Effect of sand and sawdust bedding materials on the fecal prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in dairy cows.
Farm management practices that reduce the prevalence of food-borne pathogens in live animals are predicted to enhance food safety. To ascertain the potential role of livestock bedding in the ecology and epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on farms, the survival of this pathogen in used-sand and used-sawdust dairy cow bedding was determined. Additionally, a longitudinal study of mature dairy cattle housed on 20 commercial dairy farms was conducted to compare the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle bedded on sand to that in cattle bedded on sawdust. E. coli O157:H7 persisted at higher concentrations in used-sawdust bedding than in used-sand bedding. The overall average herd level prevalence (3.1 versus 1.4%) and the number of sample days yielding any tests of feces positive for E. coli O157:H7 (22 of 60 days versus 13 of 60 days) were higher in sawdust-bedded herds. The choice of bedding material used to house mature dairy cows may impact the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 on dairy farms.
Lejeune
Jeffrey T
JT
Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691, USA. lejeune.3@osu.edu
Kauffman
Michael D
MD
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003612:Dairying; D004391:Dust; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006799:Housing, Animal; D015995:Prevalence; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014934:Wood
D004391:Dust; D012822:Silicon Dioxide