The results of the microbiological examination of
hide swabs from commercially slaughtered bovines for
the presence of E. coli O157, Salmonella spp., and
Campylobacter spp. are shown in Table 1. Swabs were
taken from the rump, flank and brisket areas of the
hides of 90 cattle within the South-West of England.
Samples were taken immediately after stunning and
bleeding, before de-hiding, in order to obtain the most
relevant results from the perspective of the risk of carcass
contamination.