1. High standards of biosecurity are known to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks; however, uptake of advice and implementation of biosecurity measures are dependent on many factors.2. This study assessed the uptake of targeted biosecurity advice by 60 laying hen farms provided during biosecurity audit visits. Advice was provided as bullet point cards focusing on specific areas identified as benefitting from improvement. These covered site entrance, site tidiness, vaccination, boot hygiene, hand hygiene, house tidiness, rodent control, fly control, red mite control and cleaning and disinfection between flocks. Background knowledge of Salmonella and biosecurity and farmers' willingness and intent to implement additional measures were assessed.3. About 50% of the principal decision-makers had basic background knowledge of Salmonella, with 22% considered well informed; almost all agreed that biosecurity could impact on Salmonella control and many appeared willing to implement additional biosecurity measures. Sixty-three per cent of study farms were categorised using the Defra Farmer Segmentation Model as Modern Family Businesses (MFBs), with 7-11% of farms being categorised as Custodian, Lifestyle Choice, Pragmatist or Challenged Enterprise; however, categorisation, did not determine uptake of advice. The most frequently used advice cards were boot hygiene, red mite control, hand hygiene, site entrance and cleaning and disinfection; uptake of advice ranged from 54 to 80% depending on the advice card.4. Uptake of advice by the farmers was encouraging, especially considering it was being provided by people other than their usual source of biosecurity information. Those who did not implement the recommended measures cited cost, difficulty of enforcement and practicality as the main reasons. However, the positive uptake of advice and implementation of recommended measures by many farmers demonstrates that targeted advice, discussed face to face with farmers, on a small number of key areas, is a potentially effective method of providing biosecurity information to complement more lengthy formal advisory reports.

Veterinary RecordVolume 174, Issue 2 p. 47-47 Research Thyroxine concentrations in ruminant health monitoring and diagnostic blood samples C. T. Livesey BVSc, MSc, MRCVS, C. T. Livesey BVSc, MSc, MRCVS Chris Livesey Consulting, Givendale House, Leppington, Malton, YO17 9RL UKSearch for more papers by this authorJ. H. Payne BVSc, PhD, MSc, MRCVS, J. H. Payne BVSc, PhD, MSc, MRCVS AHVLA Sutton Bonington, The Elms, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RB UKSearch for more papers by this authorA. R. Sayers BSc, DipStat(Aberystwyth), Corresponding Author A. R. Sayers BSc, DipStat(Aberystwyth) [email protected] AHVLA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UKE-mail for correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorD. A. Whitaker MA, VetMB, MVSc, MRCVS, D. A. Whitaker MA, VetMB, MVSc, MRCVS Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this authorE. Burrough BSc, E. Burrough BSc Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this authorA. I. Macrae BVM&S, PhD, CertSHP, DCHP, MRCVS, A. I. Macrae BVM&S, PhD, CertSHP, DCHP, MRCVS Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this author C. T. Livesey BVSc, MSc, MRCVS, C. T. Livesey BVSc, MSc, MRCVS Chris Livesey Consulting, Givendale House, Leppington, Malton, YO17 9RL UKSearch for more papers by this authorJ. H. Payne BVSc, PhD, MSc, MRCVS, J. H. Payne BVSc, PhD, MSc, MRCVS AHVLA Sutton Bonington, The Elms, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RB UKSearch for more papers by this authorA. R. Sayers BSc, DipStat(Aberystwyth), Corresponding Author A. R. Sayers BSc, DipStat(Aberystwyth) [email protected] AHVLA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UKE-mail for correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorD. A. Whitaker MA, VetMB, MVSc, MRCVS, D. A. Whitaker MA, VetMB, MVSc, MRCVS Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this authorE. Burrough BSc, E. Burrough BSc Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this authorA. I. Macrae BVM&S, PhD, CertSHP, DCHP, MRCVS, A. I. Macrae BVM&S, PhD, CertSHP, DCHP, MRCVS Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UKSearch for more papers by this author First published: 11 January 2014 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.101498Citations: 2 Provenance: not commissioned; externally peer reviewed Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. References Andrewartha K. A., Caple I. W., Davies W. D., McDonald J. W. (1980) Observations on serum thyroxine concentrations in lambs and ewes to assess iodine nutrition. Australian Veterinary Journal 56, 18–21 Clarke R. G., Sargison N. D., West D. M., Littlejohn R. P. (1998) Recent information on iodine deficiency in New Zealand sheep flocks. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 46, 216–222 Huszenicza G. Y., Kulcsar M., Rudas P. (2002) Clinical endocrinology of thyroid gland function in ruminants. A review. Veterinary Medicine – Czech 47, 199–210 Macrae A. I., Whitaker D. A., Burrough E., Dowell A., Kelly J. M. (2006) Use of metabolic profiles for the assessment of dietary adequacy in UK dairy herds. Veterinary Record 159, 655–61 McCoy M. A., Smyth J. A., Ellis W. A., Kennedy D. G. (1997) Experimental reproduction of iodine deficiency in cattle. Veterinary Record 141, 544–547 Pezzi C., Accorsi P. A., Vigo D., Govoni N., Gaiani R. (2003) 5′-deiodinase activity and circulating thyronines in lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 152–158 Shapiro S. S., Wilk M. B. (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52, 591–611. Suttle N. F. (2010) Chapter 12 Iodine. In Mineral Nutrition of Livestock. 4th edn. Ed N. F. Suttle. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: CAB International. pp 306–333 Todini L. (2007) Thyroid hormones in small ruminants: effects of endogenous, environmental and nutritional factors. Animal 1, 997–1008 Wallace A. L. C., Gleeson A. R., Hopkins P. S., Mason R. W., White R. R. (1978) Plasma thyroxine concentrations in grazing sheep in several areas of Australia. Australian Journal of Biological Science 31, 39–41 Citing Literature Volume174, Issue2January 2014Pages 47-47 ReferencesRelatedInformation

In a survey, 457 badgers that had been found dead in Wales were postmortem-examined, and samples were examined by histology and by extended culture (for up to 12 weeks). Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from 55 badgers (12.0 per cent), and the histology typical of M bovis infection was seen in a further six (1.3 per cent). The prevalence in badgers in each of 10 geographical areas varied between 0 and 26 per cent (P<0.001), and was associated with the incidence of confirmed M bovis infection in cattle herds in the same areas (P<0.01). In northern Wales, bTB was rare in both hosts. An infected badger was 12.3 times more likely to be within 5 km of a confirmed cattle bTB breakdown than an uninfected badger. The M bovis isolates from badgers belonged to one of four genotypes defined by spoligotype and variable number tandem repeat type. These genotypes were also found in 290 concurrent confirmed herd breakdowns, and tended to be similar to the genotypes in badgers in the same geographical areas. When badgers and cattle no more than 30 km apart were compared, the genotype diversity was greater in cattle than in badgers (P=0.016), suggesting that the movement of cattle plays a greater part in the spatial distribution of M bovis than the movement of badgers.

The single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test is the primary test used for surveillance for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle in Great Britain (GB). The tuberculin used can, with other factors, influence test accuracy. In this analysis, the detection of infected cattle in GB 2005-2009 was compared between SICCT tests using tuberculins manufacturered by different manufacturers. Higher rates of reactors (adjusted rate 209 vs 186 per 100,000 tests, P=0.003) and herd bTB incidents (adjusted total breakdown rate 5.1 vs 4.5 per 100 herd-years at risk, P<0.001) were detected using tuberculin manufactured at Weybridge compared with Lelystad. However, confirmation of infection in reactors by postmortem evidence was higher with Lelystad tuberculin (adjusted percent 44.1 vs 47.1, P=0.018). The findings, overall, suggest slightly higher test sensitivity and lower test specificity associated with Weybridge tuberculin compared with Lelystad. Assuming effective adjustment for confounding, the overall impact of tuberculin manufacturing source (2007-2009), was calculated to range somewhere between 315 false positive breakdowns, and 1086 bTB breakdowns missed (624 confirmed) as a result of using Weybridge and Lelystad tuberculin, respectively. However, animals that tested negative to the SICCT were not slaughtered at the time of the tests, so definitive conclusions are not possible.

Following the initial diagnosis of chronic copper poisoning (CCP), the copper (Cu) status of a British dairy herd was investigated. Eight fatal cases of CCP were identified over a 17-month period, from December 1999 to May 2001, involving seven Jersey cows and one Holstein-Friesian; seven cows were dry when CCP occurred. Case diagnostic criteria were necrotising hepatopathy associated with abnormally high liver and kidney Cu concentrations. Analysis of the ration for the high-yielding Jersey cow group revealed about 50 mg Cu/kg dry matter intake (DMI). Risk factors predisposing to fatal CCP were Jersey breed, previous high yield, first two weeks of the dry period and moderately high dietary Cu (greater than 40 mg Cu/kg DMI).

CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS is a common enteric disease in human beings and a wide range of animal species; Cryptosporidium parvum is the main species responsible for zoonotic infection in the UK ([Xiao and others 2004][1]). In ruminants, C parvum is widely acknowledged as a common endemic infection, which is

Aims: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different disinfection methods in eliminating Salmonella contamination from turkey houses. Methods and Results: Fifty depopulated turkey houses which had all housed Salmonella‐positive flocks were visited after cleaning and disinfection. A minimum of 45 swab samples from different surfaces were taken per house and analysed for the presence of Salmonella. The sampled surfaces included intact floor surfaces, floor cracks, walls, feeders, drinkers, anteroom, nestboxes and miscellaneous items. Houses were grouped according to the disinfectant which had been used and the efficacy of the different groups of disinfectants was compared. Sixty‐eight % of houses tested positive for Salmonella after C&D. Out of 4440 samples, 207 tested positive for Salmonella, giving an overall sample prevalence of 4·7%. There was no significant difference in the level of residual contamination between breeding, rearing and finishing houses. Products containing a mixture of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) performed significantly better than products containing hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid. Cleaning and disinfection was least effective in nestboxes and anterooms. Conclusions: Thorough cleaning and the choice of a suitable disinfectant are crucial if Salmonella contamination of turkey houses is to be eliminated. Significance and impact of the study: This study shows that disinfectants containing a mixture of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and QAC perform significantly better under field conditions than oxidising products and should therefore be the first choice for disinfection of turkey premises where Salmonella is present.

British Society for Parasitology, are included in the annual subscription.

Aims: To compare the efficiency of various sampling methods for detection of Salmonella in turkey flocks. Methods and Results: In a field study that compared various sampling methods one pair of boot swabs taken from the whole turkey house provided suitably sensitive results for fattening and rearing flocks and was no less sensitive than two pairs, each from half the house, tested as a pooled sample. The sensitivity was further enhanced by adding a dust sample. The dust sample appeared to be particularly useful in flocks with a low prevalence, especially in breeding flocks, and was more sensitive than a method which used five pairs of boot swabs per flock. Combined incubation of a boot swab and a dust sample showed no interference between the two sample types and a maximum sensitivity of detection. Litter samples and commercial sponge drag swabs provided a lower level of detection. Conclusions: A single pair of boot swabs taken from the whole house is recommended for routine sampling of commercial rearing or fattening flocks. An additional dust sample could be added to increase detection in flocks with a low prevalence or in breeding flocks, but adding an additional pair of boot swabs would not increase detection compared with a single pair. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study demonstrates that significant efficiencies can be made in sampling programmes for detection of Salmonella in turkey flocks without detracting from the sensitivity. Similar studies are recommended for other poultry sectors, particularly in chicken breeding flocks.

SUMMARYA 12-month abattoir study was undertaken from January 2003. We collected 7492 intestinal samples from cattle, sheep and pigs at slaughter. Rectal samples were taken from cattle and sheep and caecal samples from pigs. They were examined for verocytotoxigenicE. coli(VTEC) O157,Salmonella, thermophilicCampylobacterandYersinia enterocolitica. Data were collected on the animal from which the sample came and this information was analysed to look at potential risk factors for carriage of these organisms. Logistic regression models were run where an adequate number of positive results were available. This revealed that VTEC O157 carriage in cattle was associated with the summer period and that age was a protective factor.Salmonellacarriage in pigs was associated with lairage times >12 h, the North East and not feeding when there was no bedding available. In cattle, carriage was associated with the summer period, the Eastern region of GB and dairy animals. In sheep a spring seasonal effect was seen, which coincided with the lambing period. The carriage of thermophilicCampylobacterin cattle was associated with single-species abattoirs, with age a protective factor. In sheep, winter was a risk period with lairage management influential. For pigs, lairage times of <12 h were found to be associated with carriage. A seasonal trend for carriage ofY. enterocoliticain all species was demonstrated with the period December–May a risk. For cattle, age was also a risk factor; for sheep feeding in the lairage and for pigs being held overnight were risk factors.

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To examine feed contamination rates with Salmonella , the diversity of serovars and the antimicrobial resistance of isolates from animal feedingstuffs in Great Britain, and to compare Salmonella strains found in animal feed and in livestock, data collected under voluntary and statutory Salmonella surveillance during the period 1987 to 2006 were analysed retrospectively. The feed contamination rate decreased from 3·8 per cent in 1993 to 1·1 per cent in 2006. A total of 263 Salmonella serovars were recovered: S Mbandaka (11·2 per cent), S Tennessee (10·4 per cent), S Senftenberg (8·4 per cent), S Agona (6·4 per cent), S Montevideo (6·4 per cent) and S Ohio (3·1 per cent) were the most prevalent. S Typhimurium was recovered at a proportion of 1·6 per cent from raw ingredients and 2·4 per cent from finished feed, while S Enteritidis was recovered at a proportion of 0·5 per cent from raw ingredients and 0·6 per cent from finished feed; 14·1 per cent of the isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial, and 1·9 per cent were multiresistant. There was no evidence of a statistical association (P<0·05) between the top 10 serovars recovered from feed and from livestock.

SUMMARY We investigated factors associated with persistence of different Salmonella serovars in buildings housing laying hens in Great Britain using survival analysis. A total of 264 incidents of Salmonella detection occurring between July 1998 and August 2007 in 152 houses were recorded. For incidents involving Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), both the rodent score of the house and the type of house were positively associated with persistence. For non-SE serovars, only the type of house was associated with persistence. Persistence of SE in the houses was longest (>15 months) in step-cage and cage-scraper houses when high levels of rodents were present, and lowest in non-cage and cage-belt houses. We estimated that 42% (95% CI 23·3–63·1) of SE incidents may be cleared during the lay period, and this was related to elimination of rodents from the houses. From January 2009, EU legislation will ban the sale of fresh eggs from SE-positive and S. Typhimurium-positive flocks over their remaining lifespan. If infection is eliminated from such flocks, they would cease to represent a public health risk.

To investigate the performance of the Salmonella National Control Programme (NCP) sampling/testing methods in laying flocks of domestic fowl.Eighty-five visits were made to 69 flocks representative of the main production systems (cage, barn and free-range) infected with Salmonella. In each visit, three methodologies were compared: (i) the European Union (EU) baseline survey method (five faeces and two dust samples); (ii) an in-house (Veterinary Laboratories Agency, VLA) 'wet' method that involved collecting 10 dust and 10 faeces samples into jars with buffered peptone water; and (iii) a method involving two samples of pooled faeces and one of dust (cultured as one sample of each type), which has been adopted for the NCP for laying flocks across the EU.The 'wet' method was the most sensitive, and the NCP the least, although individual NCP samples were the most sensitive ones.The apparent lower sensitivity of the NCP method may be compensated by repeated sampling of flocks (twice during rear and several times during lay). Sampling using VLA methodology should be advocated for farms aiming to disclose low-level Salmonella before restrictions on the sale of eggs from Salmonella Enteritidis or Salmonella Typhimurium-infected flocks are in place.

CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS is a common enteric disease in human beings and a wide range of animal species. Cryptosporidium parvum is the main species responsible for zoonotic infection in Britain. In a previous study, [Pritchard and others (2007)][1] evaluated the zoonotic hazard associated with subclinical

SUMMARYAn abattoir survey was undertaken to determine the prevalence of foodborne zoonotic organisms colonizing cattle, sheep and pigs at slaughter in Great Britain. The study ran for 12 months from January 2003, involved 93 abattoirs and collected 7703 intestinal samples. The design was similar to two previous abattoir surveys undertaken in 1999–2000 allowing comparisons. Samples were examined for VTEC O157,Salmonella, thermophilicCampylobacterandYersinia enterocolitica. The prevalence of VTEC O157 faecal carriage was 4·7% in cattle, 0·7% in sheep and 0·3% in pigs. A significant decrease in sheep was detected from the previous survey (1·7%).Salmonellacarriage was 1·4% in cattle, a significant increase from the previous survey of 0·2%. In sheep, faecal carriage was 1·1% a significant increase from the previous survey (0·1%). In pigs, carriage was 23·4%, consistent with the previous study. ThermophilicCampylobacterspp. were isolated from 54·6% of cattle, 43·8% of sheep and 69·3% of pigs.Y. enterocoliticawas isolated from 4·5% of cattle, 8·0% of sheep and 10·2% of pigs.

Isolation of Shiga-toxin (Stx) positive Escherichia coli O157:H7 from commercially grown pigs has been reported. Furthermore, experimental infection studies have demonstrated that Stx-positive E. coli O157:H7 can persist in 12-week-old experimentally orally inoculated conventional pigs for up to 2 months and that persistence was not dependent upon intimin. We have shown that the flagellum of Stx-negative E. coli O157:H7 does not have a role to play in pathogenesis in ruminant models whereas, in poultry, the flagellum of E. coli O157:H7 was important for long-term persistent infection. The contribution of the flagellum of Stx-negative E. coli O157 in the colonisation of pigs was investigated by adherence assays on a porcine (IPI-21) cell line, porcine in vitro organ culture (IVOC) and experimental oral inoculation of conventional 14-week-old pigs. E. coli O157:H7 NCTC12900nal(r) and isogenic aflagellate and intimin deficient mutants adhered equally well to IPI-21 cells. In porcine IVOC association assays, E. coli O157:H7 NCTC12900nal(r) was associated in significantly higher numbers to tissues from the caecum and the terminal rectum than other sites. The aflagellate and intimin deficient mutants significantly adhered in greater numbers to more IVOC gastrointestinal tissues than the parent. Groups of 14-week-old pigs were dosed orally with 10(10)CFU/10ml of either E. coli O157:H7 NCTC12900nal(r) or isogenic aflagellate and intimin deficient mutants and recovery of each test strain was similar. Histological analysis of pig tissues at post mortem examination revealed that E. coli O157 specifically stained bacteria were associated with the mucosa of the ascending and spiral colon. These data suggest that colonisation and persistence of Stx-negative E. coli O157:H7 in pigs, involves mechanisms that do not require the flagellum or intimin.

Between October 1999 and February 2001 the salmonella status of 449 dairy farms in England and Wales was determined by environmental sampling on up to four occasions. Data were collected through interview-based questionnaires, and multivariable analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with the farms either being Salmonella positive (prevalence data) or becoming Salmonella positive (incidence data). Region, herd size, month of visit and the lack of a clean visitor parking area were significantly associated with the prevalence of Salmonella species, and there was a significant trend towards an increased risk in late summer and autumn. The introduction of six- to 24-month-old cattle into a herd was associated with a reduced prevalence, but the introduction of adult cattle only, or calves with other cattle, was associated with an increased (but not significant) risk of farms being Salmonella positive. Month of visit, the lack of a clean visitor parking area, the use of part-time workers and not feeding calves whole milk, but not region or herd size, were associated with an increased incidence of salmonella.

A study of randomly selected dairy farms in England and Wales was made between October 1999 and February 2001 to estimate the prevalence and incidence of Salmonella serovars. The farms were enrolled through five milk-buying companies, which represented 63 per cent of the dairy farms in England and Wales, and they were sampled on up to four occasions (449 farms at visit 1, 272 farms at visit 2, 251 farms at visit 3 and 243 farms at visit 4). In total, 19,296 samples of pooled faecal pats and slurry were collected. The farm-specific prevalence of all serovars of Salmonella ranged from 12.1 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 8.2 to 16.0 per cent) to 24.7 per cent (95 per cent CI 19.4 to 30.1 per cent) at each visit. The most common serovars identified were Salmonella Dublin (3.7 to 6.6 per cent farm-specific prevalence at each visit), Salmonella Agama (1.8 to 7.6 per cent) and Salmonella Typhimurium (2.6 to 4.1 per cent) The prevalence varied by region and month of sampling and increased in late summer. The incidence rate of all serovars of Salmonella was 0.43 (95 per cent CI 0.34 to 0.54) cases per farm-year at risk. There was no significant difference between the incidence rates of the common serovars S Typhimurium (0.07), S Dublin (0.06) and S Agama (0.13). A total of 29 Salmonella serovars were isolated. Few of the isolates were resistant to the 16 antimicrobial agents tested, except the isolates of S Typhimurium dt104, of which 67.9 per cent were resistant to at least five of them.