Influence of Feeding and Fasting Broilers Prior to Marketing on Cecal Access of Orally Administered Salmonella

Male birds (7 weeks of age) were subjected to four feeding and fasting (crate confinement) treatments (Trt): access to feed and water in pens 10 h pre- and post-intubation, (Trt 1); access to feed and water in pens 10 h pre- and post-intubation, (Trt 1); access to feed and water in pens 10 h pre-intubation followed by 10 h crating in coops without feed and water (Trt 2); crating in coops without feed and water 10 h pre- and post-intubation (Trt 3); and crating in coops without feed and water for 10 h followed by access to feed and water for 10 h in pens (Trt 4). All birds (16/pen; 2 pens/Trt) were crop intubated with 5 × 10 colony forming units (CFU) of a nalidixic acid resistant (Nal) strain of S. typhimurium . Treatments 2 and 3 led to more S. typhimurium -Nal+ associated with the ceca than when the feed and water were continuously available (Trt 1) or removed (Trt 4). In a separate study, females were caged individually without feed but water was provided for 12 h, then 9.75 × 10 CFU of S. typhimurium -Nal/bird were crop intubated. Feed was resumed 2 h later. Cloacal swabs taken 24, 48, and 72 h after intubation proved to be 12, 15, and 16/18 positive for S. typhimurium -Nal, respectively. The ceca at 72 h were 15/18 positive. Salmonellae that are orally consumed prior to and during crating and transportation have access to the ceca where they may be retained throughout processing of the carcass.