Cattle-level risk factors associated with fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-encoding bacteria on dairy farms, Minnesota, USA.
The objective of this study was to identify individual cattle-level risk factors associated with fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-encoding bacteria (STB), a surrogate for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), on 28 organic and conventional dairy farms. It was found that small organic herds (fewer than 100 cows) were associated with higher odds of Shiga toxin-encoding bacteria (STB) shedding from 2 (all cattle and all cows) of 3 cattle models, followed by small conventional herds, compared with large conventional herds. Preweaned calves [odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2, 5.7] had higher odds of shedding STB compared with adult cows. Calves more than 28 days of age (OR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.0, 4.4) were more likely to shed STB than calves less than 28 days of age. This information may be helpful for identifying potential control strategies such as targeted vaccination or management practices.
Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Seongbeom
S
Cho
Charles P
CP
Fossler
Francisco
F
Diez-Gonzalez
Scott J
SJ
Wells
Craig W
CW
Hedberg
John B
JB
Kaneene
Pamela L
PL
Ruegg
Lorin D
LD
Warnick
Jeffrey B
JB
Bender
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003612:Dairying; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires