Maternal slaughter and foetal wastage in Nigerian municipal abattoirs: Prevalence, drivers, economic losses and One Health implications.

چکیده اصلی

Indiscriminate maternal slaughter and the resulting foetal wastages are persistent but overlooked threats to livestock productivity, food security, and public health in Africa. Comprehensive data on the drivers and consequences of foetal wastages in Nigerian slaughterhouses remain limited, hampering control efforts. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted for six months in four major slaughterhouses in Enugu State, Nigeria, to determine the pregnancy status of 1745 randomly selected female animals (589 cows, 586 does, 570 sows) slaughtered for meat. Univariable analysis assessed associations between species, age, breed, and season (independent variables) and pregnancy (outcome). Variables with p ≤ 0.2 were included in the multivariable models, while descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Economic losses were estimated based on unit foetal monetary values and adjusted for 5% post-partum mortality. Prevalence of maternal slaughter was 31.7%, 31.1% and 10.5% in goats, cattle, and pigs, respectively. Hot/dry season was associated with pregnancy in goats (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.03-2.42; P = 0.036). The 907 foetuses recovered were mostly in the first trimester (38.3-52.2%), with 18.7-25.6% in the third trimester. Foetal disposal included open dumping (28%), sale for dog food (32%), sale for human consumption (18%), and feed for farmed fish (22%). Net economic loss over the six months this study lasted was US$23,659.94. Major drivers of maternal slaughter and foetal wastage included ignorance of pregnancy status (96%), economic hardship (38%), and high meat demands during festivities (20%). Maternal slaughter and foetal wastage are largely driven by systemic failure in livestock production and processing governance. Maternal slaughter impacts livestock farming profitability and productivity, genetic conservation, food security, zoonotic disease spread, occupational and environmental health negatively. Mandatory ante-mortem pregnancy screening, stakeholder education and improved abattoir governance are imperative to limit maternal slaughter, foetal wastage and the negative impacts.

متن کامل اصلی