MONITORING DAIRY SILAGE FOR 5 BACTERIAL GROUPS WITH POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN PATHOGENESIS

Two types of silage routinely used at a dairy research facility were m onitored over a 20-month period for five bacterial groups which have b een associated with human pathogenesis. Those monitored were Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica (motile), motile aeromonads, Ca mpylobacter sp., and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Of 46 total s ilage samples, 8.7% were positive for L. monocytogenes, 6.5% for Y. en terocolitica, and 10.9% for motile aeromonads. Campylobacter spp, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli were not isolated. The presence of pathogens was associated with elevated pH in silage samples.