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Farm practices to control E. coli O157 in young cattle--a randomised controlled trial
Johanne Ellis-Iversen1, Richard P Smith, Steven Van Winden
1Centre for Epidemiology and Risk Analyses, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, New Haw, Surrey KT15 3NB, United Kingdom. j.ellis-iversen@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk
Veterinary Research
|December 13, 2007
Summary
Implementing specific farm management strategies significantly reduced E. coli O157 in young cattle. Package A, focusing on environmental hygiene and closed animal groups, proved most effective in lowering bacterial burden.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Husbandry
- Food Safety
Background:
- Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157) poses a significant health risk in cattle farming.
- Reducing E. coli O157 burden in young stock is crucial for herd health and food safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of three distinct management intervention packages in reducing E. coli O157 prevalence in young cattle.
- To identify key management practices contributing to E. coli O157 reduction.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving cattle farms in England and Wales.
- Intervention packages included measures for environmental hygiene, closed groups, and water/feed hygiene.
- Comparison of E. coli O157 burden between intervention and control groups over an average observation period of 4.5 months.
Main Results:
- Intervention Package A demonstrated a 48% reduction in E. coli O157 burden compared to 18% in control farms.
- Adjusted analysis showed a statistically significant reduction (RR = 0.14, p=0.032) for Package A.
- Dry bedding and maintaining closed animal groups were identified as key effective measures within Package A.
Conclusions:
- Management interventions, particularly those focusing on environmental hygiene and closed herds, can effectively reduce E. coli O157 in young cattle.
- Specific practices like dry bedding and group stability are critical for successful E. coli O157 control.
- Further research may be needed to optimize intervention strategies for broader application.
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