Reduction of Salmonella Excretion into Drinking Water Following Treatment of Chicks with Nurmi Culture

Day-old chicks ( Gallus domesticus ) were treated with cultured feces of adult chickens according to the Nurmi concept and were challenged 2 days later with Salmonella typhimurium . Treated chicks were less susceptible to infection than untreated chicks (16% vs. 79% infected). Those treated chicks that did become infected, contaminated their drinking water with fewer Salmonella than the untreated chicks (maximum of 10/ml vs. ⩾ 10/ml). Fecally contaminated water may be a major source for spreading Salmonella infection within a flock.