Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Bruise in the Bovine Carcass Slaughtered Jimma Municipal Abattoir, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study with random sampling was conducted from October 2022 to May 2023 on the Prevalence and associated risk factors of bruises in the bovine Carcass Slaughtered at Jimma Municipal Abattoir, Oromia regional state of Ethiopia. Accordingly, a total of 384 randomly selected slaughtered cattle were examined both during ante mortem and postmortem. The study conduction cattle slaughtered at Jimma municipal abattoir and found various anatomical bruising in 94 heads of cattle with Bruising. Atributable factors included stick beating, falling, horn trust, bite, and unknown causes. The excessive use of sticks during transport is a major cause of bruising. There were many physical abnormalities such as localized swelling, laceration, bite and abrasion. During post-mortem inspection organs were condemned due to extensive bruise on back and loin 24 (6.25%); due to bruised ribs 21 (5.5%), brisket 18(4.7%), due to bruised hip 14 (3.65%), thigh 10 (2.6%) and forequarter 7(1.82%). The P-value analysis of potential risk factors revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in age, sex and body condition between animals (p<0.05). The result of this study revealed that bruises 94(24.48%) are the major problem causing direct economic losses significantly in the study area. The study found 24.48% of bovine Carcass Slaughtered had bruises. This study found a significant difference in bruise prevalence in bovine Carcass Slaughtered, with the highest prevalence (8.9%) in cattle from stick beating and the lowest (1.8%) in cattle from unknown causes. Awareness-generating programs should be given for the farmers, butchers and abattoir workers and appropriate animal welfare control measures should be taken to stop the loss of Carcass Slaughtered es due to bruises.