ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF SELECTED ORGANIC ACIDS ON THE CONTROL OF SALMONELLA IN MARKET- AGE BROILERS DURING FEED WITHDRAWAL

Submitted to: Poultry Science Meeting
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The crop is a known source of Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination. Presently, we evaluated the use of selected organic acids (0.5%: acetic, lactic, or formic) in the drinking water during a simulated 8 hr pre- transport feed withdrawal (FW). All broilers were challenged with 106 Salmonella typhimurium (ST) by oral gavage 24 to 48 hours prior to FW in a total of 5 experiments. ST was recovered from 53/100 (53%) control crops and from 45/100 (45%) crops from acetic acid-treated broilers. However, treatment with either lactic (31/100; 31%) or formic (28/76; 36.8%) acids caused significant (P<.05) reductions in recovery. Reductions in bacterial incidence was also associated with reduced numbers of ST recovered (e.g. control: log 1.45 cfu/crop; lactic acid: 0.79 cfu/crop). In an additional on-farm commercial study, broilers were provided 0.44% lactic acid during a 10 h FW (4 hours on the farm and 6 h transport), and pre-FW crop, post- FW crop, and pre-chill carcass wash samples were collected for Campylobacter and Salmonella detection. Crop contamination with Salmonella was significantly reduced by lactic acid treatment (2/50; 4%) as compared to controls (23/50; 46%). Importantly, Salmonella isolation incidence in pre-chill carcass rinses was significantly reduced by almost 10-fold in the lactic acid group. In contrast, the incidence of Campylobacter only was reduced by 25%. These studies suggest that incorporation of some organic acids in the drinking water during pre-transport feed withdrawal may reduce Salmonella contamination of crops and broiler carcasses at processing. Further studies regarding optimal concentrations, ratios and duration of administration are in progress.