Effects of feed withdrawal and transport on cecal environment and Campylobacter concentrations in a swine surgical model

The objective of the present study was to evaluate how feed withdrawal and transportation influenced the cecal environment and cecal populations of Campylobacter in swine. Four miniature Yucatan gilts (8.8 kg), naturally infected with Campylobacter jejuni, were surgically implanted with cecal cannul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of food protection 2001-05, Vol.64 (5), p.730-733
Main Authors: HARVEY, Roger B, ANDERSON, Robin C, YOUNG, Colin R, SWINDLE, M. Michael, GENOVESE, Kenneth J, HUME, Michael E, DROLESKEY, Robert E, FARRINGTON, Leigh A, ZIPRIN, Richard L, NISBET, David J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal productions
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Campylobacter jejuni - growth & development
Campylobacter jejuni - isolation & purification
Cecum - microbiology
Colony Count, Microbial
Fasting
Fatty Acids, Volatile - analysis
Female
Food industries
Food microbiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Swine - microbiology
Terrestrial animal productions
Transportation
Vertebrates
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Summary:The objective of the present study was to evaluate how feed withdrawal and transportation influenced the cecal environment and cecal populations of Campylobacter in swine. Four miniature Yucatan gilts (8.8 kg), naturally infected with Campylobacter jejuni, were surgically implanted with cecal cannulas. The gilts were fasted for 48 h. Samples of cecal contents were collected for 7 days prior to and for 7 days after the fast, and mean values were determined for pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and CFU enumeration of C. jejuni. This was replicated three times. In another trial, gilts (full-fed) were transported in a livestock trailer for 4 h and cecal samples were collected before and after transport and analyzed for pH, VFA, and CFU. Following a 48-h fast, cecal pH increased (P < 0.05) by 1 unit; acetic and propionic acids decreased (P < 0.05) by 61% and 71%, respectively; and there was a twofold log10 increase (P < 0.05) in CFU/g cecal content of C. jejuni. Values of pH, VFA, and CFU of C. jejuni did not change in cecal samples from gilts following transportation. These data are important for food safety considerations because feed withdrawal, commonly associated with shipping and slaughter, can increase Campylobacter concentrations in the pig intestinal tract.
ISSN:0362-028X
1944-9097
DOI:10.4315/0362-028X-64.5.730