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Title: EFFICACY OF LACTIC ACID TO PREVENT RAPID SALMONELLA INFECTION IN MARKET WEIGHT SWINE

Author
item Howard, Michael
item Hurd, Howard
item Gailey, Jared

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/26/2003
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Swine can become rapidly infected with Salmonellae during lairage at the abattoir and during transport; suggesting a need for intervention. The goal of this research was to determine the efficacy of lactic acid to reduce rapid salmonella infection. Thirty six market weight swine were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: 1) 0% lactic acid and 0 g Tylan; 2) 0% lactic acid and 20 g Tylan/907 kg of feed; 3) 0.44% lactic acid and 0 g Tylan; 4) 0.44% lactic acid and 20 g Tylan/907 kg of feed. Lactic acid was administered through drinking water. Lactic acid and Tylan were available to pigs for 7 d prior to euthansia. Animals were placed in a pen contaminated with Nalidixic-acid resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium ¿4232 and remained in the pen a minimum of 2 h and a maximum of 4 h prior to euthanasia. Samples of stomach fluid, ileal tissue, ileocecal lymph nodes, cecal contents, and distal colonic contents were analyzed for the presence of S. typhimurium ¿4232. Among the four treatments no differences (P < 0.05) were detected in Salmonella prevalence from stomach fluid, ileal tissue, ileocecal lymph nodes, cecal contents, and distal colonic contents. Although not statistically significant some indications of treatment effects were noted. Cecal contents of pigs drinking water free of lactic acid tended (P = 0.27) to have lower Salmonella prevalence than pigs consuming lactic acid. Distal colonic contents of Tylan-free pigs tended (P = 0.21) to have lower Salmonella prevalence than pigs consuming Tylan. Ileal tissue of pigs drinking lactic acid water tended (P = 0.28) to have lower Salmonella prevalence than pigs drinking untreated water. No treatments differences were detected in stomach-fluid concentrations of total lactic acid, dissociated, and undissociated lactic acid ions. This research suggests lactic acid was ineffective in reducing Salmonella prevalence; lack of lactic acid concentration differences in stomach fluid suggests orally consumed lactic acid was either rapidly absorbed or administered at a level that was inadequate to raise it above physiological values.