Capacity building: benchmark for production of meat with low levels of bacterial contamination in local slaughterhouses in Somaliland

The objective of the study was to investigate and assess the impact of trainings on the levels of meat contamination produced from local livestock slaughter facilities in the North-West region of Somalia (Somaliland). The investigation considered slaughter facilities where workers had been trained or not. The survey was carried out in four local slaughter facilities. A pre-tested questionnaire on abattoir hygiene and food safety standards was administered to International Aid Organizations, government officials, abattoir workers and supervisors. In addition, a total of 320 surface meat swab samples were collected from randomly selected small ruminant carcasses slaughtered from four purposefully selected local slaughter facilities. The samples were analyzed at Analabs laboratories in Nairobi, Kenya, for total viable counts, total coliforms count and presence of Salmonella species. Meat contamination risk factors associated with hygiene practices based on training offered or not was identified. It was noted that slaughter facilities where abattoir workers had not received trainings on minimum meat hygiene standards and quality assurance systems of good hygiene practices and sanitary standard operating procedures produced carcasses with high levels of bacterial contamination in comparison with those where workers had received the said trainings. The laboratory results were in agreement with poor hygiene meat handling practices and lack of compliance with minimum meat hygiene and food safety standards in Berbera and Burao local livestock slaughter facilities where personnel had not been trained.     

Effect of Packaging Material on Shelf Life and Quality of Ware Potato Tubers Stored at Ambient Tropical Temperatures

The effect of seven packaging materials (transparent perforated and non-perforated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bags, black perforated and non-perforated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, nylon gunny sacks, khaki bags and net bags) on post-harvest quality of tubers from three potato cultivars was evaluated. Data were collected on time and percentage of sprouting, weight loss rates and percentage tubers with greening and rotting. Packaging significantly reduced weight loss and rate of tuber greening but increased the rate of sprouting and decay incidences. Non-perforated PE bags were the most effective in reducing weight losses, recording losses of 0.7 to 0.9% after 32 days in storage while unpackaged tubers had weight losses of 11 to 12%. Tuber rotting was highest (60 to 66% of the tubers) in non-perforated PE bags. Greening was faster in non-packaged tubers recording 55 to 100% after 2 weeks in storage and showed high cultivar differences, but did not occur in black bags, whether perforated or non-perforated. Sprouting was complete by week 3 in all tubers packaged in non-perforated HDPE bags irrespective of cultivar. Although the non-perforated HDPE bag packaging prevented weight loss, its positive effect was counteracted by the high incidence of rotting and sprouting. Amongst the different materials evaluated, perforated low-density black PE bags were the best method for ware potato packaging due to low sprouting, reduced weight loss, low rate of tuber greening and reduced rate of tuber decay compared to other packaging materials. The study also indicated that the interaction between cultivars, packaging and storage period also affected shelf life of ware potatoes under ambient tropical conditions.     

Assessment of structure and performance of cattle markets in western Kenya

Cattle markets play a major role in economic empowerment among cattle-keeping communities in developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the structure and performance of selected cattle markets in western Kenya. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to livestock traders who visited markets and by conducting focus group interviews. Data was collected on availability of market information, price setting behavior, marketing costs, practices of traders on livestock movements, sources of working capital, and characteristic of respondents. A total of 252 questionnaires and six focus group discussions were conducted for the study. Cattle market concentration indices were analyzed by calculation of Gini coefficient and plotting of Lorenz curves. Additionally, gross marketing margins were calculated to evaluate market performance. The results from this study showed a positive marketing margin in study markets for all cattle categories, the relatively high Gini coefficient of 0.65, and Lorenz curves revealing that in some markets 20% of traders control about 48% of the market share which is an indication of high market concentration. The high Gini coefficient and positive marketing margin obtained imply that study markets were highly concentrated but profitable which is an indication of inequality in the markets. The main barriers to entry in these livestock markets included lack of adequate market information, high operational capital requirements, and high costs of transporting animals. In conclusion, cattle marketing within western Kenya is profitable. However, the high concentration index in markets and presence of entry barriers including lack of flow of information on sources of livestock for trade, mechanism of price setting within markets’ high capital outlay, may encourage poor trade practices which may compromise biosecurity standards within markets, and hence necessitating increased risk for spread of livestock diseases and even zoonoses to connected farms and systems.

     

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughter cattle in Kenya: a postmortem, microbiological and DNA molecular study

A study to determine the presence and prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughter cattle in Kenya was carried out in two abattoirs from July to November 2009. Routine postmortem meat inspection was performed on a subpopulation of 929 cattle selected randomly from among 4,984. Carcases were inspected for gross tuberculous lesions which were then examined for acid-fast bacilli, (AFB), cultured for isolation of mycobacteria and the isolates characterised by DNA molecular analysis. Of the carcases examined, 176 (18.95?%, 95?% CI) had lesions suggestive of tuberculosis. AFB were observed in 63/176 of the lesioned cattle and mycobacteria were isolated from 64 of them. The isolates were identified as Mycobacterium bovis (19/64), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, (2/64) and mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (43/64). The prevalence of M. bovis by molecular analysis was 2.05?% (95?% CI). This study documents for the first time the presence of bovine tuberculosis among slaughter cattle in Kenya. There is therefore a need to formulate and implement control programmes in order to minimise transmission among animals and to humans. Isolation of M. tuberculosis from cattle underscores the risk tuberculous humans pose to animals.     

The prevalence and economic importance of bovine fasciolosis in Kenya--an analysis of abattoir data

A retrospective study covering a period of 10 years (1990-1999) was carried out using post mortem meat inspection records at the Veterinary Department Headquarters at Kabete to determine the prevalence and economic importance of bovine fasciolosis in Kenya. Meat inspection records from abattoirs in 38 districts distributed over seven out of the eight provinces of Kenya were examined. Prevalence of fasciolosis was calculated as the number of cattle found to be infected with Fasciola, expressed as a percentage of the total number of cattle slaughtered. Using the average weight and market price of a bovine liver, the monetary loss occasioned by condemnation of Fasciola infected livers was calculated. A survey was also carried out at Dagoretti slaughterhouse complex in Nairobi to determine the relative occurrence of F. gigantica and F. hepatica in slaughtered cattle. Cattle slaughtered at Dagoretti slaughterhouse originate from all parts of the country. A total of 5,421,188 cattle were slaughtered in the seven provinces of Kenya during the 10-year period and 427,931 (8%) of these cattle were infected with Fasciola. The region with the highest prevalence of fasciolosis was Western Province (16%) followed, in descending order, by Eastem Province (11%), Nyanza Province (9%), Rift Valley Province (8%), Central Province (6%), Nairobi Province (4%) and Coast Province (3.5%). The total economic loss incurred by the country during the 10-year period as a result of condemnation of the infected livers was approximately US$2.6 million. The total annual economic losses during this period ranged from approximately US$0.2-0.3 million. The highest total economic losses for the 10-year period were recorded in Western Province (US$0.8 million) and Central Province (US$0.7 million). A total of 1584 cattle originating from five provinces of Kenya were slaughtered at Dagoretti slaughterhouse over a period of two months of which 147 (9.3%) were infected with liver flukes. All the liver flukes obtained from the infected livers were identified as F. gigantica. It is concluded that fasciolosis is prevalent in cattle in all provinces of Kenya, that it causes great economic losses as a result of condemnation of infected livers, and that F. gigantica is the main species of liver flukes affecting cattle in Kenya. Local climatic factors, cattle trade, rustling and population numbers, and the presence of the snail intermediate hosts are probably the main factors influencing the incidence of the disease in the various regions of the country.