SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2022 39 a proven fomite for pathogens such as Salmonella, Clostridia, E. coli and Campylobacter. These negatively impact animal production, operation profitability and food safety." In contrast to other fomites, feed is central and widespread within all animal production systems. Everything from trucks, milling equipment, people and feeder lines come in direct contact with feed and feed ingredients sourced globally from various climates, growing seasons and potential microbial loads. Repeated exposure to these secondary fomites increases the risk of contaminating subsequent feed batches and increasing pathogen prevalence within the feed and food production chain. "Research has shown that feed microbial loads host various feed-sources pathogens at variable levels, making it critical for feed and food producers to have effective feed pathogen control tools. For example, experiments using CRISPR-based technology found that feed can harbor diverse populations of Salmonella, including multiple serovars. Furthermore, it revealed that nearly 6% of tested samples collected from over 130 commercial mills were positive for Salmonella. Throughout the body of literature, studies conclude that Salmonella prevalence in feed and feed production facilities varies but persists from ingredient reception to loadout. Failure to mitigate feedsource pathogens preludes facility contamination, subsequently leading to recontamination of feed within the production process," says Oldnall. Bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella are naturally occurring in the environment and are capable of surviving in feed. Mills and live production can create a suitable environment to allow bacterial proliferation and survival in feed and can lead to the contamination of feed mill machinery, trucks and other areas associated with the feed production process, creating the perfect opportunity for further contamination or recontamination of feed. Feed mills usually have maintenance and hygiene protocols to prevent pathogen transmission to and within feed production, yet many of these processes and requirements lead to additional ingredient processing, limited throughput and productivity, extra downtime and costs due to decontamination procedures. "Viruses such as Avian Influenza (AI), African Swine Fever (ASFV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDV) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) are all part of the evidential body examining feed and feed ingredients as a transmission route," says Oldnall. "Major findings include trials by Dr. Toro at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine determining that AI can survive in a feed matrix, especially when feed is further contaminated with organic matter, such as feces. In addition, several peer-reviewed studies have evaluated the survival of swine viruses in animal feed and feed ingredients, confirming that viruses survive in feed matrices and identifying specific ingredients that appear to enhance virus survival. Feed and feed ingredients are an infectious vehicle for bacterial and viral pathogens and a credible risk to biosecurity. This work suggests that repeated exposure of feed and feed-source pathogens to livestock increases the likelihood of a minimum pathogen load being required for viral and bacterial infection." "As a fomite, feed significantly impacts animal production, performance and welfare, largely due to the numerous ways feed and feed ingredients Feed is a fomite for pathogens that negatively impact animal production, operation profitability and food safety.
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