High fiber and nonstarch polysaccharide-based poultry diets have received more interest recently for retaining or promoting beneficial gastrointestinal microbial populations. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the in vitro potential fermentability of high-fiber feed substrates (HFFS) by laying hen cecal microflora. Feed sources examined included soybean meal, soybean hull, beet pulp, wheat middlings, ground sorghum, cottonseed meal, 100% alfalfa meal, 90% alfalfa + 10% commercial layer ration, 80% alfalfa + 20% commercial layer ration, and 70% alfalfa + 30% commercial layer ration. Cecal contents and HFFS were incubated anaerobically in serum tubes at 39 degrees C for 24 h. Samples from 2 trials were analyzed at 0 and 24 h for short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Short-chain fatty acids in samples at 0 h were subtracted from 24-h samples to determine the net production of SCFA. In both trials involving HFFS incubations with cecal inocula, acetate production was highest followed by propionate and butyrate whereas isobutyrate and isovalerate production were in trace amounts. In trial 2, detectable valerate production appeared to consistently occur with alfalfa-based HFFS. It was clear that SCFA production was largely dependent upon HFFS, because cecal inoculum alone yielded little or no detectable SCFA production. For HFFS incubations without cecal inocula, acetate production was highest; propionate and butyrate were similar, and isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate production were in trace amounts. Polymerase chain reaction-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis results from both trials indicated 69 and 71% similarity for comparison of all feed mixtures in trials 1 and 2, respectively. All alfalfa-based HFFS yielded a higher similarity coefficient in trial 2 than in trial 1 with a band pattern of 90% similarity; diets containing 90% alfalfa + 10% commercial layer ration and 80% alfalfa + 20% commercial layer ration in trial 2 formed a subgroup with a 94% microbial similarity coefficient. These data suggest that high fiber sources may contribute to the fermentation and microbial diversity that occurs in the ceca of laying hens.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of warm solutions of acidic calcium sulfate (ACS), lactic acid (LA), ε‐polylysine (EPL), ACS plus EPL and sterile distilled water (W) applied to the surface of fresh, pre‐rigor beef rounds for reducing Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes applied as a cocktail at a level of 6.4 log cfu/ 50 cm2. All treatments were applied for 15 to 20 s using a stainless steel spray cabinet at 50–55C under a constant pressure. Sequential application of warm ACS, followed by EPL significantly reduced inoculated levels of S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes, with an extended effect over seven storage days. This combination was more effective than single treatments of ACS, LA, EPL or W alone. From these results, it appears that a sequential application of ACS and EPL could be a better strategy for pathogen reduction in meat plants than a single decontamination treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS A sequential application by spray of acidified calcium sulfate (ACS) followed by ε‐polylysine (EPL) reduced pathogens on pre‐rigor beef rounds more effectively than a single treatment of ACS, EPL, lactic acid or water. This indicates that multiple interventions can be a better strategy for pathogen reduction than single treatments, and could also provide a more “fail‐safe” pathogen reduction strategy. It also appears that combinations of antimicrobial agents that have different modes of action for suppressing pathogen growth, and the sequential application of different decontamination sprays are significant factors for obtaining greater reductions in pathogen numbers on beef carcasses at slaughter.

Une étude a été menée sur l’occurrence des sérotypes de Pasteurella multocida dans trois grandes zones d’élevage bovin du Cameroun. Au total, 362 échantillons de sérum bovin ont été collectés dans les provinces de l’Extrême-Nord, de l’Adamaoua et du Nord-Ouest, et testés afin de détecter la présence d’anticorps vis-à-vis de cinq sérotypes de P. multocida (A5, A7, B1, B6 et E6) par le test d’hémagglutination. Le sérotype B6 a été présent dans toutes les régions, avec la fréquence la plus élevée (84,4 p. 100) dans la région de Mora et la plus faible (43,6 p. 100) dans celle de Meiganga. Les autres sérotypes ont aussi été présents mais à des niveaux différents. Les résultats montrent la nécessité d’incorporer le sérotype B6 dans le vaccin contre la septicémie hémorragique actuellement utilisé au Cameroun.