Salmonella Typhimurium in chicken manure reduced or eliminated by addition of LT1000

Abstract

Poultry are normally reared on bedding materials such as wood shavings or rice hulls. Poultry litter reuse for multiple flocks has become economically important in modern broiler production. However, this practice results in the litter serving as a reservoir of numerous microbial organisms, including, yeasts, molds, multiple types of viruses, and bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. The foodborne pathogens are of particular importance for poultry producers. During the preharvest feed withdrawal period, consumption of contaminated litter and feces by the birds can lead to infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract with Salmonella, which presents substantial problems at processing. The current study was conducted to determine whether the use of a liquid bacterial product (LBP), such as LT1000, could reduce the load of Salmonella Typhimurium in poultry manure. The LBP was added to sterile poultry manure then challenged with 108 cfu/mL of Salmonella Typhimurium. The concentration of Salmonella Typhimurium was measured over 9 d or until the Salmonella Typhimurium was no longer detected. In 91% of the trials, Salmonella Typhimurium was completely eliminated within 9 d. This demonstrates that the LBP used in the current study has the potential to substantially improve the overall microbiological safety of used poultry litter.