ARS | Publication request: TRACKING SALMONELLA ON THE FARM: A FARROW TO FINISH STUDY

Submitted to: International Symposium on Epidemiology and Control of Salmonella in Pork
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 22, 1997
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: There is a paucity of information regarding the on-farm ecology of Salmonella in swine production systems. One hundred pigs were selected at 1 week of age and followed through to finish. Farm visits were made at 1, 4, 9, 14, and 18 weeks and when pigs reached slaughter weight. At each visit all pigs were bled and fecal loops were collected. Ten pigs were necropsied and their tissues were processed for bacteriologic culture. Fecal (n=30/site) and feed (n=10/site) samples were also collected from the nursery, gestation, farrowing, and finish units and from suckling pigs to monitor Salmonella within the farm environment. Rodent traps were set and flies were collected. Ten serotypes and one untypable isolate were recovered during the study. The farm environment was positive throughout the study but only 3/100 pigs were positive by fecal loop. Tissues were negative through 9 weeks. At 14 weeks, five serotypes were recovered from the tissues of seven pigs, two serotypes which had been previously identified on the farm and three serotypes which had never been recovered from the farm environment. At slaughter, only 5 of 40 pigs were tissue positive. Feed was positive at 4, 9, and 18 weeks and at slaughter. Serotypes found in the feed were also recovered from pigs and the environment. All rodents and flies were negative. Serology is currently being evaluated.