A study was conducted of 32 broiler flocks on eight different farms, belonging to four major U.S. producers. The farms were studied over I complete calendar year. Overall, 28 (87.5%) of the flocks became Campylobacter positive, and only four (12.5%) remained negative throughout the 6- to 8-week rearing period. In the majority of flocks, sampled every 2 weeks throughout production, Campylobacter-positive fecal and cecal samples were not detected until 4 to 8 weeks of age. In only six of the flocks were environmental samples found to be positive before shedding of Campylobacter was detected in the birds. Even in some of the Campylobacter-negative flocks, contamination of the rearing environment was positive for Campylobacter but did not result in the birds subsequently excreting the organism. These findings are discussed in relation to U.S. husbandry practices and present uncertainty about sources of Campylobacter infection for poultry flocks. Birds were often transported to the processing plant in coops that were already contaminated with Campylobacter, and the organisms were sometimes found in samples of scald water and chill water. After chilling, the proportions of Campylobacter-positive carcasses from different producers ranged from 21.0 to 40.9%, which is lower than in other studies, and possible reasons are considered.
The prevalence of Salmonella from numerous sources in 32 integrated broiler operations of high- and low-performing broiler houses was characterized from four states across four seasons. Previous studies of Salmonella in broilers have been limited in scope, offering only a snapshot of pathogen prevalence as seen on a small number of individual farms. Twenty-six different sample types were collected from the hatchery to the end of processing, and Salmonella was found in all sample types. A total of 10,740 samples were analyzed for Salmonella, and 973 (9.1%) of these samples, including 49 of 798 (6.1%) carcass rinse samples, were Salmonella positive. Hatchery transport pads (389 of 765, 50.8%), flies (28 of 150, 18.7%), drag swabs (57 of 402, 14.2%), and boot swabs (20 of 167, 12%) were samples from which Salmonella was most frequently isolated. Thirty-six different serotypes were identified, and the most frequently encountered serotypes were Salmonella Senftenberg, Salmonella Thompson, and Salmonella Montevideo. Determining critical contaminating sources and following the movement of Salmonella through integrated poultry operations will help researchers and the industry develop practical intervention strategies.
Many consumers assume that broiler chickens grownunder traditional commercial conditions will have more Salmonella than free-range or organic chickens, which usually are less crowded, have access to outside spaces during grow out, and are fed special diets. Despite these perceptions, there is a lack of published information about the microbiological status of free-range and organic chickens. A total of 135 processed free-range chickens from four different commercial free-range chicken producers were sampled in 14 different lots for the presence of Salmonella. Overall, 9 (64%) of 14 lots and 42 (31%) of 135 of the carcasses were positive for Salmonella. No Salmonella were detected in 5 of the 14 lots, and in one lot 100% of the chickens were positive for Salmonella. An additional 53 all-natural (no meat or poultry meal or antibiotics in the feed) processed chickens from eight lots were tested; 25% ofthe individual chickens from 37% of these lots tested positive for Salmonella. Three lots of chickens from a single organicfree-range producer were tested, and all three of the lots and 60% of the individual chickens were positive for Salmonella.The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service reported that commercial chickens processed from 2000 to 2003 had a Salmonella prevalence rate of 9.1 to 12.8%. Consumers should not assume that free-range or organicconditions will have anything to do with the Salmonella status of the chicken.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.