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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #104815
Title: RISK FACTORS FOR CAMPYLOBACTER AND ARCOBACTER IN DAIRY CATTLE

Author
item Wesley, Irene
item WELLS, S - USDA/APHIS, FT. COLLINS
item HARMON, K - IA STATE UNIV., AMES, IA
item GREEN, A - USDA/APHIS, FT. COLLINS

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dairy cows were screened for Campylobacter jejuni and Arcobacter during the USDA NAHMS '96 Dairy survey. For C. jejuni, 80.6% operations (n=31) and 23.5% of individual dairy cattle fecal samples (n=2,085) were positive. C. jejuni herd prevalence was significantly higher (P<0.001) among milk cows (80.6%) than on-farm culls (69.2%) and cull cows at market (63.9%). For seasonal effect, herd-level prevalence was higher in milk cows (84.7%) sampled after May 1 than in on-farm cull cows (50%) and cull cows at market (55.2%). For individual cow prevalence, factors which approached significance included herd size with herds of >100 cows more frequently infected (P=0.014), absence of Salmonella infection (P=0. 015), and feeding of brewers' by products to lactating cows (P=0.013). For Arcobacter, 71% operations (n=31) and 14.3% of individual dairy cattle fecal samples (n=1,682) were positive. For individual cows, risk factors which achieved statistical significance (P<0.001) with Arcobacter shedding included location in the southern United States, herd size (>100 cows), concurrent Salmonella infection, and the alley flushing system used to clean the premises. This is the first report on the prevalence of Arcobacter in clinically healthy dairy cattle.