LIVER FLUKE INFESTATION, CONDEMNED LIVER AND FINANCIAL LOSS FROM CATTLE SLAUGHTERED IN THE BAMENDA ABATTOIR

Cattle production in the North West Region provides direct employment to more than 166166 people. Unfortunately, this important meat source is being infested by Fasciola fluke, leading to increased meat loss through liver condemnation during meat inspection. This study therefore set out to determine the state of fluke infestation, quantity of liver condemned and assess economic loss due to condemned liver of cattle slaughtered at Bamenda abattoir. A total of 733 cattle (593 males and 140 females) brought from all seven divisions of the North West Region were sampled from January to June. Palpation and incision technique was used to identify and count adult flukes that had infested each liver of slaughtered cattle. Data was also collected on the quantity of liver condemned due to massive fluke infestation and the financial loss due to condemnation was established. The overall state of fluke infestation was 7.4% (54/733). A higher proportion of fluke’s infestation (4264/6386) was recorded during the rainy season compared with the dry season (2122/6386). The majority of the infestation was among cattle from Ngoketungia 12.5% (1/8) and lowest in Momo 5.2% (3/58). A financial loss due to liver condemnation was estimated to be at 477,000Fcfa (954 US dollars) within the period of study. It was thus concluded that Fasciola infestation was found in cattle brought for slaughter at Bamenda abattoir and that butchers suffer financial losses due to condemned liver.