Sheep and Goats Slaughtered At Keffi Abattoir: Health Status, Carcass Yield and Foetal Deaths

It becomes very worrisome if at this stage of human technological advancement animals with potential zoonosis even pregnant ones are continually being slaughtered in abattoirs. Yet, there are no documented cases and where there are, the data are inaccurate and inconsistent. Hence, the health status, carcass yield and incidences of foetal deaths from animals slaughtered at Keffi abattoir were investigated. Data were gathered on incidence of foetal deaths, body conformation, ectoparasites burden, diarrheal symptom as well as discharges from the mouth and nostrils from a total of 120 animals. Also, information on the carcass yield and organs weights was recorded. Results showed that 17(28.3%) sheep and 10(16.6%) goats were emaciated, 50(83.0%) sheep and 47(78.3%) goats were infested with ectoparasites. Also, it was observed that 25(41.7%) sheep and 20(33.3%) goats presented diarrheal symptom, 24(40.0%) sheep and 18(30.0%) goats were drooling at the mouth as well as 28(46.7%) and 35(58.3%) sheep and goats respectively had frothy discharges from the nostrils. Out of the 30 each of ewes and does investigated, 12(40%) and 15(50%) in that order were pregnant that culminated in a total of 27 foetal deaths. There were observed significant differences (P < 0.05) in the carcass and organs parameters measured in the slaughtered animals. The ill health status and high rate of foetal deaths observed proved zoonotic threat to man and future foundation stock availability. Consequently, there should be provisions for modern abattoir, personnel training, lairage, pregnancy test and pregnant animal pens to curb this barrier to animal agriculture in Nigeria.