Chlorate can be used to reduce Salmonella in pigs. However, it must reach the lower gut in order to kill Salmonella. Therefore, although chlorate will work to reduce Salmonella during the lairage period, it must be fed to the animal approximately 16-24 h prior to slaughter in order to reap any benefit from chlorate treatment. Thus, we cannot recommend the use of chlorate as a treatment specifically in the short-term (6 h) lairage period, although it does appear beneficial when used a short period of time (16-24 h) before slaughter. Additionally, these results indicate that proper facility sanitation is crucial to the effectiveness of this, and any, intervention strategy. We thank the National Pork Board and our nation’s pork producers for their generous financial assistance in exploring this important avenue of improving food safety.
Contribute to Pork Research
Discover how you can help improve the pork industry by checking out research RFPs or sharing your own ideas. If you have a research idea, we want to know! Here’s your chance to make a difference.