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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 #349491
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Impact of skip-a-day and every-day feeding programs on the recovery of salmonella and campylobacter following in broiler breeder pullets

Author
item WILSON, KIMBERLY - The Ohio State University
item BOURASSA, DIANNA - Auburn University
item MCLENDON, BEVERLEY - University Of Georgia
item WILSON, JEANNA - University Of Georgia
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/25/2018
Publication Date: 6/8/2018
Citation: Wilson, K.M., Bourassa, D.V., Mclendon, B.L., Wilson, J., Buhr, R.J. 2018. Impact of skip-a-day and every-day feeding programs on the recovery of salmonella and campylobacter following in broiler breeder pullets. Poultry Science. 97(7):2775-2784. doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey150.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey150

Interpretive Summary: Feed restriction at 2/3 full-fed intake is essential during broiler breeder hen rearing in order to limit body weight gain, maximize flock uniformity, and to optimize subsequent breeder hen hatching egg production for the production of broiler chicks. The impact of restrictive feeding programs on Salmonella and Campylobacter colonization and persistence after challenge was investigated for birds housed in an experimentally controlled rearing facility. Chicks were placed on litter in 3 feeding program rooms and each room contained duplicate pens. The 2/3 restrictive feeding programs were: 1) Skip-a-day (two days allotted feed fed every other day) fed in trough feeders (SAD); 2) Every-day fed in trough feeders (EDT); 3) Every-day fed on the pen litter (EDL). Chicks challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium served as seeder chicks and at week 5 were placed into each feeding program pen to commingle with penmates. At 7 to 20 weeks the litter surface in each pen was sampled and at 8 to 20 weeks birds were euthanized and the intestines sampled for Salmonella from 10 penmates. SAD litter remained Salmonella-positive through 20 weeks of age while EDL and EDT had no detectible litter Salmonella by 18 and 20 weeks. Salmonella recovery for intestines from SAD fed pullets were significantly higher at week 8 (70%) compared to those fed EDT (40%) or fed EDL (30%). At week 12, SAD pullets for both on and off-feed sampling days had significantly higher Salmonella recovery 40%, compared to EDT and EDL both at 5% recovery. By 16 and 20 weeks, only the SAD pullets on the on-feed day (48 hours without feed) had recovery of Salmonella at 20%. The remaining birds were challenged with Campylobacter at week 21 and produced similar trends as seen for Salmonella. SAD program pullets had significantly higher Campylobacter from intestines (80 to 100%) compared to pullets on EDL (30 to 60%) or EDT (40 to 95%). These results suggest that using a Skip-a-Day feeding program for broiler breeder pullets contributes to persistently higher Salmonella and Campylobacter intestine colonization and litter recovery and alternative feeding programs should be evaluated.

Technical Abstract: The impact of restrictive feeding programs on Salmonella and Campylobacter colonization and persistence after challenge was investigated for broiler breeder pullets housed in an experimental rearing facility. Pullet-chicks were placed on litter in 3 feeding program rooms and each room contained duplicate pens. The feeding programs were: 1) Skip-a-day in trough feeders (SAD); 2) Every-day in trough feeders (EDT); 3) Every-day on the pen litter (EDL). On d 1, an additional group of hatchmate chicks were housed in a separate room and gavaged with Salmonella Typhimurium, to later serve as seeder chicks. After seeders were confirmed Salmonella-positive at wk 4, at wk 5 seeders were placed into each feeding program pen to commingle with penmates. At 7, 9, 11, 17, 18, and 20 wk the litter surface in each pen was sampled using intermittently stepped-on drag-swabs. At 8, 12, 16, and 20 wk, the ceca were sampled from 10 penmates/pen and 2 pooled spleen samples/pen were collected. SAD litter remained Salmonella-positive through 20 wk of age while EDL and EDT had no detectible litter Salmonella by 18 and 20 wk. EDL fed pens had no direct (>102 cfu/mL) litter Salmonella recovery during the entirety of the experiment. Salmonella prevalence for ceca from SAD pullets was significantly (P<0.05) higher at 8 wk (70%) compared to EDT (40%) and EDL (30%). At wk 12, SAD pullets for both on and off-feed sampling days had significantly higher Salmonella recovery 40%, compared to EDT and EDL both at 5% recovery. By 16 and 20 wk, only the SAD pullets on the on-feed day (48 h without feed) had recovery of Salmonella at 20%. Salmonella recovery in pooled spleen samples did not appear associated with feeding treatments (18% positive). The remaining pullets challenged with Campylobacter at 21 wk produced similar trends as seen for Salmonella. SAD program pullets had significantly higher Campylobacter from ceca (80 to 100%) compared to pullets on EDL (30 to 60%) or EDT (40 to 95%). These results suggest that using a Skip-a-Day feeding program for broiler breeder pullets contributes to persistently higher Salmonella and Campylobacter ceca colonization and litter prevalence.