Manure is commonly used in agricultural production in Mauritius, but little is
documented on the local management practices. Animal manure, in particular, is a
livestock waste that harbors enteric microorganisms which are potentially pathogenic to
human
s. The objectives of the study were therefore (i) to shed light on the management
practices of manure among cattle and poultry farmers (manure producers) and carrot and
lettuce growers (manure end-users) and any associated health risks and (ii) to determine
the prevalence of human pathogens (diarrheagenic
Escherichia coli
,
Salmonella
,
Listeria monocytogenes
and
Clostridium perfringens
) in manure collected from farmers,
vegetable crops fertilized with manure as well as manure-amended soil (MAS) used in
crop cultivation. A survey was conducted through in-depth interviews with 16 producers
and 36 end-users to gather data on their MMP and their perception of the health risks
associated with manure handling. Samples of manure, MAS and vegetables were also
microbiologically analyzed to enumerate and/or detect pathogens. Findings revealed that
cattle and poultry manure was an important resource for many small-holder vegetable
farmers in Mauritius. The manure distributors or end users had no negative perception of
the use of untreated manure for vegetable cultivation and were generally unaware of any
biosecurity risks arising from the improper handling or subsequent use of untreated
manure. Microbiological analyses however showed that 100% of manure samples
collected from cattle farms and 58% of the poultry litter samples tested positive for
pathogenic
E. coli with population ranging from 3.3 to 6.5 Log CFU/g. Manure-borne
pathogens were generally undetectable in the analyzed vegetables hence indicating a low
risk of foodborne infections. However, the systematic presence of pathogenic
E. coli in
cattle manure and frequent occurrence in poultry litter clearly point to a need for creating
greater awareness amongst farmers on the occupational health risks associated with
handling of raw or inadequately decomposed manure. This study therefore points to the
health risks associated with enteric pathogens present in raw or untreated raw manure in
Mauritius.