Risk of shedding Salmonella organisms by market-age hogs in a barn with open-flush gutters.
OBJECTIVE
To compare prevalence of fecal shedding of Salmonella organisms and serum antibodies to Salmonella sp in market-age pigs housed in barns with partially slotted floors or solid floors with open-flush gutters.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of prevalence.


METHODS
Finishing-age pigs deemed by the producer to be within 1 month of slaughter.


METHODS
Fecal and serum samples were obtained from a group of 121 pigs housed in a barn with solid floors (31 fecal samples, 30 serum samples) and from a group of about 400 pigs housed on partially slotted floors (57 fecal samples, 64 serum samples). Fecal samples were submitted for bacteriologic culture to detect Salmonella organisms, and serum samples were tested for antibodies by use of ELISA.


RESULTS
Salmonella agona was isolated from 26 of 31 (84%) fecal samples obtained from pigs housed in the open-flush gutter barn, compared with 5 of 57 (9%) fecal samples from pigs in the barn with slotted floors. Median value for optical density was higher for serum samples from pigs housed in the open-flush gutter barn.


CONCLUSIONS
Housing of finishing-age swine in barns with open-flush gutters may contribute to increased shedding of Salmonella sp. Analysis of our observations indicated that repeated exposure to infected feces is important in prolonging fecal shedding by swine.
Davies
P R
PR
Department of Food Animal and Equine Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606, USA.
Morrow
W E
WE
Jones
F T
FT
Deen
J
J
Fedorka-Cray
P J
PJ
Gray
J T
JT
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006799:Housing, Animal; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012475:Salmonella / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial