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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305908
Title: Effect of on-farm litter acidification treatments on Campylobacter and Salmonella populations in comercial broiler houses in northeast Georgia

Author
item Line, John
item Bailey, Joseph

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2006
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Two commercially available litter treatments, aluminum sulfate and sodium bisulfate, were tested to determine their effect on Campylobacter and Salmonella levels associated with commercial broilers during a 6 week grow-out period. A total of 20 broiler houses at 10 different locations were studied; 5 aluminum sulfate treated houses, 5 sodium bisulfate treated houses and 10 paired untreated control houses. A single application rate was investigated for each treatment. Fecal samples (n = 20 per house) were analyzed at week 2, 4, and 5/6 for Campylobacter and Salmonella. The results indicated that, at the application rates investigated, both acidifying litter treatments caused a slight delay in onset of Campylobacter colonization in broiler chicks. Salmonella levels remained unaffected, with no significant effect seen with either treatment (p > 0.05). Campylobacter populations and Salmonella incidence associated with unprocessed, whole carcass rinse samples (n=10 per house) analyzed at the end of production (week 5/6) were unaffected by treatment.

Technical Abstract: Two commercially available litter treatments, aluminum sulfate and sodium bisulfate, were tested to determine their effect on Campylobacter and Salmonella levels associated with commercial broilers during a 6 week grow-out period. A total of 20 broiler houses at 10 different locations were studied; 5 aluminum sulfate treated houses, 5 sodium bisulfate treated houses and 10 paired untreated control houses. A single application rate was investigated for each treatment. Fecal samples (n = 20 per house) were analyzed at week 2, 4, and 5/6 for Campylobacter and Salmonella. The results indicated that, at the application rates investigated, both acidifying litter treatments caused a slight delay in onset of Campylobacter colonization in broiler chicks. Salmonella levels remained unaffected, with no significant effect seen with either treatment (p > 0.05). Campylobacter populations and Salmonella incidence associated with unprocessed, whole carcass rinse samples (n=10 per house) analyzed at the end of production (week 5/6) were unaffected by treatment.