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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 #141075
Title: THE EFFECTS OF ABATTOIR HOLDING PENS ON THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA IN CULL SOWS

Author
item LARSEN, S - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item MCKEAN, J - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Hurd, Howard
item GRIFFITH, R - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Wesley, Irene

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2002
Publication Date: 11/12/2002
Citation: LARSEN, S.T., MCKEAN, J.D., HURD, H.S., GRIFFITH, R.W., WESLEY, I.V. THE EFFECTS OF ABATTOIR HOLDING PENS ON THE PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA IN CULL SOWS. CONFERENCE OF RESEARCH WORKERS IN ANIMAL DISEASES. 2002. P. 82.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine if the abattoir holding pens at the abattoir are a preslaughter source of Salmonella enterica contamination. This study consisted of 4 sampling periods from February-April 2002. Sows from a buying station were selected based on condition scores and weight limits set by the purchasing sausage company. Forty sows were selected each period. Sows were transported to the abattoir (~ 240km). At the abattoir, twenty sows were unloaded from the truck and sent directly to slaughter. The other twenty sows were held in pens for 2 hours then slaughtered. Samples collected included ileocecal lymph node, cecal contents, transverse colon contents, subiliac lymph node, pre-carcass wash sponge swabs of the left and right carcass section utilizing the standard three-site USDA-FSIS procedure (300 cm**2), and a chopped meat block sample. Environmental samples of the holding pens were also taken. Samples were screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and considered positive with an OD value of 0.400 or greater, then confirmed by culture and isolation. The percent of positive tissue samples from cull sows in a holding pen (59%) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than cull sows that were not held in a holding pen (44%). Percent positive cecal contents from sows held in a holding pen (55%) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to cecal contents from sows not held in a holding pen (39%). All pens were positive with S. enterica before test sows entered the pens. This study demonstrates that holding practices contributed to an increased S. enterica contamination prior to slaughter.