Evaluation of foetal wastage and incidence of gross foetal and uterine abnormalities in goats at Gujungu slaughterhouse, Jigawa State

This study was designed to evaluate foetal wastage, associated economic loss and incidence of gross foetal and uterine abnormalities in goats (does) slaughtered at Gujungu slaughter house, Jigawa state, Nigeria. The studies were carried out within six months (January-June, 2021). A total of 1,899 does were slaughtered over the study period, out of which 642 (33.8 %) were pregnant and 62 % of the pregnancies were in the second trimester. Nine hundred and eighty-one (981) foetuses were recovered from the gravid does of which 32 % (n=315) were singletons while 64.6 % (n=634) were twins. Triplets and quadruplets foetuses constituted 2.5 % (n=24) and 0.8 % (n=8) of the foetuses wasted respectively. Incidence rates of gross foetal and uterine abnormalities were hydrometra (2.0 %); mucometra (1.2 %); pyometra (2.3%), foetal emphysema (0.05 %), foetal mummification (0.1 %) and foetal maceration (0.2%).The overall incidence rate of the foetal gross abnormalities recorded was 5.85 %. The mean monthly rate of foetal wastage (38%) and the foetal sex ratio (F 56.4: M 43.6) were used in the economic analysis for estimation of the foetal loss in monetary terms. The estimated loss was N6, 979,000 ($18,145.4USD) for six months period or N13, 958,000 ($36,290.8 USD) per annum, which is worrisome because such practice may impact negatively on the livelihood of the various stakeholders along goat value chain by drastically reducing the future productive herd at the study area. Adequate ante mortem inspection of does for detection of pregnancies and reinforcement of the legislation against the indiscriminate slaughter of gravid animals at the slaughterhouse should be enforced. Public education on proper management and breeding practices to reduce the incidence of diseases of infertility in does should be advocated.