Ascophyllum nodosum supplementation: a preharvest intervention for reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in feedlot steers

J Food Prot. 2004 Sep;67(9):1824-8. doi: 10.4315/0362-028x-67.9.1824.

Abstract

Ascophyllum nodosum (Tasco-14) decreased the prevalence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 in animals fed prior to harvest. Tasco-14 was supplemented on a 2% dry matter basis 14 days prior to harvest to determine its effects on EHEC and Salmonella spp. prevalence. Two hundred mixed crossbred steers and heifers (Bos indicus x Bos taurus), in a large commercial finishing facility, served as experimental units. Treatment (TRT, n = 100) animals received a steam-rolled corn-based diet containing 2% Tasco-14 on a dry matter basis, and control (CON, n = 100) animals received only the steam-rolled corn-based diet. Hide swabs and fecal samples were obtained for EHEC and Salmonella spp. evaluations. Animals were sampled 1 day prior to (d - 1) the feeding of Tasco-14 and immediately following exsanguinations. The prevalence of EHEC O157 on hide swabs and in fecal samples (P = 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively) and the prevalence of EHEC O157:H7 on hide swabs and in fecal samples (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively) was reduced by 33 and 36% from d - 1 levels on TRT hide swabs and by 9 and 11% in TRT fecal samples. The prevalence of EHEC O157 and EHEC O157:H7 was reduced by 33 and 36% from d - 1 levels on TRT hide swabs and by 9 and 11% in TRT fecal samples. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. on hide swabs did not change for TRT animals (P = 0.64). CON animals showed an increase in Salmonella spp. prevalence (P < 0.0001) from d - 1 feeding levels on hide swabs. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. increased in both TRT and CON fecal samples when compared to d - 1 levels (P = 0.002). However, TRT samples exhibited a lower (P < 0.05) postfeeding prevalence of Salmonella spp. in fecal samples than did CON samples. Results from this study indicate that 2% Tasco-14 supplementation in feedlot cattle diets reduces EHEC O157 and EHEC O157:H7 prevalence on hide swabs and in fecal samples and may suppress increases in Salmonella spp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Ascophyllum / physiology*
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cattle Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Consumer Product Safety
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / prevention & control*
  • Escherichia coli O157 / growth & development*
  • Escherichia coli O157 / isolation & purification
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Food Contamination / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Random Allocation
  • Salmonella / growth & development*
  • Salmonella / isolation & purification
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / epidemiology
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / prevention & control*
  • Skin / microbiology