Application of Multivariate Mapping in Classification of Diseases of Bunaji Cattle Slaughtered at Jos Abattoir, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study aimed at describing objectively, the interdependence among diseases of cattle slaughtered in Jos abattoir and mapping using multivariate techniques.  In the study, slaughter health records of cattle slaughtered in Jos abattoir, Plateau State for ten years (2006-2016) was reviewed. The cases at ante-mortem and postmortem were based on examination of animals, organs and carcasses by Veterinary officers. We performed principal component and factor analysis using R 3.0.3 statistical software. Factor 1 was sensitive to lumpy skin disease, wound, mastitis, tuberculosis (TB), Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and jaundice while factor 2 had high scores for abscess, helminthosis and TB. The appearance of TB in both factors implies that TB was a major public health threat among the cattle slaughtered in Jos abattoir from the year 2006 – 2011. From 2012-2016, however, mastitis, splenomegaly, hardware disease and TB were diseases and conditions observed to be more prevalent in Jos abattoir slaughter records. Bovine tuberculosis has been mapped to be the most prevalent disease with significant animal-human interface on the Plateau. Testing using molecular tools and development of algorithm tracker for the detection of bovine tuberculosis should be of great significance to public health in attempt to mitigate the wave of transmission of zoonotic diseases between animals and humans.