Assessment Of Foetal Wastage In Goats Slaughtered In Umuahia Municipality:- Anigbogu, Linda O

ABSTRACT x The indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant does and the incidence of foetal wastage in goats in Umuahia municipality was investigated over a period of 7 months (March -September 2018). A total of 518 goats were slaughtered during this period of study comprising 311(60.03 %) males and 207(39.96 %) females. Of the total number of female goats slaughtered, only 77(37.19%) were non-gravid, while 130(62.80%) were gravid at various gestation lengths. About 301(58.10%) of the total goats slaughtered were Red Sokoto breed (RS), and the rest 217(41.89%) were West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. The study revealed that goat traders/ butchers preferred RS to WAD goats and irrespective ofthe breed, higher number ofmale goats were slaughtered than female. However, because of low rate of ante-mortem inspection, ignorance of pregnancy status ofthe does, and what a farmer puts up for sale, more gravid does were slaughtered than the non-gravid. A total of 182 foetuses (109 males and 73 females) were recovered from the 130 gravid does slaughtered. The highest number ofslaughtered gravid does was recorded in the festive season ofAugust which resulted in the highest percentage (21.41%) of foetal wastage within the study period. With an average monthly slaughter of 30 gravid does, an average percentage foetal wastage was recorded as 14.31 % (30). This high incidence of foetal wastage recorded in this study justified the very poor state of ante-mortem inspection, lack of simple pregnancy diagnostic tool and ignorance on the part of farmers, butchers, and policy makers on proper management ofpregnant animals in the study area. The economic loss due to slaughter of pregnant does and foetal wastage in Umuahia municipality was estimated at N 764,500.00 (seven hundred and sixty-four thousand, five hundred naira) within the 7 months under study, and it is estimated that in a year, about 312 foetuses are lost with a huge loss of N 1,404,000.00 annually. Based on these findings, it is recommended that, the State should employ more Veterinarians and distribute them to all the registered abattoirs/slaughter slabs to ensure proper and strict ante mortem inspections. Adequate pregnancy diagnostic protocols in the market/slaughter slabs should be ensured. Strict policy formulation prohibiting the slaughter of pregnant animals and enhanced public awareness at the grassroots should also be implemented so as to curtail the incidence of foetal wastage due to the slaughtering of undiagnosed gravid does