The role of starlings in the spread of Salmonella within concentrated animal feeding operations

Abstract

Summary1. Characterizing and mitigating the disease risks associated with wildlife use of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) can reduce the spread of micro-organisms throughout the environment while increasing agricultural productivity. To better understand the disease risks associated with bird use of CAFOs, we assessed the capacity of European starlings Sturnus vulgaris to spread Salmonella enterica to cattle, their feed and water. 2. We sampled starlings, cattle feed, cattle water and cattle faeces from 10 CAFOs in Texas, USA. Samples were screened for Salmonella enterica to investigate: (i) the prevalence of S. enterica in starlings using CAFOs, (ii) whether there was a relationship between cattle infections and starling numbers, and (iii) if S. enterica contamination of cattle feed and water was related to numbers of starlings observed on CAFOs. 3. We used generalized linear mixed logistic regression models to assess the importance of starlings, cattle stocking, facility management and environmental variables in the transmission of S. enterica to cattle, feed troughs and water troughs in CAFOs. 4. Starling gastrointestinal tract samples tested positive for S. enterica (2AE5% prevalence; 95% CI = 0AE3%, 8AE6%) and starlings were retained as model covariates in the best supported logistic regression models for S. enterica contamination within cattle feed, water and faeces. 5. Salmonella enterica contamination of both cattle feed troughs and water troughs is significantly related to numbers of starlings. Contamination in cattle feed increased as more starlings entered feed troughs. Contamination in water troughs increased asymptotically as numbers of starlings on CAFOs increased. Starling variables in the cattle faecal shedding model were not significant. 6. Synthesis and applications. The numbers of European starlings better explained S. enterica contamination of cattle feed and water than other variables including cattle stocking, facility management and environmental variables. This suggests that starlings are a source of S. enterica contamination in CAFOs. Thus, starling management tools such as population control, habitat management, exclusionary devises and bird repellents may be used to reduce the amplification and spread of disease within livestock production systems.

The role of a generalized ultraviolet cue for blackbird food selection

“…Similarly, bird management (e.g., UV-conditioned feeding behavior) is needed to protect human food and livestock feed from pathogens and zoonotic diseases currently associated with some wild birds [37][38][39][40]. Although it is probably no more meaningful to speak of "UV vision" in birds than to single out "blue vision" in humans [1], further experiments will be necessary to develop our understanding of UV vision associated with the sensory and behavioral ecology of wild birds within agronomic and natural environments.…”

Characteristics of white-tailed deer visits to cattle farms: implications for disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock interface

“…In North America, it is estimated that at least 79 % of emerging infectious diseases have a wildlife-livestock component (Miller et al 2012). European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) may spread salmonella (Salmonella enterica) between cattle feedlots (Linz et al 2007;Carlson et al 2011) and dairy cattle diagnosed with paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis) were correlated with red deer (Cervus elaphus) farm use (Fredriksen et al 2004). European badgers (Meles meles) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) are implicated in bovine tuberculosis (bTB) transmission to cattle in the United Kingdom (UK) (Gallagher and Clifton-Hadley 2000) and New Zealand (Coleman 1988;Coleman and Cooke 2001), respectively.…”

Experimental Infection of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) with Pandemic 2009 H1N1 and Swine H1N1 and H3N2 Triple Reassortant Influenza Viruses

“…This adaptive feeding strategy often involves intermingling of multiple livestock and wildlife species, thus providing opportunities for pathogen transmission (Dolejska et al, 2008;Carlson et al, 2011). Both Starlings and Sparrows are susceptible to infection with low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (Stallknecht and Shane, 1988) and both species have sialic acid receptors capable of binding both human (a-2,3) and avian (a-2,6) influenza viruses in respiratory and intestinal epithelia, as indicated by lectin binding (Franca et al, in press).…”