Extent of salmonellae contamination in breeder hatcheries

Egg fragments, paper pads from chick boxes, and fluff samples were obtained from six commercial broiler breeder hatcheries and analyzed for the presence and level of salmonellae. Overall, 42 of 380 samples (11.1%) from those hatcheries were contaminated with salmonellae. Salmonellae organisms were detected in 22 of 145 (15.2%), 5 of 100 (4.6%), and 15 of 125 (12%) samples of egg fragments, fluff, and paper pads, respectively. The percentage salmonellae-positive samples from each of the six hatcheries were 1.3, 5.0, 22.5, 11.4, 36.0, and 4.3% respectively. Of the 140 samples randomly selected for enumeration, salmonellae were found in 11 samples. Four of these 11 samples had greater than 10(3) salmonellae per sample, 3 others had greater than 10(2) but less than 10(3), and the remaining 4 had less than 10(2). Salmonella serotypes isolated were S. berta, S. california, S. give, S. hadar, S. mbandaka, S. senftenberg, and S. typhimurium, all of which have previously been isolated from poultry. The incidence and extent of salmonellae-positive samples found in the breeder hatcheries were much less than that previously found in broiler hatcheries. Many factors contribute to the lower incidence and level of salmonellae found in the breeder hatcheries; however both the breeder and broiler hatcheries present critical control points in the prevention of salmonellae contamination during commercial poultry production. The cycle of salmonellae contamination will not likely be broken until contamination at these critical points is eliminated.