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Title: EFFECTS OF REPLACEMENT FINISHER FEED AND LENGTH OF FEED WITHDRAWAL ON BROILER CARCASS YIELD AND BACTERIA RECOVERY

Author
item Northcutt, Julie
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Berrang, Mark
item FLETCHER, D - UGA

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2003
Publication Date: 1/20/2003
Citation: Northcutt, J.K., Buhr, R.J., Berrang, M.E., Fletcher, D.L. 2003. Effects of replacement finisher feed and length of feed withdrawal on broiler carcass yield and bacteria recovery. [abstract] Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts. 82(suppl.1):136-137.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The replacement finisher feed (RF) used in the present study is a commercial formulation of a D-glucose polymer (maltodextrin) with added salts and vitamins. This study was conducted to determine the effects of RF on carcass yield and recovery of bacteria from carcasses. Commercial male broilers (41 d of age) were given either RF or traditional starter feed (control) for 8 h, followed by feed withdrawal for 0, 4, 8, or 12 h before processing. During processing, whole carcass rinses (WCR) of pre-eviscerated (missing feathers, feet and heads) and eviscerated carcasses were analyzed for recovery of bacteria. Body weight of broilers at the initiation of feed withdrawal (catch weight) did not differ significantly between types of feed (2.53 to 2.65 kg). Similarly, body weight at slaughter (dock weight) did not differ significantly between types of feed or with length (0 to 12 h) of feed withdrawal (2.51 to 2.57 kg). At every feed withdrawal time period except 0 h, broilers fed control feed had approximately 0.1% more live shrink per h of feed withdrawal than those broilers fed RF, and this difference was significant for broilers held without feed for 8 and 12 h. Type of feed or length of feed withdrawal did not affect coliform and E. coli counts recovered from WCR of pre-eviscerated or eviscerated carcasses. Carcasses representing birds held without feed for 4 had significantly less Campylobacter (log10 2.2 CFU/mL of rinse) when fed control feed as compared to all other groups (log10 3.6 CFU/mL rinse). These data demonstrate that feeding RF to broilers 8 h before initiation of feed withdrawal may reduce live shrink by 0.1% per h without affecting carcass coliform, E. coli or Campylobacter counts.