Biosecurity And Salmonella-Related Food Safety Challenges In Poultry Value Chains In Central Ethiopia

Korte beschrijving

Ethiopia's poultry production sector, predominantly centered on chickens, is experiencing significant growth, especially in urban and peri-urban regions. However, this expansion is hampered by several constraints, notably diseases linked to inadequate biosecurity practices. This thesis investigates these challenges, with a particular focus on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella, and examines the broader implications for public health, biosecurity practices, and policy interventions. The study reveals that biosecurity practices in Ethiopian poultry farms are considerably below global standards. An assessment of 226 poultry farms in central Ethiopia showed an overall biosecurity score of 43.1%, compared to the global average of 64.3%. This inadequate biosecurity is consistent across different scales of poultry farms, highlighting a systemic issue. The biosecurity practices were also highly compromised in the poultry farm supporting facilities which are otherwise known as off farm facilities that include feed processing plants, hatcheries and slaughter houses. The research disclosed a high prevalence of Salmonella in both poultry farms and retail environments. An overall prevalence of 50.6% at the farm level and 14.4% at the sample level was observed. Additionally, the occurrence of Salmonella in poultry products from farms and retailer shops was 11.3%, indicating a significant food safety hazard. Furthermore, this study underscored a critical public health threat posed by antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella. The findings showed multi-drug resistance in Salmonella isolates to 10 out of the 12 tested antibiotics. This resistance can complicate treatment options and highlights the need for stringent antimicrobial stewardship in the poultry sector.