Impact of Transportation of Feedlot Cattle to the Harvest Facility on the Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Total Aerobic Microorganisms on Hides

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. REICKS ◽  
M. M. BRASHEARS ◽  
K. D. ADAMS ◽  
J. C. BROOKS ◽  
J. R. BLANTON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Before And After

Prevalences of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and total aerobic microorganisms were determined on the hides of beef feedlot cattle before and after transport from the feedyard to the harvest facility in clean and dirty trailers. Swab samples were taken from the midline and withers of 40 animals on each of 8 days before and after shipping. After samples were collected, animals were loaded in groups of 10 on upper and lower levels of clean and dirty trailers. Animals were unloaded at the harvest facility and kept in treatment groups for sample collection after exsanguination. Salmonella was found more often on hide swabs collected from the midline than on than samples collected from the withers from animals transported in both clean and dirty trailers. Salmonella was found on significantly more hide swabs collected at harvest from both sampling locations than on those collected at the feedyard, with no differences attributed to the type of trailer. At the feedyard, clean trucks had a lower percentage of Salmonella-positive samples than did dirty trucks before animals were loaded. However, after transport, both clean and dirty trucks had a similar prevalence of Salmonella. There were no differences in Salmonella prevalence on hides collected from animals transported on the top and bottom levels of clean and dirty trucks. E. coli O157:H7 was detected on less than 2% of the samples; therefore, no practical conclusions about prevalence could be drawn. Hides sampled at harvest had higher concentrations of aerobic microorganisms than did hides sampled at the feedyard, and concentrations were higher on the midline than on the withers. Although the prevalences of Salmonella and total aerobic microorganisms increased on hides after transport from the feedyard to the plant, this increase was not related to the cleanliness of the trailers or the location of the cattle in the trailers.

Monitoring Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Inoculated and Naturally Colonized Feedlot Cattle and Their Environment

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. STANFORD ◽  
S. J. BACH ◽  
T. H. MARX ◽  
S. JONES ◽  
J. R. HANSEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Feeding Period ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Challenge Study ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Feed Samples

On-farm methods of monitoring Escherichia coli O157:H7 were assessed in 30 experimentally inoculated steers housed in four pens over a 12-week period and in 202,878 naturally colonized feedlot cattle housed in 1,160 pens on four commercial Alberta feedlots over a 1-year period. In the challenge study, yearling steers were experimentally inoculated with 1010 CFU of a four-strain mixture of nalidixic acid–resistant E. coli O157:H7. After inoculation, shedding of E. coli O157:H7 was monitored weekly by collecting rectal fecal samples (FEC), oral swabs (ORL), pooled fecal pats (PAT), manila ropes (ROP) orally accessed for 4 h, feed samples, water, and water bowl interface. Collection of FEC from all animals per pen provided superior isolation (P < 0.01) of E. coli O157:H7 compared with other methods, although labor and animal restraint requirements for fecal sample collection were high. When one sample was collected per pen of animals, E. coli O157:H7 was more likely to be detected from the ROP than from the FEC, PAT, or ORL (P < 0.001). In the commercial feedlot study, samples were limited to ROP and PAT, and E. coli O157:H7 was isolated in 18.8% of PAT and 6.8% of ROP samples. However, for animals that had been resident in the feedlot pen for at least 1 month, isolation of E. coli O157:H7 from ROP was not different from that from PAT (P = 0.35). Pens of animals on feed for <30 days were six times more likely to shed E. coli O157:H7 than were animals on feed for >30 days. However, change in diet did not affect shedding of the organism (P > 0.23) provided that animals had acclimated to the feedlot for 1 month or longer. Findings from this study indicate the importance of introduction of mitigation strategies early in the feeding period to reduce transference and the degree to which E. coli O157:H7 is shed into the environment.

Factors Associated with the Presence of Escherichia coli O157 in Feces of Feedlot Cattle

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 466-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID A. DARGATZ ◽  
SCOTT J. WELLS ◽  
LEE ANN THOMAS ◽  
DALE D. HANCOCK ◽  
LINDSEY P. GARBER
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Health History ◽  
Collection Data ◽  
Cattle Health

Fecal samples were collected from pens of cattle in a total of 100 feedlots in 13 states. Fecal samples were cultured for Escherichia coli O157. E. coli O157 isolates were probed for the genetic coding for verotoxin production. At the time of sample collection, data were collected on the type of cattle present in the pen, as well as the length of time these cattle were in the feedlot, ingredients for the current ration, and cattle health history since arriving in the feedlot. Factors associated with increased likelihood of a pen being positive (one or more samples probe-positive for E. coli O157) included feeding of barley (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75) and cattle being on feed less than 20 days (OR = 3.39). Factors associated with a reduced likelihood of a pen being positive included feeding soy meal (OR = 0.50), a cattle entry weight of at least 700 lb (ca. 317.5 kg) (OR = 0.54), and at least 85% of the cattle in the pen being beef-type heifers (OR = .33).

Distribution of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella on Hide Surfaces, the Oral Cavity, and in Feces of Feedlot Cattle

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1346-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. P. STEPHENS ◽  
G. H. LONERAGAN ◽  
T. W. THOMPSON ◽  
A. SRIDHARA ◽  
L. A. BRANHAM ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Sampling Location ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Multiple Sample

To determine the distribution of pathogens on cattle hides at the feedlot, samples were collected from six hide surface locations (back, flank, hock, neck, perineum, and ventrum), the oral cavity, the rectal-anal junction, and the feces of feedlot cattle and subjected to Escherichia coli O157 detection via culture methods and to Salmonella detection via PCR. E. coli O157 was isolated from one or more of the sampling locations from 31 (42.5%) of the 73 animals sampled. Location-specific prevalence of E. coli O157 was 5% for back samples, 5% for flank samples, 12% for hock samples, 7% for neck samples, 12% for perineum samples, 8% for ventrum samples, 1% for oral cavity samples, 4% for rectal-anal junction swabs, and 23% for fecal grab samples. Salmonella was isolated from one or more of these sample locations from 100% (50 of 50 samples) of all animals sampled. Location-specific prevalence of Salmonella was 76% for back samples, 74% for flank samples, 94% for hock samples, 76% for neck samples, 88% for perineum samples, 86% for ventrum samples, 94% for oral cavity samples, 64% for rectal-anal junction swabs, and 50% for fecal grab samples. The sampling locations that maximized the likelihood of finding E. coli O157 and Salmonella (84 and 96%, respectively) if the animal was positive at one sampling location or more were the hock, perineum, and fecal grab. These data suggest that the use of multiple sample locations is useful when isolating these pathogens from feedlot cattle. Focusing on one sampling location may underestimate the prevalence.

A Comparison of the Survival in Feces and Water of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Grown under Laboratory Conditions or Obtained from Cattle Feces

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. SCOTT ◽  
P. McGEE ◽  
J. J. SHERIDAN ◽  
B. EARLEY ◽  
N. LEONARD
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Foodborne Pathogen ◽  
Hemorrhagic Colitis ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cattle Feces ◽  
Oral Inoculation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Uremic Syndrome

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Cattle feces and fecally contaminated water are important in the transmission of this organism on the farm. In this study, the survival of E. coli O157:H7 in feces and water was compared following passage through the animal digestive tract or preparation in the laboratory. Feces were collected from steers before and after oral inoculation with a marked strain of E. coli O157:H7. Fecal samples collected before cattle inoculation were subsequently inoculated with the marked strain of E. coli O157:H7 prepared in the laboratory. Subsamples were taken from both animal and laboratory-inoculated feces to inoculate 5-liter volumes of water. E. coli O157:H7 in feces survived up to 97 days, and survival was not affected by the method used to prepare the inoculating strain. E. coli O157:H7 survived up to 109 days in water, and the bacteria collected from inoculated cattle were detected up to 10 weeks longer than the laboratory-prepared culture. This study suggests that pathogen survival in low-nutrient conditions may be enhanced by passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Use of the Systems Approach To Determine the Fate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Fresh Lettuce and Spinach

2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 1560-1568 ◽  
Author(s):  
HELGA J. DOERING ◽  
MARK A. HARRISON ◽  
RUTH A. MORROW ◽  
WILLIAM C. HURST ◽  
WILLIAM L. KERR
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Storage Temperature ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Field Temperature ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Handling Practices

Lettuce and spinach inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 were processed and handled in ways that might occur in commercial situations, including variations in holding times before and after product cooling, transportation conditions and temperatures, wash treatments, and product storage temperatures and times. Populations of background microflora and E. coli O157:H7 were enumerated after each step in the system. Data analysis was done to predict response variables with a combination of independent categorical variables. Field temperature, time before cooling, and wash treatment significantly affected E. coli O157:H7 populations on both products. The lowest populations of E. coli O157:H7 were encountered when precool time was minimal, lettuce was washed with chlorine, and storage temperature was 4°C. For lettuce, field and transportation temperature were not important once the storage period started, whereas after 2 days E. coli O157:H7 populations on packaged baby spinach were not affected by field temperature. On chopped iceberg lettuce and whole leaf spinach that was packaged and stored at 4°C, E. coli O157:H7 contamination could still be detected after typical handling practices, although populations decreased from initial levels in many cases by at least 1.5 log units. In abusive cases, where populations increased, the product quality quickly deteriorated. Although E. coli O157:H7 levels decreased on products handled and stored under recommended conditions, survivors persisted. This study highlights practices that may or may not affect the populations of E. coli O157:H7 on the final product.

Comparison of Two Sampling Methods for Escherichia coli O157:H7 Detection in Feedlot Cattle

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1724-1728 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. KHAITSA ◽  
M. L. BAUER ◽  
P. S. GIBBS ◽  
G. P. LARDY ◽  
D. DOETKOTT ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Sampling Time ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Confounding Factors ◽  
Rank Tests ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Signed Rank ◽  
Sampling Times

Two sampling methods (rectoanal swabs and rectal fecal grabs) were compared for their recovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from feedlot cattle. Samples were collected from 144 steers four times during the finishing period by swabbing the rectoanal mucosa with cotton swabs and immediately obtaining feces from the rectum of each individual steer. The number of steers with detectable E. coli O157:H7 increased from 2 of 144 (1.4%) cattle on arrival at the feedlot to 10 of 144 (6.9%) after 1 month, 76 of 143 (52.8%) after 7 months, and 30 of 143 (20.8%) at the last sampling time before slaughter. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated that the two sampling methods gave different results for sampling times 3 and 4 (P < 0.05) but not for sampling time 2 (P = 0.16). Agreement between the two sampling methods was poor (kappa < 0.2) for three of the four sampling times and moderate (kappa = 0.6) for one sampling time, an indication that in this study rectoanal swabs usually were less sensitive than rectal fecal grabs for detection of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle. Overall, the herd of origin was not significantly associated with E. coli O157:H7 results, but the weight of the steers was. Further investigation is needed to determine the effects of potential confounding factors (e.g., size and type of swab, consistency of feces, site sampled, and swabbing technique) that might influence the sensitivity of swabs in recovering E. coli O157:H7 from the rectoanal mucosa of cattle.

Fecal Shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in North Dakota Feedlot Cattle in the Fall and Spring

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1154-1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARGARET L. KHAITSA ◽  
MARC L. BAUER ◽  
GREGORY P. LARDY ◽  
DAWN K. DOETKOTT ◽  
REDEMPTA B. KEGODE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
North Dakota ◽  
The United States ◽  
Extreme Weather ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Fecal Shedding ◽  
E Coli

Cattle are an important reservoir of Escherichia coli O157:H7, which can lead to contamination of food and water, and subsequent human disease. E. coli O157:H7 shedding in cattle has been reported as seasonal, with more animals shedding during summer and early fall than during winter. North Dakota has relatively cold weather, especially in winter and early spring, compared with many other regions of the United States. The objective was to assess fecal shedding of E. coli O157: H7 in North Dakota feedlot cattle over the fall, winter, and early spring. One hundred forty-four steers were assigned randomly to 24 pens on arrival at the feedlot. Samples of rectal feces were obtained from each steer four times (October and November 2003, and March and April 2004) during finishing. On arrival (October 2003), 2 (1.4%) of 144 cattle were shedding E. coli O157:H7. The shedding increased significantly to 10 (6.9%) of 144 after 28 days (November 2003), to 76 (53%) of 143 at the third sampling (March 2004), and dropped significantly to 30 (21%) of 143 at the fourth (last) sampling (March 2004) before slaughter. Unfortunately, we were unable to sample the cattle during winter because of the extreme weather conditions. Sampling time significantly (P < 0.0001) influenced variability in E. coli O157:H7 shedding, whereas herd (P = 0.08) did not. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 shedding in North Dakota steers in fall and early spring was comparable to what has been reported in other parts of the United States with relatively warmer weather. Further research into E. coli O157:H7 shedding patterns during extreme weather such as North Dakota winters is warranted in order to fully assess the seasonal effect on the risk level of this organism.

Ecological Relationships between the Prevalence of Cattle Shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Characteristics of the Cattle or Conditions of the Feedlot Pen†

2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 1899-1903 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID SMITH ◽  
MARK BLACKFORD ◽  
SPRING YOUNTS ◽  
RODNEY MOXLEY ◽  
JEFF GRAY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Weight Class ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Ecological Relationships ◽  
Average Body ◽  
Tank Water ◽  
Average Body Weight

This study was designed to describe the percentage of cattle shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Midwestern U.S. feedlots and to discover relationships between the point prevalence of cattle shedding the organism and the characteristics of those cattle or the conditions of their pens. Cattle from 29 pens of five Midwestern feedlots were each sampled once between June and September 1999. Feces were collected from the rectum of each animal in each pen. Concurrently, samples of water were collected from the water tank, and partially consumed feed was collected from the feedbunk of each pen. Characteristics of the cattle and conditions of each pen that might have affected the prevalence of cattle shedding E. coli O157:H7 were recorded. These factors included the number of cattle; the number of days on feed; and the average body weight, class, and sex of the cattle. In addition, the temperature and pH of the tank water were determined, and the cleanliness of the tank water and the condition of the pen floor were subjectively assessed. The samples of feces, feed, and water were tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from the feces of 719 of 3,162 cattle tested (23%), including at least one animal from each of the 29 pens. The percentage of cattle in a pen shedding E. coli O157:H7 did not differ between feedyards, but it did vary widely within feedyards. A higher prevalence of cattle shed E. coli O157:H7 from muddy pen conditions than cattle from pens in normal condition. The results of this study suggest that E. coli O157:H7 should be considered common to groups of feedlot cattle housed together in pens and that the condition of the pen floor may influence the prevalence of cattle shedding the organism.

Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157 in Feedlot Cattle

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 462-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
DALE D. HANCOCK ◽  
DANIEL H. RICE ◽  
LEE ANN THOMAS ◽  
DAVID A. DARGATZ ◽  
THOMAS E. BESSER
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
The United States ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Flagellar Antigen ◽  
Low Prevalence

Fecal samples from cattle in 100 feedlots in 13 states were bacteriologically cultured for Escherichia coli O157 that did not ferment sorbitol, lacked beta-glucuronidase, and possessed genes coding for Shiga-like toxin. In each feedlot 30 fresh fecal-pat samples were collected from each of four pens: with the cattle shortest on feed, with cattle longest on feed, and with cattle in two randomly selected pens. E. coli O157 was isolated from 210 (1.8%) of 11,881 fecal samples. One or more samples were positive for E. coli O157 in 63 of the 100 feedlots tested. E. coli O157 was found at roughly equal prevalence in all the geographical regions sampled. The prevalence of E. coli O157 in the pens with cattle shortest on feed was approximately threefold higher than for randomly selected and longest on feed pens. Of the E. coli O157 isolates found in this study, 89.52% expressed the H7 flagellar antigen. E. coli O157 was found to be widely distributed among feedlot cattle, but at a low prevalence, in the United States.

scholarly journals ‘Super' or just ‘above average'? Supershedders and the transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among feedlot cattle

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (110) ◽  
pp. 20150446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon E. F. Spencer ◽  
Thomas E. Besser ◽  
Rowland N. Cobbold ◽  
Nigel P. French
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
Definition Of

Supershedders have been suggested to be major drivers of transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ( E. coli O157:H7) among cattle in feedlot environments, despite our relatively limited knowledge of the processes that govern periods of high shedding within an individual animal. In this study, we attempt a data-driven approach, estimating the key characteristics of high shedding behaviour, including effects on transmission to other animals, directly from a study of natural E. coli O157:H7 infection of cattle in a research feedlot, in order to develop an evidence-based definition of supershedding. In contrast to the hypothesized role of supershedders, we found that high shedding individuals only modestly increased the risk of transmission: individuals shedding over 10 3 cfu g −1 faeces were estimated to pose a risk of transmission only 2.45 times greater than those shedding below that level. The data suggested that shedding above 10 3 cfu g −1 faeces was the most appropriate definition of supershedding behaviour and under this definition supershedding was surprisingly common, with an estimated prevalence of 31.3% in colonized individuals. We found no evidence that environmental contamination by faeces of shedding cattle contributed to transmission over timescales longer than 3 days and preliminary evidence that higher stocking density increased the risk of transmission.

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