STM Article Repository

Aims: This study intends to contribute to the improvement of the quality of small ruminant meat produced at the Port-Bouët slaughterhouse in order to protect consumer health and facilitate the implementation of prophylactic measures.

Study Design: This was a retrospective study conducted at the Port-Bouët slaughterhouse on data produced from July, 2019 to June, 2020 on small ruminants received.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted from January to May 2021 at the Port-Bouët slaughterhouse which receives small ruminants (sheep, goats) from neighboring countries and Ivorian farms. The animals slaughtered in this slaughterhouse come from the small ruminant market at the Port-Bouet slaughterhouse.

Methodology: Data were collected from the digital database of the operating system called "Système de Gestion et d'Identification des Animaux à Port-Bouët" (SYGIAP 3.1). These data concerned the origin of the animals, the number of animals slaughtered, the type of seizure, the reasons for the seizures and the organs seized.

Results: The results indicate that the slaughterhouse is supplied with small ruminants by four (4) countries with proportions of 68.14% (Burkina Faso), 29.29% (Mali), 2.44% (Côte d'Ivoire) and 0.13% (Niger).The proportion of animals slaughtered at the slaughterhouse is 31% and the prevalences of the causes for carcass condemnation are 0.35% (Cysticercosis), 3.32% (echinococcosis), 5.07% (hepatic cirrhosis), 5.46% (tuberculosis), 9.43% (abscesses), 13.25% (congestion), 28.97% (distomatosis), and 34.15% (hemosiderosis). For the organs seized, the proportions are 0.05% (3 seizures), 0.06% (4 seizures), 0.18% (12 seizures), 0.27% (18 seizures), 0.32% (21 seizures), 23.01% (1,517 seizures) and 76.11% (5,019 seizures) for intestines, muscle, spleen, kidney, heart, lung and liver respectively ; no total seizure (seizure of the whole carcass) is observed. Financial losses linked to all the seizures amount to 8,074,000 XOF.

Conclusion: The Port-Bouët slaughterhouse should report the information obtained during inspections to enable the implementation of prophylactic measures from the origin of the animals in order to reduce the financial and sanitary impacts of zoonoses.