Surveillance on Salmonella in turkey flocks and processing plants

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Food Safety
• Poultry Science

Background:

• Salmonella contamination poses a significant risk to poultry production and public health.
• Understanding Salmonella's distribution throughout turkey production is crucial for effective control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the occurrence and distribution of Salmonella infection across all stages of turkey production.
• To identify potential sources and transmission routes of Salmonella within the turkey supply chain.

Main Methods:

• Bacteriological examination of samples from turkey parent flocks, hatcheries, meat turkey flocks, and feed.
• Surveillance of flocks at various processing plant steps.
• Isolation and serotyping of Salmonella.

Main Results:

• Salmonella was detected in 66.7% of turkey parent flocks.
• No Salmonella was found in hatchery samples.
• 33.3% of meat turkey flocks remained Salmonella-free, while others showed single or multiple serovar infections.
• Salmonella was isolated from 3.95% of feed samples.
• Cross-contamination during processing and transport was evident.

Conclusions:

• Salmonella contamination is a widespread issue in turkey production, particularly in parent flocks and during processing.
• Hatcheries appear to be a Salmonella-free stage, but contamination can be introduced later through feed or transport.
• Effective control measures are needed at multiple production stages to minimize Salmonella transmission and ensure food safety.