K. Aury from the AFSSA, French Food Safety Agency in Ploufragan and co-authors published their study into the risk factors associated with Salmonella in commercial turkey breeding and fattening flocks in France. Their paper was published in Preventive Veterinary Medicine.

Aury and colleagues explain that an epidemiological study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. contamination in French commercial breeding and fattening turkey flocks at the end of the rearing period, as part of a European Union-wide baseline study.

Two hundred and five breeding turkey flocks and three hundred and two fattening turkey flocks were included in the study between October 2006 and September 2007.

The Salmonella status of flocks was assessed by collecting five environmental faeces samples, analysed by classical bacteriological method.

The prevalence of Salmonella positive flocks was 1.5 per cent for breeding turkeys and 15.6 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval: 11.5; 19.7) for fattening turkeys.

Information on potential risk factors of the turkey flock being Salmonella positive was collected by questionnaire at the same time as sample collection. The association between management practices, general hygiene and Salmonella status in French turkey flocks was assessed by logistic regression.

The risk of Salmonella contamination in fattening turkey flocks was decreased when floors were disinfected during decontamination procedures, when Salmonella detection was carried out during rearing and when there was a metering pump in the house. However in this study, the risk was increased when the farmer used a foot-bath at the turkey house entrance.

Risk factors for Salmonella in breeding turkey flocks could not be subjected to formal statistical analysis since only three flocks were contaminated.

Reference

Aurya K., M. Chemaly, I. Petetina, S. Rouxel, M. Picherotc, V. Michel and S. Le Bouquina. 2009. Prevalence and risk factors for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica contamination in French breeding and fattening turkey flocks at the end of the rearing period. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. doi:10.1016 / j.prevetmed.2009.12.002

Further Reading

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