On Farm Salmonella Control for the Broiler Industry

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On Farm Salmonella Control for the Broiler
Industry A U.S. Perspective

• J. Stan Bailey
• 1 USDA, Agricultural Research Service
• Athens, Georgia
• Phone [phone]
• email jsbailey_at_saa.ars.usda.gov

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U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Food Safety and Inspection Service
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• Agricultural Research Service
• 31 years experience
• 15 years in processing plant
• 2 years feed
• 14 years on farm

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U.S. poultry facts

• The U.S. industry grows in excess of 8.5 Billion
  broilers a year
• 80 million broiler breeders
• About 100,000 broiler houses
• About 85 pounds per person per year consumed in
  the U.S. ( 15 export market)

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U.S. broiler industry Salmonella status

• Mid to late 1990s Pathogen reduction HACCP
  baseline studies 20 ()
• Recent years 11 to 13 ()

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Why the reduction?

• Elevated levels of chlorine in chill tank (40)
  with proper pH control of chill water
• Secondary antimicrobial treatment in
  inside/outside bird washer
• Improved Salmonella status of breeder stock and
  hatchery sanitation

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Significant improvements will likely require
on-farm intervention strategies
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Estimated major sources of human salmonellosis in
Denmark
Broilers
Pork
Table Eggs
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Sweden and Denmark have instituted effective
on-farm intervention programs. However, the size
and maturity of the U.S. industry would be very
expensive and will make implementation of these
exact programs difficult
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Swedish control program for Salmonella in broilers

• Very simple program for a small industry which
  was even smaller when program started
• No Salmonella in breeder flocks/chicks
• Eradicate all positive breeders
• Eliminate Salmonella from all feed
• Have active surveillance program to monitor
  Salmonella status at all times at all levels
• Have active government input to process
• NO Salmonella positive chicken allowed to be sold.

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Scientific principals of Swedish program

• If broilers are never exposed to Salmonella then
  they cannot become colonized and subsequently
  they will not be contaminated after processing.
• Primary method of control is eradication of
  Salmonella positive breeders or broilers
• Control Salmonella on farm. No chemical
  treatments in the processing plant.

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Sweden status

• All fresh processed broilers sold are Salmonella
  negative. EU has allowed this as a restrictive
  trade barrier.
• Industry under pressure from non-fresh imports
  which do not have to be Salmonella negative and
  are usually less expensive.
• Industry is under intense economic pressures to
  remain competitive, partially as a result of
  increased costs to produce Salmonella negative
  products.

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Danish control program for Salmonella in broilers

• Similar program to Sweden
• Control in breeder flocks
• Control in feed
• Active surveillance program
• Salmonella positive chickens are allowed to be
  sold

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Denmark status

• Less than 2 of broilers now Salmonella positive
• Control responsibilities turned over to industry
  in 2003. They working to finalize an insurance
  system similar to that used in Sweden.

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Scientific principals of Danish control program

• Similar to Sweden model where all treatments are
  on the farm relying on principal that if chickens
  are never exposed to Salmonella then they cannot
  become contaminated.
• Principal difference between Sweden and Denmark
  is that in Denmark only breeders are killed and
  indemnified, broilers which test positive for
  Salmonella are scheduled for special processing
  times.
• Salmonella negative labeling is allowed.

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The rest of Europe

• Control programs ?
• Reported Salmonella levels in poultry. Similar
  to U.S. figures or in some cases higher than in
  U.S.

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U.S. issues with northern European practices

• Breeder eradication program is not economically
  feasible in a large, mature industry
• Broiler eradication program is not economically
  feasible
• Potential exists for control of feeds, but will
  be difficult because of size of industry and
  number of facilities involved

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Current US status

• It is highly unlikely that the government will
  assume any costs in development of a new
  Salmonella reduction program
• Unless federal regulations are changed the
  industry will not likely adopt changes that are
  cost prohibitive or put them at a competitive
  disadvantage

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Scientific principals of proposed US model

• Work to achieve similar results to Sweden and
  Denmark in a more cost effective manner.
• Rather than eradicate breeders and/or broilers,
  use other intervention treatments to achieve
  similar results.
• Vaccination (breeders), competitive exclusion and
  increased biosecurity are principal components of
  the proposed model

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Best Management Practices for Control of
Salmonella in U.S. Poultry Industry

• Breeders
• Salmonella-free chicks
• Competitive exclusion treatments
• Vaccination program
• Biosecurity
• Rodent and insect control program
• Footbaths / movement of workers

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Best Management Practices for Control of
Salmonella in U.S. Poultry Industry

• Feed
• Attempt to control quality of ingredients
• Sufficient time in conditioner to give
  time/temperature/moisture for Salmonella kill
• Control post pelleting (processing)
  recontamination. Pay particular attention to
  cooling area

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Best Management Practices for Control of
Salmonella in U.S. Poultry Industry

• Hatchery
• Enforce cleaning/sanitation program
• Control air movement in hatchery
• Institute chemical disinfection program in hatch
  cabinets during hatch period
• Do not reuse tray liners

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Best Management Practices for Control of
Salmonella in U.S. Poultry Industry

• Grow-out
• Salmonella-free chicks
• Competitive exclusion treatments
• Moisture control (no leaking nipple drinkers)
• Proper working ventilation system (reduce stress
  on birds litter amendments if necessary)
• Rodent and insect control program
• Limit movement of workers / visitors

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Best Management Practices for Control of
Salmonella in U.S. Poultry Industry

• Transport
• Insist on proper feed and water withdrawyl time
• Clean transport coops more work needs to be
  done
• To extent possible limit time in transport cages

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Conclusions

• Experience has shown that the best way to control
  pathogens in food systems is to control the
  pathogens on the farm and prevent them from ever
  entering the processing plant.
• Costs of these control programs can be highly
  variable.
• Costs can be direct or indirect and in some
  instances actually will save money in the cost of
  production of animals.

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Food Safety starts on the farm and these on-farm
efforts will greatly influence everything else
that must be done during the processing and
distribution of foods.