## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Total Viable Count (TVC)  
The total viable count of bacteria (TVC) in samples gathered from two slaughterhouses and six butcher shops was done using culture methods and listed in Table 1 and Figure 1. The mean TVC of camel samples ranged from log\({}_{10}\) 3.3 to log\({}_{10}\) 6.2 CFU/g in slaughterhouses and log\({}_{10}\) 2.8 to log\({}_{10}\) 6.9 CFU/g in butcher shops. Ten of 20 camel samples collected from the slaughterhouses fell within the critical limits of the microbiological criteria for foodstuffs created by G.C.C Standardization Organization (GSO 1016:2015) [16]. while the remaining samples were within standard limits. Three out of the 20 butcher shops samples exceeded the limits with counts \(\geq\)log\({}_{10}\) 6 CFU/g, 12 were within critical limits, and the remaining five were within standard limits. Similarly, the average TVC of cattle samples varied from log\({}_{10}\) 3.8 to log\({}_{10}\) 5.7 CFU/g in slaughterhouses and from log\({}_{10}\) 4.2 to log\({}_{10}\) 6.7 CFU/g in butcher shops. Half of the 20 cattle samples from slaughterhouses were within critical limits and the remaining were within standard limits while 3 cattle samples from butcher shops surpassed the standard limits and 8 were within standard limits.  
Sheep samples, in general, demonstrated lower bacterial contamination levels, with TVC means ranging from log\({}_{10}\) 3.4 to log\({}_{10}\) 6.6 CFU/g in slaughterhouses and from log\({}_{10}\) 3 to log\({}_{10}\) 6.9 CFU/g in butcher shops. Two sheep samples from slaughterhouses were within the critical limits with counts of log\({}_{10}\) 5 CFU/g, and only one sample exceeded standard limits with log\({}_{10}\) 6.6 CFU/g and 17 samples were within standard limits. With regard to butcher shop samples, 5 samples showed TVC values exceeding standard limits with \(\geq\)log\({}_{10}\) 6 CFU/g, 9 samples were within the critical limits with log\({}_{10}\) 5 CFU/g, while the remaining samples were within standard limits. These results are in alignment with findings reported in many researches [17; 18].  
The TVC levels found in this study were significantly higher in butcher shops than in slaughterhouses. This heightened contamination in butcher shops can be attributed to the  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{3}{*}{**Scheme.**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Camels**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Cattle**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Sheep**} \\  & **TVC** & **Coliform** & **TVC** & **Coliform** & **TVC** & **Coliform** \\  & **(Log\({}_{10}\). CFU/g)** & **(MPN/g)** & **(Log\({}_{10}\). CFU/g)** & **(MPN/g)** & **(Log\({}_{10}\). CFU/g)** & **(MPN/g)** \\  & **Mean** & **Mean** & **Mean** & **Mean** & **Mean** & **Mean** \\  & **(\(\pm\)SD)** & **(\(\pm\)SD)** & **(\(\pm\)SD)** & **(\(\pm\)SD)** & **(\(\pm\)SD)** & **(\(\pm\)SD)** \\ \hline Slaughterhouse & 4.2 & 6.2 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 4.58 & 8 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 3.9 & 4.6 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) \\ (North) & (\(\pm\)0.61) & (\(\pm\)1.35) & (\(\pm\)0.34) & (\(\pm\)3.0) & (\(\pm\)0.48) & (\(\pm\)1.26) \\ Slaughterhouse & 4.6 & 8.8 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 4.45 & 8.2 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 4.5 & 4.4 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) \\ (South) & (\(\pm\)0.61) & (\(\pm\)1.45) & (\(\pm\)0.56) & (\(\pm\)2.67) & (\(\pm\)0.30) & (\(\pm\)1.20) \\ Total mean & 4.4 & 7.5 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 4.5 & 8.1 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) & 4.2 & 4.5 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) \\  & (\(\pm\)0.98) & (\(\pm\)0.98)  
fact that different types of meat are often handled side by side in butcher shops, allowing bacteria to transfer from one product to another (cross-contamination). In addition, more hands touching meat products in butcher shops is a potential for contamination from humans, improper utensil sanitation is another source of contamination, and the long exposure time in dis-playing meats allows bacteria more time to multiply [19].