Abstract: A swift, accurate assay for the detection of salmonella contamination in a livestock environments, comprises sampling the floor of the livestock holding area with drag swabs for about 10 or more minutes, after which said swabs are maintained in a static condition, at reduced temperature, in the presence of double strength skim milk, until ready for testing. The swabs are transferred to a salmonella-preferential growth medium, such as tetrathionate broth and subsequently assayed. To reduce non-salmonella "look alike" or masking bacterial colonies, Novobiocin may be administered to the culture media.