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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141074
Title: IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL PRE-HARVEST TRANSPORTATION AND HOLDING ON THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA IN CULL SOWS

Author
item LARSEN, S - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item MCKEAN, J - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item HURD, HOWARD
item ROSTAGNO, M - FEDERAL UNIV LAVRAS, BR
item GRIFFITH, R - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item WESLEY, IRENE

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2002
Publication Date: 11/12/2002
Citation: LARSEN, S.T., MCKEAN, J.D., HURD, H.S., ROSTAGNO, M.H., GRIFFITH, R.W., WESLEY, I.V. IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL PRE-HARVEST TRANSPORTATION AND HOLDING ON THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA IN CULL SOWS. CONFERENCE OF RESEARCH WORKERS IN ANIMAL DISEASES. 2002. ABSTRACT P. 50P.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of Salmonella enterica in cull sows from farm to the abattoir. There were 181 selected cull sows from five sampling periods over 10 weeks. Fecal samples (10 g) were collected at the farm 24 h before loading and at the live hog market. Tissue samples (ileocecal lymph node, cecal contents, transverse colon contents, ventral thoracic lymph node, subiliac lymph node and sponge swabs of the left and right carcass section) were collected at the abattoir. The percent of positive fecal samples at the farm and the live hog market were 2% and 3%, respectively. After transport and holding, 41% of cull sows yielded S. enterica in one or more sampled tissues. Total cecal content isolation rates (33%) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than ileocecal lymph node (7%), abattoir fecal (11%) and ventral thoracic/subiliac lymph node (2%) isolation rates. After a lactic acid carcass wash, 7% of carcasses were positive compared to 14% before the carcass wash (P <0.05). Two S. enterica serotypes were found at the farm and the live hog market, Derby and Infantis. At the abattoir, 12 other serotypes not found at the farm or the live hog market were recovered. This study demonstrates that transport and holding practices contributed to an increased S. enterica contamination prior to slaughter to levels much higher than found on farm.