Diarrhoea (scouring) is an important issue for the sheep meat industry. Scouring is a major risk factor for fleece soiling and consequential carcase contamination with microbes that cause meat spoilage and potential dangers for humans (2). There is little information on the causes of scouring in sheep at slaughter. Strongyle worm infections are commonly implicated in scouring and reduced production, yet there is no published data quantifying strongyle infections in scouring and normal sheep at abattoirs. In addition, Giardia and Cryptosporidium have been associated with scouring in ruminants, but little is known about the prevalence, genotypes present or the effect on production in sheep populations. This study carried out at an abattoir in Western Australia (WA), aimed to investigate the extent of strongyle, Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections and any association with scouring in sheep

Bath-Jacobson, C.L.

Besier, R.B.

Robertson, I.

Ryan, U.M.

English

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Congress 17-21 June  2005 Maris  Conference  Centre Hersonissos,  Crete,  Greece EDITORS G.C.  FTHENAKIS  &  Q.A.  McKALLER UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF The  Hellenic Ministry  of Rural Development  and  Food Proceedings Congress EDITORS G.C. FTHENAKIS  &  Q.A.  McKALLER Proceedings INTERNAL PARASITES AND ASSOCIATION WITH DIARRHOEA IN SHEEP AT AN ABATTOm IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA c.L. Batb·Jacobson, U.M. Ryan, L Robertson, R.B. Besier School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, Western Australia, WA 6150, Australia. e·mail: cbath@murdoch.edu.au INTRODUCTION Diarrhoea (scouring) is an important issue for the sheep meat industry. Scouring is a major risk factor for tleece soiling and consequential carcase contamination with microbes that cause meat spoilage and potential dangers for humans (2). There is little information on the causes of scouring in sheep at slaughter. Strongyle worm infections are commonly implicated in scouring and reduced production, yet there is no published data quantifying strongyle infections in scouring and normal sheep at abattoirs. In addition, Giardia and Cryptosporidium have been associated with scouring in ruminants, but little is known about the prevalence. genotypes present or the effect on production in sheep populations. This study carried out at an abattoir in Western  Australia (WA), aimed to investigate the extent  of strongyle, Giardia and CryplOsporidium infections and any association with scouring in sheep_ MATERIALS AND  METHODS Faecal samples were collected [rom 367 lines of sheep in lairage at Fletcher's lntemational abattoir in WA from September 2002 to January 2003. 10 sheep were sampled from each "normal" line. A "scouring line" included at least 10 sheep with evidence of active or recent scouring and samples were taken from 10 scouring and 10 normal sheep. Scouring lines were preferentially sampled. Faecal worm egg counts (WEC) excluded Nemalodinls and were performed on individual samples. Larval differentiations were pooled by line. All samples were screened for Giardia  and Cryplosporidium  using microscopy. A random subset of 500 samples was screened with PCR and  106 isolates were genotyped (3). Statistical analysis included non-parametric (Mann· Whitney) tests, Chi-square and odds ratio risk analysis and was performed with SPSS  11.0. RESULTS The results are in Table I (protozoa) and Table 2 (scouring and strongyles). Lamb lines were 7.0 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 4.1· 11.9) times more likely to be Giardia·positive and 3.7 (95% Cl: 1.5-9.3) times more likely to be Cryptosporidiul1l-positive than adult lines. Giardia-positive adult lines were 3.1  (95% CI: 1.2-8.2) times and Cryptosporidiwn·positive adult lines were 9.7 (95% CT : 2.3-41.6) times more likely to be scouring than negative adult lines. There was no association with Giardia or Cryptosporidiwn infection and scouring in lamb lines. Giardia genotypes isolated were livestock genotype, assemblage A and 2 isolates grouped most closely with the livestock genotype. Cryptosporidium genotypes isolated were cervid, bovine B, marsupial and pig II  genotypes, C.  suis, C.  hominis, C.  anderson; and a novel genotype (3). Table 1. Scouring and faecal worm egg counts in sheep sampled in lairage. Lines scouring in "wet months" Lines scouring in "dry months" Lambs «  1 year) 6/55 7/58 Hoggets (1·2 years) 3/6 0/4 Adults (>2 years) 24/148 0/ 96 Average WEC  1525' epg  1159" epg  486' epg Lines > 1000 eggs per gram (epg)  43%  40%  13% Lines >2000 eggs per gram (epg)  22%  30"10  6% Average "scour WEC" in scouring lines  1512 epg  1527 epg  366 epg Average "scour WEC" in normal lines  1103 epg  792 epg  364 epg p value (Mann Whitney test)  NS  NS  NS Wet  months:  September and  October  (sheep grazing predominantly  green  pasture),  dry months:  November and January (sheep grazing predominantly dry pasture),  mean WEe values within row with different superscripts are significantly different (p<O.OS), scour WEe ""  faecal  worm  egg count excluding Nematodirus  and  Haemonc1ws,  NS  - no  significant difference in WEC in scouring and nonnallines within age category (p>0.05). Table 2. Giardia and Cryptosporidium results ror sheep sampled in lairage. Giardia  Cryptosporidium Lamb lines positive (age < 1 year) Adult lines positive (age>  1 year) Number of genotypes isolated Isolates generally not infective to humans DISCUSSION 48% 13% 4 76% 11% 3% 7 98% The results suggest tbat large strongyle burdens are common in lamb lines consigned for slaughter and therefore tbe economic impact of strongyle infections on sheep meat enterprises warrants quantification. Notwithstanding a degree of faecal concentTation and elevation of WEC that would have occurred during transport and lairage, tbe WEC in the lamb lines were surprisingly high with production losses expected in the considerable proportion of lamb lines with WEC in excess of 1 000 epg. Whilst the mean WEC in adult lines was considerably lower, 13% of lines had WEC > 1  000 epg, suggesting parasite monitoring and management should incorporate all classes of sheep. The absence of a statistical difference in the scouring and nomlal lines may be due to the relatively small number of scouring lines sampled and the variable nature of WEe. Other causes of scouring could not be ruled out. In adult sheep, the seasonal pattern of scouring and similar WEC in scouring and normal lines was consistent with the syndrome of hypersensitivity to strongyle larvae ingested  from pasture (I). Possible dietary interactions also warrant further investigation. Giardia was more common than Cryplosporidillm and both organisms were more common in lamb lines than adult lines. These organisms warrant further investigation as botb were associated witb scouring in lines of adult sbeep. Very few isolates found are known to be zoonotic and the public health risk of sheep-derived Ginrdia and Cryptosporidium  is probably low. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study and  the author's scholarship were funded by Meat and  Livestock Australia. This study was also supported by Fletchers International. REFERENCES 1. Larsen JW A, Anderson N, Vizard AL (1999) The pathogenesis and control of diarrhoea and breech soling in adult Merino sheep. Int J Parasito1 29:893-I)()Z. 2. Newton KG, Harrison JC, Wauters AM (1978) Sources of psychrotrophic bacteria on meal at the abattoir. J Appl BacterioI4S:75-82. 3. Ryan UM, Bath C, Read C, Eliolt A, Mcinnes L, Besier RB (2005) Sheep may not be an important zoonotic reservoir for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. J Appl Environ Microbial (submitted). TECHNOLOGICAL DEFAULTS BY PENICILLIN RESIDUES IN YOGHURT FROM EWE MILK M.I. Berruga, D. Carri6n, M. Roman, M.P. Molina, A. Molina Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologfa Agroforestal, ETSlA, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain. e-mail: ana.molina@uclm.es INTRODUCTION Antibiotic residues are a risk for human beaJth, due to development of microbial resistance and initiation of allergic reactions after consumption of contaminated food. Consumer health is protected by regular controls of food and the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) that have been established by the European Union (1, 2). Penicillin is widely used for treating sheep; its MRL in ewes' milk has been set at 4 ppb, a level that enssures food safety. However, the technological effects of this substance on dairy fermentation processes are unknown, especially as lactic cultures used are often sensitive to ~ · Iactam s. N. penicillin concentrations lower than 4 ppb could be legally present in milk for fermentation and dairy products, the aim of this work was to determine the effect of penicillin G at these levels on pH, acidity, D(-)/L( +) lactic acid and bacteria involved in yogburt preparation. I 

Sheep may not be an important zoonotic reservoir for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. J Appl Environ Microbial (submitted).

Sources of psychrotrophic bacteria on meal at the abattoir.

The pathogenesis and control of diarrhoea and breech soling in adult Merino sheep.

Internal parasites and association with diarrhoea in sheep at an abattoir in Western Australia

http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/9592/

Internal parasites and association with diarrhoea in sheep at an abattoir in Western Australia

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