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Listen to this siteMonday 30 July 2007
This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of thinning best practice recommendations in reducing the spread of Campylobacter in broilers at thin.
Study Duration : January 2007 to March 2008
Contractor : University of Bristol
Thinning, where a proportion of birds are removed from the flock prior to final depopulation of a broiler house, is common practice throughout the poultry industry. Thinning has been identified as a potential risk factor in the introduction of Campylobacter into broiler flocks. An earlier research project, B15004, carried out a detailed examination of thinning processes in order to identify best practice and produce a thinning code of practice. This new research project aims to carry out an on-farm study to evaluate the effectiveness of this code of practice in reducing the risk of Campylobacter spread. The working hypothesis is that if catching teams fully and consistently implement the measures set out in the new thinning code of practice this will reduce the risk of flocks becoming Campylobacter positive following thinning.
Thirty two farm visits were undertaken, 16 of which had enhanced biosecurity measures in place and 16 with normal standards of biosecurity. Microbiological sampling was completed for chicken flocks, poultry catchers and the farm environment, including transport crates and modules. Faecal samples were taken to ensure poultry flocks were not already Campylobacter positive on the farm prior to thinning taking place. An impact assessment was completed to determine the cost/benefit to industry of following the thinning recommendations.
Findings from the microbiological sampling confirm previous results from FSA project B15004, that contaminated equipment, vehicles and personnel entering the farm environment and houses during thinning present a risk for infection of the remaining birds with Campylobacter .
Of the 32 farm visits 14 flocks were already colonised by Campylobacter at first thin. Fifteen flocks were negative at first thin but were positive at final depopulation, despite 7 of these receiving or having received enhanced biosecurity measures during the thinning process. One flock was inconclusive. The remaining 2 flocks were negative at first thin but were missed at clearance so their status remains unknown. Given these results the study cannot provide evidence of the effectiveness of the recommendations to reduce the risk of Campylobacter colonisation associated with thinning.
However, there were clear associations between Campylobacter strains recovered following cleaning procedures and strains subsequently colonising flocks on one farm visit. This may indicate that cleaning was at least partially effective in the removal of campylobacters, since such strains are likely to have washed off from personnel and footwear during the enhanced biosecurity procedures.
The impact assessment recommended that current hygiene practices for thinning broiler flocks should continue and that active promotion of additional measures by government was not warranted at this time.
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