Detection of antimicrobial drug residues in edible tissues from Bunaji cattle slaughtered in Minna modern abattoir

Abstract

The occurrence of antimicrobial drug residues in edible tissues of slaughtered animals in Nigeria due to indiscriminate drug administration by livestock farmers necessitated this study in Bunaji cattle slaughtered in Minna modern abattoir. A total of 168 edible tissues comprising of meat, liver and kidney were collected from 56 Bunaji cattle slaughtered every two weeks for a period of four months. Microbial inhibition test was employed to screen samples for evidence of antimicrobial drug residues as well as quantitative test using ELISA test kid. 29 (51.78%) samples tested positive with zone of inhibition at various levels of residue (12, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 20mm), which signified high levels of residue. Samples from female cattle contained highest residue value of 20 (68.90%) and values at 20mm. Ages between 6-10 years had 17 (58.62%) while the lowest residue was recorded at older animals above 10 years 5(17.24%). The quantitative test using ELISA test kid showed a total of 89 (52.78%) of the samples confirmed positive at various inhibition levels. Oxytetracycline residues from the positive results were determined for meat, liver and kidney. The results obtained indicated that, 100 % of the samples contained oxytetracycline residues at various optical density levels. 41.78 %, were above set residue limits of 0.2 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg and 1.2 mg /kg for meat, liver and kidney, respectively. From the results it is authenticated that consumers in Minna metropolitan are predisposed to health hazards due to high levels of antimicrobials residues in meat slaughtered in the abattoir. This emphasises the need for effective prevention of infectious diseases, enforcement of ante-mortem inspection, general enlightenment and possible establishment of antimicrobial residues monitoring unit in the study area.