The Prevalence and Economic Importance of Hydatidosis in Slaughtered Cattle in the Afyonkarahisar Province of Türkiye

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hydatid cysts, an infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus, in cattle and estimate the economic losses caused by this infection. The material of the study (weight values of 2,813 cattle livers) was obtained from a private slaughterhouse in Afyonkarahisar between January and June 2018. Cattle livers were first weighed as a whole. As a result of the macroscopic examination, the liver parts with infection were cut, and their weight (kg) was determined. Hydatid cysts were found in a total of 614 (21.83%) cattle livers. The total weight of cattle liver that was examined in the study was 20,357.8 kg, and the total weight of infected cattle liver was 2,064.8 kg (10.14%). The economic loss due to infected livers was calculated as 79,556.74 TRY ($13,981.85). Considering the 2019 cattle slaughter data in Türkiye, the total amount of economic loss due to infected livers was estimated as 102,742,642.10 TRY ($18,056,703.36).