Efficacy of European starling control to reduce Salmonella enterica contamination in a concentrated animal feeding operation in the Texas panhandle.

James C Carlson,Larry Clark,George M Linz,Richard M Engeman,Rickey L Gilliland,Doreene R Hyatt,Thomas J Deliberto,Michael J Bodenchuk

doi:10.1186/1746-6148-7-9

Abstract

BackgroundEuropean starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive bird species known to cause damage to plant and animal agriculture. New evidence suggests starlings may also contribute to the maintenance and spread of diseases within livestock facilities. Identifying and mitigating the risk pathways that contribute to disease in livestock is necessary to reduce production losses and contamination of human food products. To better understand the impact starlings have on disease transmission to cattle we assessed the efficacy of starling control as a tool to reduce Salmonella enterica within a concentrated animal feeding operation. We matched a large facility, slated for operational control using DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride, also 3-chloro p-toluidine hydrochloride, 3-chloro-4-methylaniline), with a comparable reference facility that was not controlling birds. In both facilities, we sampled cattle feed, cattle water and cattle feces for S. enterica before and after starling control operations.ResultsWithin the starling-controlled CAFO, detections of S. enterica contamination disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following starling control operations. Within the reference facility, detections of S. enterica contamination increased substantially within feed bunks and water troughs. Starling control was not observed to reduce prevalence of S. enterica in the cattle herd. Following starling control operations, herd prevalence of S. enterica increased on the reference facility but herd prevalence of S. enterica on the starling-controlled CAFO stayed at pretreatment levels.ConclusionsWithin the starling-controlled facility detections of S. enterica disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following control operations. Since cattle feed and water are obvious routes for the ingestion of S. enterica, starling control shows promise as a tool to help livestock producers manage disease. Yet, we do not believe starling control should be used as a stand alone tool to reduce S. enterica infections. Rather starling control could be used as part of a comprehensive disease management plan for concentrated animal feeding operations.

Highlights

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive bird species known to cause damage to plant and animal agriculture
Contamination within water troughs, feed bunks and cattle fecal samples Starling control was associated with decreased S. enterica contamination in water troughs (F1, 8 = 30.64, P < 0.0001, Figure 2)
On the treatment CAFO 28% of water troughs were contaminated with S. enterica before DRC-1339 control and 5% of water troughs were contaminated after DRC-1339 control (95% = CI 0%, 15%)

Summary

Introduction

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive bird species known to cause damage to plant and animal agriculture. We matched a large facility, slated for operational control using DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride, 3-chloro ptoluidine hydrochloride, 3-chloro-4-methylaniline), with a comparable reference facility that was not controlling birds In both facilities, we sampled cattle feed, cattle water and cattle feces for S. enterica before and after starling control operations. Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s) are sources for new, more infectious or antibiotic resistant microorganisms that can spread to humans and the environment [1]. Producers need better information on the specific risk pathways that contribute to the spread and maintenance of pathogenic microorganisms within their CAFO’s. One of these risk pathways is the wildlife-livestock interface

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