Oxytetracycline residues in beef in Gomba district, Uganda and farmers’ awareness of their effects on human health

Oxytetracline is among the antibiotics most widely used to treat diseases in cattle. Its irrational use among cattle farmers has led to its residues ending up in the food chain. Information regarding the Oxytracycline residues in food in developing countries like Uganda is still scanty and this has put consumers at risk. This study thus determined the levels of Oxytetracycline residues in beef and assessed level of awareness of their effects on human health among cattle farmers in Gomba district. A cross-sectional study design involving qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed. A total of 378 cattle farmers were enrolled in the study in addition to collection of 419 beef samples that were analyzed for Oxytetracycline residues using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Awareness among cattle farmers regarding effects of Oxytetracycline residues to human health was analyzed using STATA. Level of Oxytetracycline residues in beef samples were expressed as means±Standard Deviation in MS Excel. Data from Focus Group Discussions involving cattle farmers was analyzed using Nvivo. Results from this study revealed prevalence of Oxytetracycline residues in beef from Gomba district to be high, 76.6% (321) with 76.0% (244) beef samples having Oxytetracycline residues above permitted maximum residue limits (MRL). The mean concentrations were 881.9 ± 457.8µg/kg for muscle, 1364.8 ± 1227.9µg/kg for liver and 3470.2 ± 1910.2µg/kg for kidney. The level of awareness among farmers on Oxytetracycline residues was significantly associated with education level (p = 0.000), the person who administers the drug (p = 0.000) and gender (p = 0.026). The detected high Oxytetracycline residue levels in beef were attributed to the irrational use of Oxytetracycline by farmers. There is therefore need to sensitize farmers on the effects of Oxytetracycline residues on human health. There should also be strict regulation by the government through legislation against the irrational use of veterinary drugs by non-professionals.