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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #224328
Title: External and internal bacterial in broiler chickens before and after defeathering

Author
item Cason Jr, John
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Northcutt, Julie
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Ingram, Kimberly
item Smith, Douglas
item Cox Jr, Nelson

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2008
Publication Date: 7/20/2008
Citation: Cason Jr, J.A., Hinton Jr, A., Northcutt, J.K., Buhr, R.J., Ingram, K.D., Smith, D.P., Cox Jr, N.A. 2008. External and internal bacterial in broiler chickens before and after defeathering [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 87:(Supp.1)133. p. 42.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Broiler chicken carcasses were removed from the shackle line in a commercial processing plant to determine incidence and counts of coliforms, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Salmonella both before and after picking. Five carcasses were taken from each sampling location on 10 different days (n=50). External samples included rinses of picked carcasses, feet, and hand-picked feathers from the carcasses before picking. Internal samples included the colon, ceca, crop, and contents of each. Samples were diluted in 0.1% peptone water and bacteria were cultured by standard methods. Campylobacter was present at 100% incidence in 3 flocks, but was absent in the other 7 flocks. Numbers of coliforms and E. coli were significantly (P<0.05) lower in rinses of carcasses picked in the plant, but numbers of Campylobacter were significantly higher in the same samples. All samples from 2 flocks were Salmonella negative before picking, but at least one carcass was Salmonella positive in all 10 flocks after picking. Salmonella was isolated in external samples from 46% of carcasses before picking versus 74% after picking. Salmonella incidence in internal samples was 8% before picking compared to 14% after. Only one cecal sample was Salmonella positive at each sampling location, indicating that flocks had a low level of colonization. In MPN assays performed on the qualitatively positive samples, approximately half had no Salmonella-positive tubes, indicating that many of the Salmonella-positive samples probably contained only a few cells. Mean MPN numbers were lower than in previous sampling of flocks that had greater intestinal colonization by Salmonella, indicating that incidence data alone may hide differences in Salmonella carriage by carcasses from positive flocks.