. The one month (November/December) financial loss due to liver condemnation (Fasciola infected) was Tanzania shilings (TZS) 5 894 400 (USD 3 497) and TZS 5 376 000 (USD 3 190) for SAAFI and Sumbawanga municipal abattoirs, respectively. The public health implication on the quantity of infected livers condemned and the losses incured by livestock and meat traders warrants for more extensive epidemiological investigations to determine the magnitude of the problem in live animals and institution of proper control strategies of fasciolosis in the study area.

Key words: abattoir, financial loss, fasciolosis, liver condemnation, SAAFI, Sumbawanga municipal