Project Number: 5438-42000-015-08
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Oct 01, 2012
End Date: Jun 30, 2013

Objective:
Identify a “predictor” or “environmental marker” that can be used to determine Salmonella prevalence in feedlot environments and examine the efficacy for the predicting Salmonella prevalence in peripheral lymph nodes.

Approach:
Three feedlots will be identified for sample collection in Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska. Cattle hide and fecal swab samples will be collected (preferably at re-implant) from 4 pens per feedlot, sampling 30% of cattle per pen (target study population: ~200 cattle per feedlot; ~600 total cattle sampled in study). Environmental samples to be collected as possible predictors of Salmonella contamination include: flies, feedlot pen surface material, water troughs, feed, fecal swabs (possible indicator of assymptomatic “Salmonella super shedders”), fecal pats, and hide swabs. At harvest, final fecal swabs and subiliac lymph nodes will be collected from 30% of cattle from study pens. All samples will be processed for Salmonella enumeration and prevalence.