Premium
Influence of body condition and forage type on prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in grazing beef cows
Author(s) -
Looper M.L.,
Edrington T.S.,
Rosenkrans Jr. C.F.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2009.02669.x
Subject(s) - grazing , salmonella , feces , biology , forage , escherichia coli , zoology , beef cattle , veterinary medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , agronomy , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Aim: To determine the influence of body condition (BC) and forage type on the prevalence of faecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella from beef cows. Methods and Results: Thin or moderately conditioned cows ( n = 115) were randomly assigned to graze either common bermudagrass ( n = 3 pastures) or toxic endophyte‐infected tall fescue ( n = 3 pastures) for 62 days. Faecal samples were collected on day 0, 30 and 62. Overall percentage of faecal samples positive for E. coli O157:H7 was 2·6% and 2·0% for Salmonella . Percentage of cows positive for both E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on at least one occasion was 6·1%. BC, forage type or the interaction did not influence the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella in the faeces of cows. Conclusions: BC at initiation of the grazing period or loss of BC in moderate conditioned cows during the grazing period did not influence faecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella . Consumption of either forage type did not influence faecal shedding of either E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella in beef cows of thin or moderate BC. Significance and Impact of the Study: Change in BC that typically occurs during the normal production cycle in grazing cows did not influence faecal shedding of pathogenic bacteria regardless of forage type.