Microbiological differences between cull cattle slaughtered at an abattoir and cull cattle slaughtered on farms
- M. J. Sarnago Coello, CertVPH(FH), MRCVS1,
- A. Small, BVM&S, DipECVPH, DVPH(MH), CertVPH(MH), PhD, MRCVS1 and
- S. Buncic, DVM, PhD1
- 1Division of Farm Animal Science, School of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU
- Correspondence to Dr Small whose present address is Food Science Australia, PO Box 3312, Tingalpa DC, Queensland 4173, Australia
Abstract
Tissue samples from 27 casualty adult dairy cattle slaughtered on farms and 32 ‘normal’ cull dairy cattle were analysed microbiologically for total viable counts (tvc), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli o157, Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter species. Overall the counts of Enterobacteriaceae and tvc were higher in the animals slaughtered on farms, particularly in the spleen. One ‘normal’ animal yielded E coli O157, and one yielded Campylobacter jejuni, and eight of the cattle slaughtered on farms yielded C jejuni and five yielded S enterica.
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