Risk factors associated with faecal shedding of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 in eight known-infected Danish dairy herds

• Published in: Preventive veterinary medicine 2003-05, Vol.58 (3), p.101-113
• Main Authors: Rugbjerg, Helene, Nielsen, Eva Møller, Andersen, Jens Strodl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animals; barley; calves; calving; Carrier State - epidemiology; Carrier State - microbiology; Carrier State - veterinary; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - epidemiology; Cattle Diseases - microbiology; colostrum; cows; dairy herds; Dairying; Denmark; Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Escherichia coli Infections - veterinary; Escherichia coli O157; Escherichia coli O157 - isolation & purification; Escherichia coli O157 - physiology; excretion; Feces - microbiology; Female; Food safety; Male; molasses; risk; Risk Factors; Shiga Toxins - analysis; silage; Surveys and Questionnaires; Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli
• ISSN: 0167-5877; 1873-1716
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5877(03)00023-0

A risk-factor study was performed in eight dairy herds found to excrete verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 in a former prevalence study. Associations between excretion of VTEC O157 and management factors such as housing and feeding were analysed in a generalised linear mixed model. The animals were stratified in three age groups and sampled four times during 1 year. The risk of excreting VTEC O157 was higher among weaned calves than non-weaned calves. Among the calves aged 1–4 months, the risk was reduced if the calf had suckled colostrum from the mother or if the calf had stayed >2 days with the mother after calving. Calves aged 5–24 months that had been moved within the last 2 weeks had a higher risk, but risk was reduced if fed barley silage. Cows fed grain or molasses had a higher risk of excreting VTEC O157.