Incidence of Campylobacter spp. in broiler flocks monitored from hatching to slaughter

The incidence of Campylobacter jejuni/coli was examined in five flocks of broilers monitored from hatch to slaughter, in feed and water and in litter samples. A total of 1440 samples from 720 broilers was examined. Campylobacter spp. were not isolated from broiler chicks at 1 day of age and were only isolated from one broiler chick in one flock at 1 week of age. In three flocks Campylobacter spp. were isolated from all chicks sampled at 4 weeks of age. In the fourth flock all chicks sampled were negative until 8 weeks of age when all were positive. The fifth flock remained negative throughout the 8 weeks of its life. Campylobacter spp. were not found in 20 samples of food and water. Of 20 litter samples they were found in only two. Eleven broiler flocks were examined only at slaughter. Twenty-four caecal samples were examined from each flock. In three flocks no Campylobacter spp. were isolated, in one flock one broiler chick was positive and in seven flocks from 58% to 100% of sampled broilers were positive. A total of 146 isolates was typed; 123 were C. jejuni and 23 C. coli, these belonged to 46 serotypes. In some flocks several serotypes were identified, some of them were not found again on further examinations of the same flocks during the growing period.