Bovine Fasciolosis: Prevalence and its economic loss due to liver condemnation at Adwa Municipal Abattoir, North Ethiopia

Abstract

A total of 768 cattle were randomly selected among those animals slaughtered at Adwa municipal abattoir to determine the prevalence and the economic loss due to liver condemnation. Following post-mortem examination, 248 (32.3%) cattle were positive for fasciolosis. According to the intensity of pathological lesions, 84 (33.8%) constituted severely affected livers; the rest, 81 (32.7%), 55 (22.2%) and 28 (11.3%) were moderately affected, lightly affected and undifferentiated, respectively. The number of fluke recovered in moderately affected livers was higher (Mean = 91) than that of either severely (Mean = 60) or lightly (Mean= 38) affected livers. There was a statistically significant association (P<0.05) between the different levels of intensity of pathological lesion and fasciolosis prevalence. Species identification revealed that Fasciola hepatica was more prevalent (13.9%) as compared to Fasciola gigantica (7.7%); certain proportion of animals (6.0%) harbored mixed infection and others unidentified immature fluke (4.7%). Statistically significant variation was observed in the prevalence of fasciolosis among animals with poor, medium and good body conditions (P<0.05). The direct economic loss as a result of liver condemnation was on average 57,960 Ethiopian Birr (4,674.2 USD) per annum indicating that the disease is economically important. Finally, the abattoir based prevalence recorded in the study area and the loss incurred suggests that a detailed epidemiological study as well as assessment of the overall economic loss due to fasciolosis is required to implement systematic disease prevention and control methods.