Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Meat Inspection among Stakeholders in Owerri, South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Meat safety and disease surveillance is highly reliant on ante- and post-mortem examination of meat at local abattoirs/slaughter slabs. Sometimes unwholesome meat finds its way into the local markets, or directly onto the consumer’s table. In view of cases of emerging and re-emerging disease outbreaks of public health significance, it is important to use participatory Epidemiology to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of animal presentation for ante-mortem and post-mortem evaluation using a local abattoir in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria as a case study. Questionnaires and informal focus group interviews with stakeholders (animal owners, butchers, livestock department personnel and Veterinary officers attached to the abattoir) were key tools used in this study. Information gathered include; factors affecting the presentation of animals for inspection at the abattoir, attitude of animal owners and butchers to meat inspection, willingness and compliance of butchers during inspection, level of the butchers’ knowledge of the importance of meat inspection and degree of access of the Veterinary officer-in-charge to all slaughtered animals. Result show that factors such as market demand, economic pressure and lack of understanding influence animal owners’ and butchers’ cooperation in meat inspection. Veterinary and other livestock department personnel are not as motivated and empowered to effectively execute their duties. Thus unofficial and indiscriminate slaughtering of animals in and outside abattoirs which may include sick and pregnant ones are common.