Salmonella isolation from litter as an indicator of flock infection and carcass contamination

The Salmonella status of 15 different farm flocks was assessed at the farm level and at processing plants. Bacteriological examination for Salmonella was made of litter, dust, feed, 5-day-old culled chicks, and chicken carcasses. Fresh straw litter was found contaminated with Salmonella and may be a source of flock infection. Culture of floor litter can be a practical method for detecting flock infection, and culture of 6-weeks litter in particular would be a good indicator of carcass contamination at processing plants. Properly pelleted feed did not contain Salmonella. Processing did not render carcasses free of Salmonella.