A retrospective study on the prevalence of ostrich carcass and organ condemnations in Botswana

A retrospective study on the prevalence of ostrich carcass and organ condemnations in Botswana was conducted by reviewing meat inspection records available at the Botswana Ostrich Company Abattoir in Gaborone for the 3 year period that the abattoir had been in operation. The most frequently condemned organs were lung (85.1%), liver (8%), intestine (3.3%), heart (2.7%) and kidney (0.8%). The most frequently encountered macroscopic findings were contamination (80%), congestion (10%), enteritis (3%), haemorrhage (2%), pigmentation (2%), white spots on the liver (1%) and peritonitis (1%). The frequencies of the various macroscopic findings on all the organs increased over the 3 years of the study. Ninety-five percent (95%) of the findings were all abattoir associated, especially the external contamination of organs (80%). The 5% that were acquired during the lifetime of the birds included enteritis, peritonitis and white spots on the liver. No whole carcass condemnations or carcass trimmings were recorded, nor where there any zoonotic causes of condemnation.