[Sanitization of salmonella-contaminated forage mixtures during granulation]

Studied were a total of 52 samples of forage mixtures prior to and after pelleting from three forage plants in this country, in terms of total bacterial count and the relative share of coli bacteria and Salmonellae. Two experiments were layed out under productional conditions for peletting a forage mixture at 92-94 degrees C being contaminated with Salmonella bacteria at the rate of 10(3) and 10(2) per gram of mixture. Results showed that pelleting processes reduce both the total bacterial count and the coli and Salmonella counts, the microbial cells being in an anabiotic status. It is suggested to adopt forage pelleting as a method to render harmless Salmonella-contaminated forages provided the count of Salmonella organisms does not exceed 10(2) per gram of forage. Pelleting should be carried out at 92-94 degrees C. This is to be routinely practised until the problem of forage decontamination is solved by other means.