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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294048
Title: Effects of broiler feed medications on Salmonella

Author
item VOLKOVA, VICTORIA - Cornell University
item HUBBARD, SUE - Mississippi State University
item MAGEE, DANNY - Mississippi State University
item Byrd Ii, James - Allen
item BAILEY, RICHARD - Mississippi State University
item WILLS, ROBERT - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2013
Publication Date: 9/1/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58460
Citation: Volkova, V.V., Hubbard, S.A., Magee, D.L., Byrd II, J.A., Bailey, R.H., Wills, R.W. 2013. Effects of broiler feed medications on Salmonella. Avian Diseases. 57:640-644.

Interpretive Summary: A study was conducted to gain information from 52 commercial chicken houses located in the Southeastern U.S. from 2003-2006. Each group of chickens was sampled for the food poisoning bacteria, Salmonella, one week before they were transported to the slaughter facility, upon arrival at the slaughter facility, and during slaughter. The chicken bedding material was sampled on the day the birds were harvested. The feed programs, including the medications delivered in feed, were surveyed with questionnaires completed by commercial chicken managers and feedmill managers. Each detail of the feeding program was tested for association with the occurrence of Salmonella in the birds at each sampling point. Identified differences were found between Salmonella occurrence in the chicken groups pre- and post-harvest, the feed containing individual anti-parasite compounds and other antimicrobial growth promoters, days on feed, and total consumption of feeds containing these products, as well as with practices such as physical characteristics of the feed and a non-medicated feed. The results of the study provide information on how broiler chicken feed may affect the occurrence of Salmonella in commercial chicken houses.

Technical Abstract: This pilot analysis was conducted with data from 52 conventional grow-out broiler flocks in a prospective field observational study in the Southeastern U.S. from 2003-2006. Each flock was sampled for Salmonella one week before the end of grow-out, upon arrival at the processing plant, and during processing (prior to and immediately after carcass chilling). The broiler litter was sampled on the day of bird harvest. The grow-out feeding programs, including the medications delivered in feed, were surveyed with questionnaires completed by the broiler managers and feedmill managers. Each detail of the feeding program was tested for statistical association with the frequency of Salmonella in the flock at each sampling point after accounting for variation in Salmonella frequency between the farms, broiler complexes, and companies. Significant associations were found between Salmonella frequency in the broiler flock pre- and post-harvest and the inclusion of feeds containing individual coccidiostats and other antimicrobial growth promoters, days on feed, and total consumption of feeds containing these products, as well as with practices such as a mash feed and a non-medicated withdrawal feed. The analysis provided testable hypotheses for how broiler feed medications impact the frequency of Salmonella in the flocks.