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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 #173029
Title: THE EFFECT OF TRANSPORT AND HOLDING ON SALMONELLA AND CAMPYLOBACTER

Author
item Wesley, Irene
item Hurd, Howard
item Muraoka, Wayne
item Harbaugh, Ellen
item TRAMPEL, D - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Trade Journal Publication
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2004
Publication Date: 9/20/2005
Citation: Wesley, I.V., Hurd, H.S., Muraoka, W.T., Harbaugh, E., Trampel, D. 2005. The effect of transport and holding on Salmonella and Campylobacter. World Poultry. 21(9):28-30.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this initial study was to determine if perimarketing events, such as transport and holding at the slaughterhouse impact Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence in turkeys. FSIS data for the Young Poultry Baseline Survey and goals for the CDC Healthy People 2010 are reviewed to emphasize the impact of these two major bacterial foodborne pathogens. In our study, for Salmonella, floors of transport crates were swabbed after loading but prior to transport at the farm (Time 1) and after transport and holding at the abattoir (Time 2). In addition, to determine farm prevalence, environmental samples were taken at each of the six premises (n = 150); crops, ceca, and spleen were also cultured (n = 300 each). When compared with crate swabs collected after loading on-farm (Time 1, 47.75%), there was a decline in Salmonella recovered in swabs of transport crates collected after transport (Time 2, 39.42%). Salmonella was isolated overall from 38.67% of environmental samples (n = 150) taken in the turkey house. Farm prevalence, based on recoveries from ceca and spleen at slaughter, ranged from 8% to 100%. This indicates a relatively high on-farm prevalence. For Campylobacter spp. prevalence, cloacal swabs from market weight turkeys were obtained on the farm prior to the arrival of transport vehicles (Time 1, 120 swabs per flock) and after holding at the abattoir (Time 2, 120 swabs per flock). A statistically significant increase in the overall levels of Campylobacter spp. was observed in samples obtained from Flock 3 following transportation (P < 0.01). For both Salmonella and Campylobacter, distance transported was not correlated with the prevalence data.