Prevalence, Types and Associated Factors of Liver Lesions in Slaughtered Sheep and Goats at The Suame Abattoir, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

An active cross-sectional abattoir study was conducted to assess the prevalence, types and associated factors of liver lesions in 
sheep and goat at the Suame Abattoir in Kumasi- Ghana. A total prevalence rate of 13.2% liver lesions was recorded with a 7.3% 
and 5.9% prevalence rate in sheep and goats respectively. Liver abscess was recorded in 80.71% pathologic liver samples 
followed by liver fibrosis (5.71%), calcified cysts (2.86%), liver putrefaction (2.14%), liver cirrhosis (2.14%), melanosis (2.14%), 
hydatid cyst (1.42%) and fatty infiltration (1.42%), hepatitis (0.71%) and liver with urate deposits (gout) (0.71%). More liver 
lesions were found in the West African Dwarf Sheep (WADS) (54.5%) as compared to the Sahelian breed (45.5%) of sheep. The 
West African Dwarf Goat (WADG) had a higher occurrence (76.2%) of liver lesions than the Sahelian (23.8%). Female sheep 
and goats had higher occurrences of liver lesions as compared to the male. The adult (> 2 years) sheep and goats had more liver 
lesions compared to the young (< 2 years). Sheep and goats with good body condition score recorded higher liver pathologies 
with more recorded in the dry season. The differences in occurrence of liver lesions with respect to species of small ruminant 
was statistically significant (p < 0.05) whilst that of breed, sex, age and season of occurrence were not significantly different (p 
>0.05). Good animal husbandry practices should be employed to lower the incidence of liver pathologies in small ruminants. 
Expert policies to trace back to towns of origin of small ruminants that present with liver diseases should be put in place by the 
abattoir.