January 16, 2024
The Beef Checkoff through NCBA awards grant to understand ecology of salmonella in cattle
Submitted by Joseph Montgomery
A Kansas State University microbiologist in the College of Veterinary Medicine will use two awards totaling $395,238 in grant funding from the Beef Checkoff through National Cattlemen's Beef Association, or NCBA, to study salmonella in beef-on-dairy cattle production systems.
Raghavendra Amachawadi, associate professor of clinical sciences, will lead a team of researchers and extension faculty — T.G. Nagaraja, A.J. Tarpoff and Phillip Lancaster — to address this high-priority issue for both animal agriculture and public health.
"Our project aligns with the preharvest beef safety research program's emphasis on evaluating and expanding knowledge of pathogens and contributing factors of pathogen risk," Amachawadi said. "Beef-on-dairy crosses used for beef production has greatly increased in the past five years and plays a key role in contributing to the U.S. beef demand. Due to their genetic differences, they provide a significant opportunity to the beef industry, yet face unique challenges."
Amachawadi's team will provide valuable data and insight about these breeds that will assist decision-makers in the beef safety industry to develop novel intervention strategies focused on important risk factors in the production system.
"The long-term goal of this project is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of feeding and management practices," Amachawadi said. "We will collect and share data on morbidity and mortality, from birth to harvest, to determine any associations with salmonella prevalence in feces and lymph nodes. The ultimate goal is to develop novel intervention and management strategies to reduce the prevalence of salmonella in beef-on-dairy cattle."