insight into cattle carcass condemnation due to septicemia in iran: evidence from the slaughterhouse in mashhad city, iran

Background: septicemia in cattle remains a significant concern in the meat production industry, often leading to carcass condemnation at slaughterhouses and economic losses while posing potential public health risks.objectives: this study aimed to assess the septicemia condemnation in the cattle population slaughtered in an industrial slaughterhouse in iran.methods: the data used in the present study were sourced from an industrial slaughterhouse in khorasan razavi province, iran, covering all cattle slaughtered from january 1, 2018, to december 31, 2023. data included slaughter date, sex, type of condemnation (total or partial), number of condemned carcasses, and organs condemned in partial cases. global, total, and partial condemnation rates (pcr) were calculated based on post-mortem inspections (pmis).results: out of 474585 cattle slaughtered, 2588 carcasses were condemned due to septicemia, comprising 1501 total and 1087 partial condemnations. female cattle exhibited higher susceptibility, with total condemnation rates (tcr) of 0.588% and pcr of 0.499%, compared to males, which had tcr of 0.099% and pcr of 0.004%. seasonal analysis revealed that the highest condemnation rates occurred during the summer, with kidneys and heads being the most frequently condemned organs, accounting for 30.08% and 17.29% of partial condemnations, respectively. annual analysis revealed fluctuating rates, peaking in 2022 without a declining trend.conclusion: these results highlight significant sex- and season-related differences in septicemia condemnation rates. comparison with international studies underscores the need for improved management practices, veterinary supervision, and environmental controls to reduce condemnation rates, ensuring enhanced meat safety and public health.