| dc.description.abstract | Research has shown that Salmonella can be prevalent in poultry litter, which can
be a source of contamination for newly arrived chicks at the poultry house. Since this
organism is a pathogen of concern to the poultry industry, two types of litter
amendments and two types of feed additions were created and tested to determine effects
of broiler growth, litter moisture and efficacy against Salmonella colonization. Litter
amendments consisted of the combination of acidic calcium sulfate (ACS) with either
diatomaceous earth (DE) or hydrated sodium calcium aluminiosilicate (HSCAS). Feed
additions consisted of differing amounts of sodium bisulfate.
For the litter amendment experiments, chicks were placed into pens in isolation
rooms. Each litter amendment was applied to 3 pens for replicates of experimental
groups. Litter samples were taken weekly from 5 areas in each pen and combined for
the determination of Salmonella cfu/g of litter. At 3 and 6 weeks post placement, birds
from each pen were euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation. The crop and ceca from these
birds were tested for Salmonella cfu/g of crop/ceca or presence/absence of Salmonella. Efficacy of the liter amendments varied in experimental groups on broiler growth
characteristics and efficacy against Salmonella.
For the determination of sodium bisulfate as a feed addition on Salmonella
colonization, birds were placed into 3 experimental groups and placed into respective
pens. Two sodium bisulfate experimental groups were used at 0.25% and 0.75%. The
other experimental group was the control. Litter samples were taken weekly from 5
areas in each pen and combined for the determination of Salmonella cfu/g of litter,
aerobic plate counts, moisture content and pH. Efficacy of the sodium bisulfate as a feed
addition varied in the experimental groups on Salmonella colonization, aerobic plate
counts, pH and moisture content throughout both trials. | en |
