ARS | Publication request: SALMONELLA SHEDDING BY FEEDLOT CATTLE IN THE UNITED STATES

Submitted to: International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 11, 1997
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A convenience sample of 100 feedlots was selected from those participating in the 1994 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Cattle on Feed Evaluation (COFE). Within each feedlot fecal samples were collected from the floor of two pens of cattle, those that had been in the feedlot the shortest amount of time and those that had been in the feedlot the longest amount of time. Up to 25 samples of 30 grams of feces were collected in each pen. Fecal samples were cultured using media selective for Salmonella spp. Following the isolation of Salmonella organisms the isolates were serogrouped and serotyped. Overall Salmonella spp were recovered from 5.5% of the samples collected. The sample prevalence of Salmonella varied by time on feed (3.5% for short-fed pens and 7.4% for long-fed pens). Salmonella spp. were recovered from 38 of the 100 feedlots. The isolates represented 26 serotypes. The five most common serotypes identified were S. anatum (27.9% of isolates), S. montevideo (12.9%), S. muenster (11.8%), S. kentucky (8.2%), and S. newington (4.3%). Shedding of Salmonella spp serotypes commonly associated with human illness by cattle in this study occurred infrequently.