A Retrospective Study on the Prevalence of Fracture in Animals Slaughtered at Jos Abattoir, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Fracture is a common condition among livestock slaughtered in abattoirs across Nigeria. This study determined the prevalence of fracture in animals (cattle, goats and pigs) slaughtered at Jos abattoir within eleven years (2006-2016), and ascertained the difference in fracture prevalence between the species. Relevant data were obtained from the abattoir records, analyzed using Microsoft Excel and subjected to chi-square test using Graph-Pad Prism. Out of the 209,792 animals slaughtered, 2,835 (1.4%) had fractures. Annual prevalence varied between 2.4% (2007) and 0.6% (2010). Species prevalence was higher (3.4%) in pigs than goats (0.8%) and cattle (1.9%). There was significant difference (P<0.0001) in fracture prevalence amongst the species. The high prevalence was attributed to poor animal welfare, including inhumane transportation and poor handling. It was therefore recommended that specially designed vehicles be used for conveying animals to abattoirs. Also, government should implement and enforce policies to regulate cruelty to animals.