Beef refers to meat particularly from the muscles of cow, bull, heifer and steer. It is one of the most widely consumed meats globally and is appreciated for its robust flavor and nutritional composition that encompasses proteins, vitamins (like vitamin B), and minerals (including iron and zinc). This study aimed to detect and evaluate the antibiotic profile of Campylobacter species in beef processed at the Jega slaughterhouse. Twenty (20) fresh bee samples, four (4) each from Bull (an adult male bovine), Steer (a castrated male bovine), Heifer (a young female bovine that has not yet had a calf), Cow (an adult female bovine that has had at least a calf), and Yearlings (either male or female bovine that is one-year-old), were aseptically collected at evisceration, splitting and deboning, packaging and labeling, and distribution units. Conventional culture and biochemical characterization revealed the highest C. coli frequency at 8 (28.6%) in cow meat collected from the evisceration unit, whereas heifer meat collected from splitting and deboning units had the lowest C. jejuni frequency at 2 (9.50%). The zone of inhibition (mm) of the isolates ranged from 11.0±1.0 to 28.0±3.8 mm. C. coli showed susceptibility to augmentin, pefloxacin, tarivid and streptomycin at ≥25.0±0.00, while intermediate on septin, chloramphenicol, sparfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin and gentamycin at ≤24.0±0.00. C. jejuni showed susceptibility to chloramphenicol and augmentin at ≥25.0±0.00, intermediate with sparfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, tarivid and streptomycin at ≤24.0±0.00, but was resistant to septrin, amoxicillin and pefloxacin at ≤16.0±0.00. These findings signal severe diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, uremic syndrome, and kidney damage. Hence, the need for thorough monitoring and enforcement of hygienic practices in and out of the slaughterhouse.
Key words: Slaughterhouse, Beef, Campylobacter species, Diarrhea, Hemorrhagic colitis
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