Salmonella colonization and shedding patterns of hens inoculated via semen

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of inseminating hens with semen contaminated with marker strains of Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium. Eggs were collected and examined for salmonellae. In Expt. 1, 3/57 (5.3%) of eggs from S. enteritidis-challenged hens and 2/50 (4.0%) of eggs from S. typhimurium-challenged hens were contaminated with salmonellae. Salmonellae were recovered from only the shell. In Expt. 2, however, no eggs from S. typhimurium-challenged hens were contaminated; 2/73 (2.7%) of the eggs from S. enteritidis-challenged hens were contaminated. In Expt. 1, S. typhimurium was present in 30% of the oviducts and 20% of the ovaries; S. enteritidis was present in 20% of the oviducts and 20% of the ovaries. No salmonellae-containing oviducts or ovaries were found in either S. enteritidis- or S. typhimurium-challenged hens in Expt. 2. S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium were found in fecal samples taken 24 hr after insemination, but only S. enteritidis was fecally shed 7 days after insemination (20% in Expt. 1). Data indicate that semen may severe as a vehicle for transmission of salmonellae to the hen, which may result in sporadic production of contaminated eggs.