Prevalence and Gross Characteristics of Urinary Calculi in Sheep and Goats Slaughtered at Kabul City Abattoir
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Abstract
Urolithiasis is an important urinary disorder in small ruminants that may lead to urinary obstruction, health complications, and economic losses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, anatomical location, and macroscopic characteristics of urinary calculi in sheep and goats slaughtered at Kabul City abattoir, Afghanistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2026, during which 407 small ruminants (185 goats and 222 sheep) were selected using a convenience sampling method. Animal-related data, including species, sex, age, breed, body condition score, and castration status, were recorded before slaughter. After slaughter, the entire urinary system (kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra) was opened and macroscopically examined for urinary calculi. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the prevalence was estimated with a 95% confidence interval using the Clopper-Pearson exact method. Of the 407 animals examined, one case of urinary calculus was identified, yielding a prevalence of 0.25% (95% CI: 0.01–1.36%). The affected animal was a 4-year-old, non-castrated male goat of a local breed with a body condition score of 4. A single yellowish-brown urinary calculus, approximately 3 mm in diameter and weighing 0.205 g, was detected in the right renal pelvis. Although all animals appeared clinically normal at ante-mortem examination, the presence of a calculus in one animal indicates that subclinical urolithiasis can occur in slaughtered sheep and goats without apparent clinical signs of disease. This study provides preliminary data on urinary calculi in sheep and goats slaughtered at a Kabul City abattoir and may support future investigations on the epidemiology and prevention of urolithiasis in small ruminants in Afghanistan.
Keywords
Sheep, Goats, Urinary calculi, Abattoir, Afghanistan##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Zafari, N., Tawfeeq, M. M., & Ahmadzai, M. A. (2026). Prevalence and Gross Characteristics of Urinary Calculi in Sheep and Goats Slaughtered at Kabul City Abattoir. Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences, 5(02), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v5i02.491
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