Efficacy of European starling control to reduce Salmonella enterica contamination in a concentrated animal feeding operation in the Texas panhandle

Within the starling-controlled CAFO, detections of S. enterica contamination disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following starling control operations. Within the reference facility, detections of S. enterica contamination increased substantially within feed bunks and water troughs. Starling control was not observed to reduce prevalence of S. enterica in the cattle herd. Following starling control operations, herd prevalence of S. enterica increased on the reference facility but herd prevalence of S. enterica on the starling-controlled CAFO stayed at pretreatment levels.Within the starling-controlled facility detections of S. enterica disappeared from feed bunks and substantially declined within water troughs following control operations. Since cattle feed and water are obvious routes for the ingestion of S. enterica, starling control shows promise as a tool to help livestock producers manage disease. Yet, we do not believe starling control should be used as a stand alone tool to reduce S. enterica infections. Rather starling control could be used as part of a comprehensive disease management plan for concentrated animal feeding operations.Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO's) are sources for new, more infectious or antibiotic resistant microorganisms that can spread to humans and the environment [1]. For example, feeder cattle raised in CAFO's have been linked to the contamination of ground beef with antibiotic resistant S. enterica [2]. This is not an isolated problem, virtually all CAFO's within the U. S. experience chronic problems with livestock diseases [3] and domestic cattle (Bos taurus) are known reservoirs of many gastrointestinal (GI) pathogens including the bacterium Salmonella enterica [4,5]. Because of economic losses and human health risks managing disease in CAFO's is of paramount importance to livestock producers. To manage disease, producers need better information on the specific risk pathways that