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Specific dosage levels of an experimental chlorate product, when used alone or in combination with a nitrate or nitroethane pre-adaptation period, will be determined to support regulatory approval of the product as a preharvest food safety supplement.
Approach: Feedlot cattle will be allocated to three chlorate treatments (0, 0.14 and 0.28 g per kg BW chlorate product) with or without a nitrate (0.04 g nitrate per kg BW) or a nitroethane (0.12 g nitroethane per kg BW) pre-adaptation treatment. The nitrate and nitroethane will be administered for a three-day period immediately preceding a terminal (last day) chlorate treatment and are expected to markedly enhance the bactericidal activity of chlorate. Cattle will be fed in an electronic gate feeder system. Ruminal and fecal contents sampled at the beginning and ending of the experiment will be cultured for E. coli and E. coli O157:H7. Gut contents will also be evaluated for ammonia, 2-nitroethane and volatile fatty acid concentrations.