ASSAY OF SHELL QUALITY TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THE EGG SUPPLY FROM CONTAMINATION BY SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS

Authors: Guard, Jean; Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: United States Animal Health Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/31/2003
Publication Date: 10/11/2003
Citation: Bouldin, J.G., Buhr, R.J. 2003. Assay Of Shell Quality To Increase The Safety Of The Egg Supply From Contamination By Salmonella Enteritidis. United States Animal Health Association Proceedings 107th Annual Meeting. p.27.

Interpretive Summary: Not required.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella enteritidis infection that correlates with high incidence egg contamination occurs sporadically within poultry flocks and may be over within days following invasion of the avian reproductive tract and the internal contents of eggs. Hens exhibit few if any overt signs of infection that might alert producers to a problem. These epidemiological characteristics result in the producer having few observations to indicate risk, and thus an opportunity to keep contaminated product off market shelves by early detection is lost. Experimental infections conducted at various dosages and exposure methods reveal one consistent outward sign of infection, which is a change in egg production. This suggests that a quality control measure that could be implemented is perusal of on-farm records for detection of either an unexpected increase or decrease in daily egg production in otherwise healthy birds. One other outward sign is substantial weight loss in a low percentage of hens, which results a prominent keel bone. It is proposed that analysis of historical records from flocks that have produced contaminated eggs in the past might be useful for developing the statistical analyses needed to ascertain if experimental observations can be applied to develop an approach for early detection of Salmonella enteritidis.