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Goals: Compare quantitative Salmonella loads, determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella, and investigate the dissemination of the pathogens on farm and during processing among organic and conventional broiler production systems in relation to various management practices. <P> Expected Outcomes: We expect that the data generated from this study will present important insights to poultry stakeholders on management practices that could contribute to Salmonella levels at conventional and organic broiler production systems
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Foodborne salmonellosis is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States. Poultry is known to be an important vehicle of Salmonella transmission to humans, mainly via contaminated chicken meat. Organic poultry production and consumption has increased significantly in the past two decades. However, very little is known about the extent of Salmonella levels in organic broiler production systems as it relates to farms and slaughter management practices.
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APPROACH: Samples will be collected from broiler birds at 0 weeks and again at 8 weeks of age at 10 organic and 10 conventional broiler farms from the same company in North Carolina, USA. Bird flocks will be followed and sampled at the processing-plant. Fecal, feed, drag-swabs, water, and carcass rinse samples will be collected over 2-year period. Data on management will be also collected during farms and processing-plant visits via interviews and questionnaire. Direct plating and selective enrichment techniques will be used for Salmonella isolation from all the samples. Further phenotypic (antimicrobial susceptibility) and genotypic (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) testing was performed. Data will be analyzed using various statistical methods. Research findings will be published in scientific paper and present at annual poultry/food safety meetings.