Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Foreign Body in the Rumen and Reticulum of Small Ruminants Slaughtered at Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Background
The majority of the sheep and goats that live in Somalia are among the continent’s largest animal populations. A significant
portion of the Somali population relies on them as a means of sustenance and financial support. A small ruminant after eating
foreign materials can have ruminal impaction, a condition in which indigestible foreign bodies accumulate in the rumen of ruminants, leading to ruminal impaction indigestion, recurrent tympany, and many other adverse health effects.
Study
A cross-sectional method was used to conduct this study. In the data gathering procedure, researchers did a sieve on random
selection for the study in order to record the data. The data gathered were specifically tailored to the animal’s sex, age, species,
body score, and origin. Foreign bodies were examined in the rumen and reticulum during the post-mortem examination of small
ruminants at Kawaanbari slaughterhouse.
Objectives
The main objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum of small ruminants and identify associated risk factors in Kawaanbari Slaughterhouse, Mogadishu, Somalia.
Results
The study’s results showed that of the 384 small ruminants examined for foreign bodies, 154 (40.1%) were found to have foreign
bodies in their rumen or reticulum. Seventeen (4.4%) had foreign bodies located in the reticulum, while 137 (35.7%) animals
were found to have foreign bodies present in the rumen of the 104 sheep examined; 52 (13.5%) had foreign bodies; and of the
280 goats examined, 102 (26.6%) tested positive for foreign bodies. It was found that the body condition score had a statistically
significant association (p<0.05) with the presence of foreign bodies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the current study found that approximately 40.1% of various types of undigested objects were present in the
rumen and reticulum of sheep and goats from different areas in the Benadir and Shabelle regions, which were destined for
slaughter at the Kawaanbari Abattoir on the outskirts of Mogadishu. The majority of these foreign bodies were found in animals
that were in poor physical condition.
Recommendation
The study recommends that pastoralists and farmers ensure a consistent availability of feed for ruminants throughout all seasons
as a preventive measure against the ingestion of indigestible foreign bodies.