Campylobacter jejuni Infection on Poultry Farms and its Effect on Poultry Meat Contamination during Slaughtering

Abstract

In 1984, we monitored 4 ranches with a total of 24 houses (15,000–20,000 birds/house) for 3 consecutive generations (January–August). On epidemiologic grounds, infection of birds did not originate at the hatcheries or the central water and feed. Considering all lots of birds, the infection rate increased from 2.3% by the 10th day to 9.5, 29.7, 47.9, 65.7, 78.6 and 81.8% by the 20th, 30th, 40th, 45th, 50th day and at slaughter times, respectively. Transmission from one generation of chickens to the next via the old litter is suspected, but not proven microbiologically. A 5-log reduction of Campylobacter jejuni was shown in experimentally inoculated litters stored at 17 and 30°C for 6 d and 8°C for 11 d. The houses remained empty for 9–29 d before being filled with new chicks. Carrier flocks contaminated the slaughterhouse equipment to such an extent that negative flocks processed afterwards resulted in contaminated meat. Lack of effective sanitation at the end of the day contributed to the contamination of...