Abstract
The level of pathogens in poultry litter used for raising broiler chickens is critical to the overall health of a broiler chicken flock and food safety. Therefore, it is imperative that methods used for determining bacterial concentration in litter are accurate and reproducible across studies. In this perspective, we discuss the shortcomings associated with current methods used for bacterial quantification and detection from litter and assess the efficacy of one method for pathogen and commensal (Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus spp.) recovery. The limit of quantitation and detection for this method differed between pathogens, and the recovery rate (∼138–208%) was higher for Salmonella, E. coli, and Enterococcus compared to Campylobacter (24%). Our results suggest that pathogen recovery from litter is highly variable and pathogen concentrations need to be reported in dry weight before comparisons can be made between studies.
Highlights
Poultry litter is a complex material comprised of decomposing plant-based bedding mixed with chicken feces, uric acid, feathers, feed, insects, and other broiler-sourced components
We selected 27 studies (Supplementary Table 1) that noted how litter was characterized including the media used for bacterial isolation and enumeration and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) and LOD of the method, and how Salmonella abundance was normalized, i.e., if Salmonella concentration was corrected for moisture levels
Proper litter management during pre-harvest is critical to the overall well-being of each broiler flock and for food safety
Summary
Poultry litter is a complex material comprised of decomposing plant-based bedding (e.g., wood shavings, sawdust, and rice or peanut hulls) mixed with chicken feces, uric acid, feathers, feed, insects, and other broiler-sourced components. Poultry litter carries a unique and complex population of bacteria, fungi, and viruses (Martin et al, 1998; Terzich et al, 2000; Dumas et al, 2011; Wadud et al, 2012). Since it is commonly used for raising broiler chickens, poultry litter is the first non-self-biological active substance that is ingested by a chick after it is introduced to a grow-out farm.
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