AN INVESTIGATION OF TRANSPORT, LAIRAGE AND HIDE CLEANLINESS ON CAMPYLOBACTER PREVALENCE IN FEEDLOT CATTLE AND DRESSED CARCASSES

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the effect of transport and lairage of cattle before slaughter had on the qualitative and quantitative shedding of Campylobacter in cattle feces, and hence on the prevalence of this pathogen on dressed carcasses. A cohort of 109 heifers aged 27 to 30 months from a single Irish feedlot was investigated. Individual rectal fecal samples were taken from all of the cattle at the feedlot, after transport and at the end of lairage. The entire outer and inner surfaces of a carcass side of each animal were then swabbed immediately following slaughter and dressing. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 191 (58%) of the 327 fecal samples analyzed. Of the 191 isolates recovered in the study, 62 (57%), 60 (55%) and 69 (63%) were isolated from farm, posttransport and postlairage samples, respectively. There was no Campylobacter spp. isolated from the dressed carcasses. A trend of decreasing numbers of Campylobacter shed per gram of feces between sampling at farm and postlairage was observed. This reduction was significant for visit 1 (P < 0.05). The key findings of this study were that transport and lairage did not result in an increase in the number of animals shedding Campylobacter spp. in feces and with appropriate standards of abattoir hygiene a low prevalence of this pathogen can be achieved on dressed carcasses.