FOETAL WASTAGE AND DETECTION OF LEPTOSPIRA SPECIES IN WASTED FOETUSES FROM COWS IN OLD KANO ABATTOIR, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
FOETAL WASTAGE AND DETECTION OF LEPTOSPIRA SPECIES IN WASTED FOETUSES FROM COWS IN OLD KANO ABATTOIR, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2016-02
Authors
BAKARI, Nana Aisha
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Abstract
Foetal wastages constitute an obstacle to livestock production and economic development in Kano State in particular and Nigeria in general. Foetal wastage may serve as source of leptospirosis to abattoir workers, the general public and animals. Leptospirosis is a serious economic and zoonotic disease of animals and humans. Retrospective and cross sectional studies were employed to determine the extent of foetal wastage and occurrence of Leptospira species in foetuses using MAT and ELISA from slaughtered pregnant cows in old Kano abattoir, Kano State, Nigeria. The findings revealed that 2.6 % of the 520,805 cows slaughtered in the abattoir during a 10-year period (2005-2014) were pregnant. The period 2010-2014 and the wet season (May to October) had significantly (p < 0.05) higher number of foetal wastage compared to 2005-2009 and the dry season (November to April) respectively. Five hundred and sixty one (5.2 %) cases of foetal wastage from 10, 769 slaughtered cows were recorded during the 2 months study period. Of these, 445 (79.3%) were in the second and third trimesters. The monetary losses of wasted foetuses per annum if they were allowed to be calved would be in the range of ₦13, 563, 000 to ₦16, 953,750 and ₦ 673, 200 to ₦ 8, 415, 000 for the 10 years and 2 months study period respectively. Of the 372 sera tested for antibodies using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, 21 (5.6 %) were positive for Leptospira Hardjo antibodies. A seroprevalence rate of 9.5 %, 5.2 % and 0.0 % were obtained for foetuses at 3rd, 2nd and 1st trimester respectively. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in seropositivity between the three gestational stages. Out of 372 sera tested using microscopic agglutination test, 52 (13.98 %) were positive to one or more Leptospira serovars at serum dilution of 1:10. There was significant difference (p < 0.05) observed between age groups and Leptospira infection. Amongst the 52 positive samples, 14 (26.9 %), 4 (7.6 %), 2 (3.8 %) and 1 (1.9 %) reacted to Hardjo, Grippotyphosa, Canicola and
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Pomona respectively at serum dilution of 1:20 or higher. This study indicates that foetal wastage in old Kano abattoir is on the increase and the presence of Leptospira species in these foetuses poses an occupational risk to butchers, abattoir workers, and carnivorous animals that handle or consume infected foetuses/placentas. Therefore, indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant cows in abattoirs should be prevented. This undesirable practice of wasting foetuses can be converted into a business investment sector thereby saving the enormous loss due to foetal wastage, consequently maintaining and even improving the national cattle population as well as creating employment for the citizens, food security for the nation, income earnings to the farmers and the economy as a whole.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN VETERINARY EPIDEMIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
FOETAL WASTAGE, LEPTOSPIRA SPECIES, WASTED FOETUSES, COWS IN OLD KANO ABATTOIR, KANO STATE, NIGERIA