Reports of Salmonella in raw meat-based pet food in the United Kingdom have declined again from the record levels seen in 2022.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) collected data on Salmonella from animals, feeding stuff and animal by-products (ABP) in England, Wales and Scotland.
The number of positives from cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry decreased by 16.2 percent to 3,043 in 2024 compared to the year before. Trends were mixed across serovars, as reports of both Salmonella Indiana and Salmonella Newport were almost three times that of 2023. However, Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Montevideo declined.
There were 795 isolations from feedstuffs, including 69 from compound feeds, 55 from feed ingredients and 671 from products associated with testing under animal by-products regulations. This is a decrease from 2023. There were 190 isolations of regulated serovars, which is also down from 2023. They included Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Salmonella Enteritidis.
There were 290 reports of Salmonella from raw meat pet food. This is lower than 331 reports in 2023 and 406 in 2022. The most common serovars were Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Indiana, and Salmonella Typhimurium. There were 95 findings of regulated serovars, down from 99 in 2023.
Contaminated raw meat pet food, which does not undergo heat treatment, represents a potential source of infection to both the animals consuming it and people who handle it, especially if insufficient hygiene measures are followed.
In 2024, 10,388 human Salmonella cases in England were reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The most common type was Salmonella Enteritidis, followed by Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Newport, and Salmonella Java.
Livestock rates
There were 366 isolations of Salmonella from cattle in 2024, which is 16 percent lower than during 2023. As in previous years, Salmonella Dublin remained the most common type. Salmonella Typhimurium was second while Salmonella Mbandaka was third.
Isolations from sheep went up from 98 to 101. Salmonella enterica subspecies diarizonae serovar 61(k):1,5,(7) remained the most common serovar. Salmonella Dublin and Salmonella Montevideo were in joint second.
Isolations from pigs increased by 20.5 percent to 311. Salmonella Typhimurium and monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium were together responsible for 226 isolations.
Including National Control Programme (NCP) and non-statutory surveillance data, there were 1,961 isolations of Salmonella from chickens in 2024, a decrease from 2023.
The main serovars were Salmonella Idikan, Salmonella Kedougou, and Salmonella Montevideo. The estimated prevalence of regulated serovars in breeding, laying hen, and broiler flocks was below the national targets of 1 percent for breeders, 2 percent for layers and 1 percent for broilers. It was estimated at 0.35 percent for breeders, 0.24 percent for layers and 0.03 percent for broilers.
Including both NCP and non-statutory surveillance data, there were 108 isolations from turkeys in 2024, which is similar to levels in 2023. The most common serovars were Salmonella Anatum and Salmonella Kedougou. The prevalence of regulated serovars was 0.32 percent for turkey fatteners and 0.67 percent for breeders. National targets are set at 1 percent for these production sectors.
Salmonella was also reported in horses, ducks, pigeons, dogs and deer.
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