Reducing Salmonella Challenges in Broilers: Prevention is better than cure

Posted by maria on April 2nd, 2021

Salmonella (Bacteria), also called salmonellosis, is commonly caused by contaminated food and water. It primarily impacts children and people with weak immune systems. It is mainly found in poultry foods like meat and eggs, making them the primary infection source.

Salmonella contamination is a global issue in the poultry industry. Still, complete eradication is quite challenging, both at the production level and for the full integration because of various bacterial transmission routes. Hence, the industries are looking for ways to control the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Various studies and experiments show that in addition to proper vaccination, biosecurity, and hygiene, using additives such as organic acid in broilers feed or exposure to yeast fraction can play a significant role in tackling Salmonella challenges.

Salmonella - Broilers

Organic acids or chain fatty acids (SCFA) are significant promoters of the gastrointestinal tract and gut health. These fatty acids work as antimicrobial agents by suppressing the infections caused by pathogens like E.coli and Salmonella, thus ensuring proper feed digestion and improved gut health. Hence, less non-digested food is available for these bacteria to feed on, leading to reduced proliferation. 

A study was conducted on boiler groups, mainly the Treatment group (Group 1 and Group 2) and a Control group. Group 1 and 2 were challenged with a diet containing an organic acid and a blend of substances, and the regular supplement. In contrast, the Control group was given a normal diet without the addition of the additive. It was observed that as the amount of additive increased in the feed, the treatment group showed significantly less number Salmonella presence on both days five and day ten post-infection (Figure)

Prevention and Treatment of Salmonella:

The complete eradication of Salmonella is near impossible. So, the need of hour to prevent it at the production stages with a combination of proper management, vaccines, and many other aspects. The result shows that the use of additives such as organic acids and essential oil blends, to an extent, helps control the proliferation rate of pathogens. 

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maria
Joined: November 21st, 2020
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