title: Influence of transportation stress and animal temperament on fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feedlot cattle.
abstract: To test the influence of transportation stress and temperament on shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7, cattle (n=150) were classified at various stages of production as Excitable, Intermediate or Calm based on a variety of disposition scores. Presence of E. coli O157:H7 was determined by rectal swabs from live animals and from colons collected postmortem. Percentage of cattle shedding E. coli O157:H7 at arrival at the feedlot was approximately equal among temperament groups. Before shipment to the processing facility, a higher (P=0.03) proportion of cattle from the Calm group shed E. coli O157:H7 compared to the other temperament groups. When pooled across all sampling periods, cattle from the Calm group had a greater percentage test positive for E. coli O157:H7. Neither the acute stressor of transportation nor a more excitable temperament led to increased shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.
authors: Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2471, USA.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Schuehle Pfeiffer
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: King
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Lucia
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Cabrera-Diaz
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Acuff
authors: R D
authors: RD
authors: Randel
authors: T H
authors: TH
authors: Welsh
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Oliphint
authors: K O
authors: KO
authors: Curley
authors: R C
authors: RC
authors: Vann
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: Savell