Hi Brian,
The paper below from UK shows that E coli 0157 (shiga toxin or stx
for the Ecoli and its bacteria phage or bacterial virus) is found on
pasture grasses but less on silage and processed foods.I have also
found a lot of reports on spread of E coli 0157 by birds, flies and
slugs. I have not put down those abstracts for sake of space but it
seems flies may be a major source for spreading the toxic bacteria.
It seems almost as if nature had generally begun to rebel against the
human predator and joined forces to deal with the threat. Organic
agriculture like conventional agriculture is a victim not a cause.It
seems clear that USDA and other research establishments have been
slow to recognize the growing threat to humans and must be prodded
into action.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2006 Aug;43(2):205-10.
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, faecal coliforms and
coliphage in animal feeds.Hutchison ML, Thomas DJ, Walters LD, Avery SM.
Research Division, DLS-Eurofins, Wolverhampton, UK.
mike.hutchison@directlaboratories.net
AIMS: Animal feeds (n = 226), collected from pastures or feeding
troughs on UK farms and from feed manufacturers' bulk stores, were
analysed for Escherichia coli harbouring shiga-toxin genes (stx),
faecal coliforms, coliphages and stx-harbouring bacteriophages.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples comprised of 79 fresh grasses, 26
silages and 121 dried or heat-processed feeds (DPF). Five of the 79
(6.3%) fresh grass samples contained stx(2)-E. coli. stx-E. coli were
not detected in the silages or DPF that were examined. Faecal
coliforms were detected in 75/79 (94.9%) of fresh grasses, 19/26
(73.1%) of silages and 36/121 (29.8%) of processed feeds. Coliphages
were detected in 63/79 (79.7%) and 18/26 (69.2%) of fresh grasses and
silages, respectively. Coliphages were isolated at a significantly
lower prevalence of 5% (6/121) from processed feeds. Although
stx(2)-phage was isolated from the enrichment of a single grass
sample, stx-phages were not detected in any of the silage or
processed feeds. We did not detect stx(1)-phage in any of the samples
collected. CONCLUSIONS: Pastures have the potential to act as
transmission vectors for stx-harbouring E. coli for grazed livestock.
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study to
report on the prevalence of E. coli harbouring stx genes, faecal
coliforms, coliphages and stx-harbouring bacteriophages in a range of
feedstuffs destined for consumption by UK livestock. This study
provides information on the risk of feeds to the spread of stx-phages
between livestock and/or the environment
sincerely, joe cummins
Brian Baker wrote:
Jeff,
In a word, no.
While E. coli is in every cow [and in all of us] the pathogenic
strains are limited. The O157:H7 strain is antibiotic resistant and
is favored in selection by acidic conditions. Cows that are fed
relatively high levels of concentrates and are treated with
antibiotics are more likely to become infected with that particular
strain than cows on pasture not treated with antibiotics.
Suggest you look at the following report prepared by Chuck Benbrook
on the Organic Center's website.
http://www.organic-center.org/science.latest.php?action=view&report_id=62
<http://www.organic-center.org/science.latest.php?action=view&report_id=62>
Brian Baker, Research Director, OMRI
Jeff Schahczenski wrote:
Is E coli 0157 in every cow not matter how it is raised? This
seems to be the implication?
sals wrote:
Lawrence u must not have heard of the new think tank idea against
natural farming call "get the shit out of natural farming.
"}. u have not seen anything yet. I always thought a cow was
one perfect creation eating grass and weeds and turning it into
milk beef and pure gold manure. I don't use it now because of all
the pressure I see the government will put on natural farming . I
can see by the talk going around that manure may be out for me.
darn I always thought ally farming was a wise way to farm . Talk
about sustainable ag. I seen it once and thought the farmer was
one of the smartest farmers I knew . Ally farming is where u
plant fruit trees leave space for grazing then more trees. let
the cows graze in-between the trees , taking time for feed to grow
then something else then foodstuff or crop etc. I don't know the
rotation or timing but I always thought what a sustainable way to
farm. the cows grazes and poops and walks around then the cows
are moved to another ally where feed grasses etc are grown . old
ally rest or something then after right time crop planted then
plant what cows eat then let the cows back in again. the whole
idea seem sustainable to me. guess this kills that idea. I don't
use manure or compost tea anymore because the government USDA
organic certifier etc give u so much manure for using it . If u
are doing compost tea I would not use manure in it and compost
with no manure but if u are certified u have to know what's in it
. in my mind comport tea and manure and even compost are the best
tools we have but government persecution is too much to bear. I
don't know how they are going to put life back into their burned
out dead soil with out those tools. I can see feed lot manure
being bad but what u had delivered and what your going to do with
it sounds right to me.
Ori inal Message ----- From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr."
<lfl@INTREX.NET>
To: <SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU>
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 9:33 PM
Subject: Re: no smoking cow?
jcummins wrote:
There seems to be a real effort to stop trying to pin the
spinach outbreak on organic food. However, it is clear that
organic farmers will have to steer clear of cows! >
I just had 8 - 8 cu.yd. dumptruck loads of cow straw manure
delivered for storage, weed removal, and future use.
This is manure from a large pasture where the owner has put
successive round hay bales under trees for his beef cattle to eat
year round. The cows eat nothing but grass, weeds and hay, never
any grain and deposit large quantities of manure
on the hay from the round bales that gets spread over the ground
in the area. As far as offsite N/biomass-compost sources is
concerned, this is as good as it gets, lots of clean N,
biologically active, already mixed with biomass for carbon, a
single source of nitrogen and humus, good stimulus for years of
food and cover crop production and soil improvement. I assume
there will be no E coli 0157 in this manure unless it comes from
some source other than his cows.
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