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Title: PRESENCE OF INOCULATED CAMPYLOBACTER AND SALMONELLA IN UNABSORBED YOLKS OF MALE BREEDERS RAISED AS BROILERS

Author
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Richardson, Larry
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Northcutt, Julie
item FAIRCHILD, B - UGA
item MAULDIN, J - UGA

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2004
Publication Date: 10/20/2005
Citation: Cox Jr, N.A., Richardson, L.J., Buhr, R.J., Northcutt, J.K., Fairchild, B.D., Mauldin, J.M. 2005. Presence of inoculated campylobacter and salmonella in unabsorbed yolks of male breeders raised as broilers [abstract]. Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting. 84(suppl.1):16.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Day old male broiler breeder chicks were obtained from a commercial hatchery and raised as broilers. At 5 weeks of age, the broilers were orally inoculated with a 10(6) cocktail (three characterized strains) of either Campylobacter jejuni or Salmonella. One week after inoculation, the birds were processed and the ceca, unabsorbed yolk material and stalk were aseptically removed for microbiological analyses. For each pooled sample (two birds per pool), a total plate count (TPC), an Enterobacteriaceae count (ENT) and a test for the presence of Campylobacter and Salmonella was performed. For the Salmonella inoculated birds, 2/12 ceca and 0/12 unabsorbed yolk samples were positive for Salmonella. The average TPC was log 3.4 and the average ENT was log 1.9. For the Campylobacter inoculated birds, 12/12 ceca and 9/12 unabsorbed yolk samples were positive for Campylobacter. The average TPC was log 3.5 and the average ENT was log 3.1. The inoculated Campylobacter colonized the ceca in every instance and were present in 75% of the unabsorbed yolks. Alternatively, the inoculated Salmonella were not found in any of the unabsorbed yolks and only rarely in the ceca. In our previous studies, Campylobacter was found to be naturally present in the mature and immature follicles and in other internal organs of the broiler breeder hens, while Salmonella was not found. This study is further evidence that Campylobacter and Salmonella differ in their abilities to invade a chicken's body.