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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 #299974
Title: Evaluation of formic acid and propionic acid feed additives on environmental and cecal Salmonella Typhimurium in broilers

Author
item Wilson, Kimberly
item RITZ, CASEY - University Of Georgia
item KIEPPER, BRIAN - University Of Georgia
item Bourassa, Dianna
item Cox Jr, Nelson
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: International Poultry Scientific Forum
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2013
Publication Date: 1/27/2014
Citation: Wilson, K.M., Ritz, C.W., Kiepper, B.H., Bourassa, D.V., Cox Jr, N.A., Buhr, R.J. 2014. Evaluation of formic acid and propionic acid feed additives on environmental and cecal Salmonella Typhimurium in broilers. International Poultry Scientific Forum. 93:(E-Suppl. 1) M34. p.111-112. 2014..

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Three trials were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of formic acid and propionic acid on environmental and cecal recovery of Salmonella. Trial 1: Chicks (33/pen) were placed in one of 3 treatments with 8 reps, Trt A: 1 kg/ton formic acid, Trt B: 5 kg/ton formic acid, and Trt C: no formic acid. At 1 d, 3 seeders were challenged with 10^4 cfu/mL of nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella via gavage and were placed in a low challenge room (4/12 pens) or a high challenge room (8/12 pens). Seeders were taken out at 3 wk to confirm colonization and penmate ceca were collected at 3 and 6 wk. Litter was sampled weekly using stepped-on-drag swabs. There were no treatment differences most likely due to high exposure of Salmonella from seeders in the challenge pens for 3 wk and the low exposure in all adjacent pens without seeders. Trial 2: Chicks (40/pen) were placed into one of 4 treatments with 3 reps, Trt A: formic acid in feed, Trt B: formic acid in water, Trt C: formic acid in feed and water, Trt D: no formic acid. At 1 d 2 seeders/pen were challenged with 10^7 cfu/mL of Salmonella. Litter was sampled weekly. At 1 wk, seeder ceca were collected to confirm colonization and penmate ceca at 3 and 6 wk. By 6 wk all pens had detectable Salmonella in litter. At 6 wk, Trt C had the lowest cecal recovery at 35%, Trt A 42.5%, Trt B 50% and 60% in Trt D. Trial 3: Chicks (27/pen) were placed in one of 7 treatments with 3 reps; Trt A propionic acid 5kg/ton wk 0-6, Trt B propionic acid 5kg/ton wk 5-6, Trt C propionic acid 10kg/ton wk 0-6, Trt D propionic acid 10kg/ton wk 5-6, Trt E formic acid 4kg/ton wk 5-6, Trt F formic acid 6kg/ton wk 5-6 and Trt G no acids added. At 1d, 2 seeders/pen were challenged with 10^7 cfu/mL of Salmonella. Seeder ceca were collected at 1 wk and penmate ceca at 6wk. Litter was sampled at wk 3, 5, and 6. By 6wk, Trt A had no Salmonella-positive ceca or litter in all pens. Trt D, E, and F (fed wk 5-6 as a cleanout supplement) had at least 1 Salmonella-positive ceca. Only Trt G had Salmonella-positive breast skin (20%) following scalding and defeathering. Given the results from trial 1 and changing techniques for trial 2 and 3, when exposed to Salmonella seeders for 1 wk, broilers given formic acid in feed and water had the lowest recovery and those given 5kg/ton 0-6 wk of propionic acid did not have detectable levels of Salmonella in ceca, litter, or breast skin by 6 wk.