Rate of carcass and offal condemnation in animals slaughtered at Yazd Slaughterhouse, central Iran

B Hajimohammadi, A Oryan, A Zohourtabar, M Ardian, M Shokuhifar

1Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

2Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

3Technical officer of health for slaughterhouse in Yazd, Iran

4Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Rate of carcass and offal condemnation in animals slaughtered at Yazd Slaughterhouse, central Iran

B Hajimohammadi1, A Oryan2*, A Zohourtabar1, M Ardian3, M Shokuhifar4

1Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

2Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

3Technical officer of health for slaughterhouse in Yazd, Iran

4Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

PEER REVIEW

Peer reviewer

Narayan D Chaurasiya, PhD., Associate

Research Scientist, National Center for

Natural Products Research, School of

Pharmacy, University of Mississippi,

University, MS 38677, USA.

Tel: 662 -915-1364 (Office)

Email: narayan.chaurasiya@gmail.com ndchaura@olemiss.edu

Comments

In this valuable survey work authors have recorded the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in large and small animals slaughtered at Yazd Slaughterhouse, central Iran which is very useful for public and safety purpose.

Details on Page 739

Objective:To determine the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in the animals slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran.

Carcass, Offal, Condemnation, Slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran

1. Introduction

Meat is a nutritious food that has an important role in balanced human diet. Besides of the high biological value of meat, it also increases the resistance of human body against virulent pathogens. Therefore, there is a demand to increase the rate of meat production and consumption throughout the world. Meat consumption is often a sign of social status and financial condition because it is a relatively expensive food especially insome developing countries such as Iran. So, per capita consumption of meat is more in developed countries compared to the undeveloped or developing ones[1,2].

Safety and hygiene of meat and meat products is the most important concern of consumers and producers of these products. Some microbial pathogens have severe complication. Some infections may infect small number of people, but in some cases, more will be infected and the results is a serious problem in the public health. Moreover, the persistence of residual veterinary drug substances such as antibiotics, anti-parasitics and hormones could endanger human health. Therefore, comprehensive and perfect inspection of carcass and offal in slaughterhouses is very vital[3].

Having a proper record of the condemnation rate of the slaughtered animals is the first stage in planning of the preventive measures for hygienic risks and financial losses in meat industry. In addition, the data achieved from meat inspection records in slaughterhouses are efficient for estimation of the epidemiological aspects of some zoonotic illnesses. Thus, the main purpose of this survey was to determine the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in the animals slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran.

2. Materials and methods

A nine-month retrospective survey was done in Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran from June 2011 to March 2012. Yazd is the capital of Yazd Province located in central part of Iran with dry and hot climate. All carcass and offal (liver, lung and kidney) condemnations for large animals (cattle and camels) and small animals (sheep and goats), slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, were recorded daily by the slaughterhouse authorities. As a part of routine meat inspection, each slaughtered animal was examined by a trained meat inspector assigned by Iran Veterinary Organization. Diagnosis of lesions in carcasses and offal and consequent condemnation (total or partial) was carried out by visual inspection, palpation or if necessary, incision of the suspected cases according to the national standards of the Iranian Veterinary Organization.

Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software (version 18).Pvalues less than 0.05 was considered as significant.

3. Results

In total, 2 741 large animals (cattle and camels) and 77 515 small animals (sheep and goat) were slaughtered during the period of this survey. Six carcasses (0.21%) of the large animals and 18 carcasses (0.02%) of the small animals were condemned (Table 1). For large animals, condemnations in summer and autumn were significantly greater than winter (P＜0.05). Condemnation rate of liver, lungs and kidneys for the large animals were 5.36%, 21.23% and 3.68% respectively and for the small animals were 4.37%, 5.46% and 0.51% respectively (Table 2). The main recorded reasons for carcass condemnations in both large and small animals were icterus and cachexia. The most prevalent lesion resulting in offal condemnation was due to parasitic infection specially metacestods.

Table 1 Rate of carcass condemnation in animals slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran.

Table 2 Rate of offal condemnation in animals slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran.

4. Discussion

Slaughterhouses could present valuable information about the epidemiology of animal diseases, and estimate the public health risks and economical losses due to condemnation of carcasses and offal. Inspection of carcass and offal should be carefully done in slaughterhouses to ensure meat safety and hygiene. On the other hands, carcass or offal that has been infected to non pathogenic agents, are also condemned due to aesthetic aspects.

In the present survey, condemnation rate of liver, lung and kidney for the small animals were 4.37%, 5.46% and 0.51% respectively and for the large animals were 5.36%, 21.23% and 3.68% respectively, which are comparable with the previous investigations in Iran and other countries. In a ten-year period study done in Ahwaz, Iran, among a total of 3 583 417 slaughtered animals including sheep,goats and cattle, 4.24% of livers and 6.37% of lungs were condemned[4].

In this study, in spite of low carcass condemnation rate, the offal condemnation rate was notable. It was found that the main recorded reasons for carcass condemnations were icterus and cachexia. On the other hand, the most prevalent lesion resulting in offal condemnation was due to parasitic infection specially metacestods. Also, liver and lung condemnations rate were more than kidney. It seems that this matter is related to high prevalence of metacestoda infections notably hydatidosis in domestic animals of Yazd province. Ahmadi and Meshkehkar (2010) revealed that the prevalence of hydatid cyst in the lungs of sheep, goats and cattle was 2.22%, 5.43% and 6.99% respectively, in Ahwaz slaughterhouse; meanwhile, the liver of 1.26%, 2.57% and 2.80% of those ruminants were infected to hydatid cyst, respectively[4]. As the liver and lungs are the predilection sites of hydatid cysts[5,6], the high rate of condemnation of these organs at Yazd slaughterhouse is expected. However, other infectious agents such as metacestoda could also be an important reason for offal condemnation. Oryanet al. showed that 736 (7.7%) of 9 501 slaughtered cattle were infected withCysticercus bovisin Fars Province of Iran[7]. It has been stated that during 2005-2007, 0.02% of cattle carcasses, in Iran, have been condemned due to bovine cysticercosis[8]. According to a similar 2-year study by Oryanet al., of 7 992 sheep in Fars Province of Iran, 2 088 (26.12%), 2 266 (28.36%) and 15 (0.19%) were infected with hydatid cyst,Cysticercus taenuicollisandCysticercus ovisrespectively[9]. Ansari-Lari reported that from a total of 844 039 domestic ruminants slaughtered at Shiraz Slaughterhouse, Shiraz, Iran, 14.62% of lungs and 4.1% of livers were condemned. Infection with hydatid cyst was the reason for condemnation of 15.4% and 28.7% of livers and lungs respectively[10] resembling to a research examined slaughtered animals of southern Iran[11].

The condemnation rates of lung in the slaughtered cattle due to parasitic infection and non-parasitic ones were 0.3% of 0.9% respectively, in Trikala, Greece[12]. According to a 7-year survey done by Lat-Latet al., it was stated that 5.02% of lungs of 198 073 slaughtered cattle in Malaysia were condemned in the mentioned periods of time. The most important reported reason for lung condemnation was congestion; whereas parasitic infection was only responsible for 0.6% of total lung condemnations[13], that is in contrast with our findings.

In another survey carried out in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, the condemnation rate of liver, lung, heart, kidneys, brain and carcass, among 1 152 slaughtered sheep, were 58.5%, 44.5%, 8.6%, 6.5%, 4.3% and 6.7%, respectively[14]. These rates, especially those related to lung and liver condemnations are much higher than our results. It must be indicated that, unfortunately brain is not inspected for the infectious agents such asCoenurus cerebralisin the Iranian slaughterhouses; thus it was difficult to present a comprehensive estimate of this organ under such circumstances. Although heart is a highly economic and valuable organ, but we could not obtain any data about condemnation rate of heart in Yazd slaughterhouse and this is a limitation of our study.

This study aimed to show the efficiency of documentation records during meat inspection at slaughterhouses to monitor the amount of condemnation and possible approaches to better awareness about future preventive programs. However, it should be mentioned that, home slaughtering (slaughtering of animals outside the slaughterhouses), is a common phenomenon in Iran and it is usually done during some familial celebrations or religious ceremonies. Thus, to obtain more comprehensive and actual knowledge about this issue, it is vital to do not suffice just to data achieved from slaughterhouses.

In conclusion, considering the percentage of condemnation of carcass and offal in the present study and their price in Iranian markets, the overall economic losses seems to be notable at Yazd Slaughterhouse. So, to achieve useful prevention programs, it is necessary to do more researches about the epidemiology of domestic animal diseases in Iran.

Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted at the Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. We thank the authorities of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences for their financial support and assistance.

Comments

Background

In this study, authors have done the survey to determine the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in the large and small animals slaughtered at Yazd slaughterhouse, Yazd, Iran. They have collected large number of data on large and small animals at Yazd slaughterhouse.

Research frontiers

In this survey, authors have been focused on the carcasses and offal condemnations for large animals (cattle and camels) and small animals (sheep and goats) in Yazd slaughterhouse and recorded data very carefully on daily basis.

Related reports

The author’s purpose was to show the efficiency of documentation in large number of data records during meat inspection at slaughterhouses to monitor the amount of condemnation and potential approaches for better awareness about the future preventive programs of health.

Innovations and breakthroughs

This is a survey work to determine the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in the animals slaughtered.

Applications

It’s a good work considering as a more precautions to meat producing slaughterhouse at Yazd slaughterhouse and save their price in Iranian markets.

Peer review

In this valuable survey work authors have recorded the rate of carcass and offal condemnation in large and small animals slaughtered at Yazd Slaughterhouse, central Iran which is very useful for public and safety purpose.

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[14] Jibat T, Ejeta G, Asfaw Y, Wudie A. Causes of abattoir condemnation in apparently healthy slaughtered sheep and goats at HELMEX abattoir, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. Rev Med Vet 2008; 159(5): 305-311.

10.12980/APJTB.4.2014C1201

*Corresponding author: A. Oryan, DVM, PhD, Professor of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

E-mail: oryan@shirazu.ac.ir

Article history:

Received 6 Nov 2013

Received in revised form 25 Jan, 2nd revised form 15 Feb, 3rd revised form 17 Mar 2014

Accepted 10 Jun 2014

Available online 4 Sep 2014

Methods:In a nine-month retrospective survey from June 2011 to March 2012, all the carcasses and offal condemnations for large animals (cattle and camels) and small animals (sheep and goats) in Yazd Slaughterhouse were carefully recorded daily.

Results:In total, 2 741 large animals (cattle and camels) and 77 515 small animals (sheep and goats) were slaughtered during the period of this survey. Six carcasses (0.21%) of the large animals and 18 carcasses (0.02%) of the small animals were condemned. For large animals, condemnations in summer and autumn were significantly greater than winter (P＜0.05). Condemnation rate of liver, lungs and kidneys for the large animals were 5.36%, 21.23% and 3.68% respectively and for the small animals were 4.37%, 5.46% and 0.51% respectively. The main recorded reasons for carcass condemnations in both large and small animals were icterus and cachexia. The most prevalent lesion resulting in offal condemnation was due to parasitic infection specially metacestods.

Conclusions:This study aimed to show the efficiency of documentation records during meat inspection at slaughterhouses to monitor the amount of condemnation and possible approaches to better awareness about the future preventive programs. Considering the percentage of condemnation of carcass and offal in the present study and their price in Iranian markets, the overall economic losses seems to be notable at Yazd slaughterhouse.