Breaking the Link Between DDGS and E. coli
US - New research has contradicted beliefs that Escherichia coli O157:H7 and salmonella are more prevalent in cattle fed on a diet supplemented with dry distillers grain (DDG) than those that were fed on steam-flaked corn.
26 March 2008
2 minute read
According to the research the prevalence of E. coli O157 or Salmonella spp. did not differ between treatment groups prior to feeding cattle treatment diets.
The prevalence of E. coli O157 was low throughout the study, whereas Salmonella prevalence tended to increase, reaching as high as 80% in week 17.
They did not observe statistical difference in the prevalence of E. coli O157 or Salmonella spp., in SFC-fed cattle with or without supplemental DDGS.
The report says, "We also found that inclusion of DRC at 25% had no effect on prevalence of E. coli O157 or Salmonella spp., in cattle. Unlike our previous studies, we found no evidence to indicate that dietary inclusion of distiller’s grains or corn processing methods have a significant effect on the prevalence E. coli O157 or Salmonella in cattle feces."
The study was funded by the Kansas Beef Council and conducted at Kansas State University. Previous research suggested that feeding DDGs increased E. coli O157:H7 shedding in fecal matter.
"Unlike our previous studies, we found no evidence to indicate that dietary inclusion of (DDGs) or corn processing methods have a significant effect on the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 or salmonella in cattle feces," said Kansas State University professor of microbiology T.G. Nagaraja.
Nagaraja's previous research implicated DDG feeding in the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 conflicted with research conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
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