Bacterial Contamination of Sheep Carcasses in El-Kadroo Slaughterhouse in Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

This study aimed to determine bacterial contamination on sheep carcasses at El-Kadroo slaughterhouse in Khartoum State, Sudan. The study was conducted during the period from January to April 2016. Ninety swab samples were collected from three sites of sheep carcass including shoulder, flank and rump (30 samples from each site) after the last washing. The total viable count (TVC) was used to assess bacterial contamination. Isolation and identification of the bacteria performed by using standard bacteriological and biochemical methods. Samples taken from the three parts had the highest TVC of 4.93x10⁸ cfu⁄cm² for flanks, 2.1x10⁸ cfu⁄cm² for shoulder and 6.3x10⁷ cfu⁄cm² for rump respectively (P<0.021). Bacteria isolated from the samples were Staphylococcus spp.79 (37.7%), Bacillus spp. 56 (26.7%), Corynebacterium spp. 26 (12.4%), Klebsiella and Kurthia 7(3.3%), while Actinobacillus, Streptococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, Aerococcus spp., Nocardia spp., Eschericia, Nocardia and Pseudomonas spp. with isolation rate of 1to 6 (0.5 -2.9%) of which some may be pathogenic and of public health concern. Variations in TCV and various type of bacteria were observed at different sites of the sheep carcasses is an indication of low standards of handling practices from pre-slaughter to post–slaughter, abattoir facilities, and equipments