MANAGEMENT AND NUTRITIONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DETECTION OF SALMONELLA SP FROM CATTLE FECAL SPECIMENS FROM FEEDLOT OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES

In a convenience sample of 100 feedlot operations (included in the Uni ted States Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspecti on Service 1994 Cattle on Feed Evaluation), up to 25 cattle fecal samp les were collected and tested for the presence of Salmonella from each of two pens (the pen which contained the most-recent arrivals, and th e pen with cattle that had been on feed the longest). One or more Salm onella spp. were recovered from 38 (38.0%) of the 100 feedlots, 52 (26 .0%) of the 200 pens and 273 (5.5%) of the 4977 feed samples collected . Multivariable logistic regression indicated that feeding tallow and feeding whole cottonseed or cottonseed hulls within seven days prior t o fecal sample collection was associated with an increased risk of fin ding Salmonella in a pen. Variables not found to be significantly asso ciated with the detection of Salmonella in a pen included region, oper ation size, use of sprinklers, time on feed, type of cattle in the pen , number and concentration of cattle in a pen, feeding probiotics, and various other feeds. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.