ARS | Publication request: Bacteria Recovery from Genetically Featherless Broiler Carcasses after Forced Evacuation

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 21, 2006
Publication Date: January 27, 2007
Citation: Northcutt, J.K., Mcneal, W.D., Ingram, K.D., Fletcher, D.L., Buhr, R. 2007. Bacteria Recovery from Genetically Featherless Broiler Carcasses after Forced Evacuation [abstract]. Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts. 86(Suppl. 1):791.

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to determine the external microbiology of genetically featherless broiler carcasses after forced evacuation of clocal fecal material. Full-fed featherless broilers were shackled, stunned, suffocated, weighed and divided into three treatments groups (S, W and SW). Carcasses from all three treatments were transferred to a separate shackle line and passed through a machine designed to express (squeeze) and remove external feces (wash). Treatments were obtained by turning on or off the squeezing and washing components. After treatment, carcasses were weighed again and subjected to a whole carcass rinse for microbiological analyses. Treatments were as follows: S carcasses were squeezed but not washed; W carcasses were not squeezed but were washed; and SW carcasses were squeezed and washed. There was a significant difference in carcass weight after treatment (P < 0.05). When carcasses were washed, they gained weight (8.6 and 2.1 g for W and SW, respectively), while unwashed carcasses (treatment S) lost approximately 6 g of feces. Recovery of Escherichia coli (EC), coliforms (CF), and Campylobacter (CP) from carcasses did not vary with treatment and levels were approximately 3.4, 3.7 and 2.7 log cfu/mL of rinse, respectively. A slightly lower (0.3 log), but significant difference in the level of total aerobic bacteria (APC) was observed for SW carcasses compared to W carcasses. Salmonella (SAL) prevalence was similar for carcasses in all three treatments (83 to 90% positive). APC, EC, and CF counts in the water used to wash carcasses assigned to treatment W were 3.6, 0.8, and 1.0 log cfu/mL lower than the counts recovered from water used to wash carcasses assigned to treatment SW (P < 0.05). CP and SAL prevalence in water collected from carcasses in treatment W was 1/4 and 0/4, respectively. CP and SAL prevalence from carcasses in treatment SW was 3/4 and 2/4, respectively. Data from the present study show that fecal material may be expressed and washed off of carcasses immediately after slaughter. This equipment could be used to minimize deposition of organic material onton the carcass and into the scalder and improve bird uniformity at evisceration. Key Words: Poultry, carcass bacteria recovery, broiler carcass evacuation, carcass washing