Effect of Preslaughter Events on the Prevalence of Salmonella in Market-Weight Turkeys

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine if preslaughter events, such as transport to and holding at the slaughterhouse, affect Salmonella prevalence in turkeys. Floors of transport crates were swabbed after loading and prior to transport at the farm (time 1, n = 100 swabs per trial) and after transport to and holding at the abattoir (time 2, n = 100 swabs per trial). In addition, environmental samples were taken at each of the six premises (n = 25 per premises) as well as in the holding shed at the abattoir (n = 25 samples per trial). At slaughter, the crops, ceca, and spleens were cultured (n = 50 each per flock). As shown from the culture of the crate floor swabs collected pre- and posttransport, when individual farms were analyzed, samples from only one premises exhibited a statistically significant change, as seen by the decline in Salmonella prevalence posttransport (P < 0.01). When the data from all farms were combined, Salmonella was recovered more frequently from swabs collected pretransport at loading on-farm (time 1, 47.6%) than from swabs collected after transport (time 2, 39.7%, P < 0.01). This suggests that transport to and holding at the abattoir do not increase the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys. This observation contrasts with the increase in Salmonella prevalence reported for hogs and some broilers.

Time of Entry of Salmonella and Campylobacter into the Turkey Brooder House

“…Earlier, we estimated the Salmonella prevalence of six different Midwest turkey flocks. For the producer whose brooder flock we examined herein, the Salmonella prevalence during that survey was <5% (Rostagno et al 2006;Wesley et al 2006). Direct quantitation, such as that generated by most probable numbers (MPN), estimates the CFU per milliliter of a microbe prior to enrichment and represents the microbial burden on a food or in an animal host.…”

Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in Market-Weight Turkeys On-Farm and at Slaughter

“…In studies of commercial turkey flocks to determine if marketing stresses also influenced Salmonella prevalence, no differences were observed when individual flocks were analyzed before and after feed withdrawal, transport, and holding at a commercial abattoir (25,36). However, when data were combined for the six turkey flocks, a significant increase was observed in Salmonella isolated from liver and gallbladder tissue, which the authors speculated was attributed to neuroendocrine changes associated with perimarketing events (25).…”