An Abattoir Based Study of Bovine Tuberculosis in Adama and Bishoftu Abattoirs, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 to August 2016 at Adama Municipal Abattoir and Bishoftu ELFORA Export Abattoir, central Ethiopia. The study aimed at estimating the prevalence and distribution of lesions of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in organs on the basis of TB like gross lesion. Postmortem examinations were conducted on1896 cattle slaughtered at Adama (n=1266) and Bishoftu (n=630) abattoirs. The body condition scores, origins and ages of the animals were recorded during ante mortem examinations. The prevalence of BTB lesions was 4.2% (80/1896). Out of the 80 TB like lesions cultured, 26.3% of them were found to be culture positive Mycobacterium species. Higher proportion (52.5%) of TB like lesion was recorded in the respiratory pathway followed by lymph nodes of the head region (26.25%), mesenteric (7.5%), prescapular (7.5%) and hepatic lymph nodes (6.25%). Prevalence was higher in animals slaughtered at Bishoftu ELFORA export abattoir compared to Adama municipal abattoir. Animals coming to both abattoirs were from different origins and varied with their body condition score. ELFORA export abattoir slaughtered large proportion of lean animals not for export purposes but for local supermarkets while Adama municipal abattoir slaughtered fattened animals, which might account for difference in BTB prevalence. In conclusion, the lesion prevalence was low in cattle slaughtered at both abattoirs. Given the zoonotic importance BTB, this finding suggests the need for monitoring the prevalence and launching a feasible and practical control strategy of BTB.