Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 30, 2002
Publication Date: May 1, 2002
Citation: Musgrove, M.T., Cox Jr, N.A., Berrang, M.E., Buhr, R.J., Bailey, J.S., Mauldin, J.M. 2002. Effect of inoculation and application methods on the performance of chemicals used to disinfect salmonella contaminated hatching eggs [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 80:16. Technical Abstract: Salmonellae can penetrate the shells and shell membranes of hatching eggs and this can critically affect final product contamination levels (processed broiler carcass). There have been numerous published studies on the efficacy of chemical disinfectants for hatching eggs. The objective of this study was to provide information that allowed the reader to accurately assess the published works on chemical efficiency to reduce salmonellae on hatching eggs. Three methods of inoculating the eggs were used: immersion, fecal smear, and droplet technique. Following incubation, two different methods of applying the treatment were used: immersion and spraying. When an immersion inoculum was used at a high level (105-107), it was extremely difficult to demonstrate any reduction in Salmonella contamination of eggs with any chemical used. When the fecal smear was the method of inoculation, an effective chemical treatment dramatically reduced the number of Salmonella positive eggs with either an immersion or spray application. A relatively ineffective chemical showed no advantage over water. However, if a lower inoculum (103) was applied by fecal smear then an immersion chemical or water treatment resulted in dramatic reductions in Salmonella positive eggs. With the droplet inoculum method at a moderate level (105), immersion and spray applications produced dramatic reductions with either chemical tested. By this egg inoculation method, slight reductions were noted even when water was used as the disinfection treatment. Studies such as these can be easily biased and the reader should pay close attention to method and levels of inoculation and application before deciding on the efficacy of a chemical treatment.