A study was conducted to investigate microbiological quality of goat carcass in the Ethiopian export Abattoirs, located in Modjo from January to April 2017. Swabbed samples of 180 were collected from three abattoirs: 144 were from 12 carcass of three anatomical sites (thorax, hind & foreleg), 24 employees' hands & apron, and 12 carcass washing water to determine CFU, E.coli and TPC as indicator organisms focusing carcass decontamination effects of post washing, acid spray & chilling. The mean resulted for TPC log/cm2 was 4.22, 4.03 & 3.56 for Abattoir 1, 2 & 3 respectively. Ranging 1.7 to 7.4 and mean 3.95+ 1.3 TPC log/cm2 for the water, employees' hands and apron. There was 1.9+1.006 TPC counts/ cm2, 1.38+0.874 CFU counts/ cm2 & 1.28+0.799 E.coli/cm2 mean in the carcass with statistically significance difference (p<0.05) level that meat handling procedures enabled the abattoirs with minimal microbial counts from washing to chilling. Strongly significant correlation (p<.05) among the microbials observed. The study confirmed the abattoirs slaughtering procedures enabled to deliver safe carcass with very minimum microbial counts that 96.5% of the carcass was safe cumulative wise of which 84% was categorized in excellent standards. Carcass contaminating bacteria should be determined.

Keywords: Microbial, goat carcass decontamination, Ethiopian Export abattoirs