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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #214772
Title: Diversity of Salmonella spp and other pathogens in dairy wastewater flow on the Southern High Plains

Author
item Purdy, Charles
item RALEIGH, RUSSELL - VET DIAG LAB, TAMU
item STRAUS, DAVID - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2007
Publication Date: 12/2/2007
Citation: Purdy, C.W., Raleigh, R.H., Straus, D.C. 2007. Diversity of Salmonella spp and other pathogens in dairy wastewater flow on the Southern High Plains. In: Proceedings of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases 88th Annual Meeting, December 2-4, 2007, Chicago, Illinois. A22, p. 124.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wastewater flows of 4 large (2,500 to 4,500 head) dairies were investigated for potential zoonotic pathogens. Study objectives were to quantify the microbes and identify pathogens along the dairy's wastewater flows. Wastewater started with an automatic wash of the milking parlor floor and then flowed through open channels or drainage pipes to the lagoon. Lagoon water was pumped to center-pivot irrigation pipes for irrigation of forage crops. Three of the 4 dairies used re-circulated lagoon water to periodically flush behind the feeding alleys to move manure back into the lagoon. Wastewater was collected in triplicate from 13 sites along the dairy water flows for microbial isolation. General and selective media and enrichment broths were used to grow and identify the microbes. The Biolog identification system was also used to identify bacteria and yeast. Results: Sixteen Salmonella enterica serovars among 478 Salmonella isolates, Listeria monocytogenes, L. (Jonesia) denitrificans, Providencia alcalifaciens, Streptococcus hyointestinalis Group B, Escherichia fergusonii, E. coli 0157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermitis, S., saprophyticus, and Bordetella bronchiseptica were isolated. Conclusions: Pathogens identified in dairy wastewater indicated that caution is necessary when using this water in order to prevent the spread of zoonotic pathogens on the dairy, and to prevent the infection of human and bovine hosts.