Prevalence, characteristics and associated risk factors of rumen and reticulum foreign bodies in slaughtered sheep and goats at Jigjiga Municipal Abattoir

Abstract

In many developing countries, improper waste disposal and unrestricted grazing expose ruminants to ingestion of indigestible materials, leading to serious health and production losses. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 574 small ruminants (350 sheep and 224 goats) slaughtered at Jigjiga Municipal Abattoir (JMA) to determine the prevalence, types, and risk factors associated with indigestible rumen and reticulum foreign bodies. Overall, 32.92% (189/574) of the animals harboured foreign materials. Goats exhibited a significantly higher prevalence (45.08%) than sheep (25.14%) (χ² = 21.27, P < 0.001). Plastic bags were the most commonly encountered foreign bodies (48.7%), followed by mixed materials (28.02%), clothes (16.93%), and ropes (6.35%). The highest proportions of plastic bags and clothes occurred in sheep, while goats showed higher proportions of ropes and mixed materials. Age and body condition were significantly associated with foreign body occurrence, with higher prevalence in animals aged > 4 years (39.05%) and in those with emaciated body condition (45.45%) (P = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis identified species, age group, body condition, and animal source as significant risk factors. Goats (AOR = 2.25), emaciated animals (AOR = 5.60), animals aged 2–4 years (AOR = 2.44), and those originating from urban areas (AOR = 1.60) were more likely to contain foreign bodies. Foreign materials were predominantly located in the rumen (54%), followed by the reticulum (31%) and both compartments (15%). The findings highlight substantial environmental contamination with indigestible waste and its serious health impacts on small ruminants in the Jigjiga area. Strengthening waste management, improving grazing management, and raising community awareness are recommended to reduce the ingestion of harmful foreign materials.