USDA-FSIS Guidance for Reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Shedding in Cattle
USDA-FSIS has issued a guidance for reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7). According to the guidance, pre-harvest cattle management controls and interventions are emerging as an option that offers great opportunity to improve food safety.
Consensus within the beef industry is that beef producers should follow basic recommended principles of cattle management. The following are the basic recommended principles of cattle management.
- Clean water;
- Clean feed;
- Clean environment that is appropriately drained;
- Separate housing of calves and heifer or reduced animal density; and
- Biosecurity—wildlife exclusion to the extent possible.
According to the FSIS, current research has not shown a reduction E. coli O157:H7 shedding in cattle when these basic principles are used. Nevertheless, FSIS supports the principles because of their foundation in animal health and welfare. They provide a foundation for the processing interventions and sanitary dressing procedures used to control E. coli O157:H7 contamination in raw beef.
