EFFECT OF MATING ACTIVITY ON THE ABILITY OF SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS TOPERSIST IN THE OVARY AND OVIDUCT OF CHICKENS

Experiments were undertaken to determine whether female leghorn chicke ns that had been mated had a lower incidence of salmonellae colonizati on in the ovary, oviduct, internal organs, and eggs than did unmated b irds from the same nock when both were inseminated with Salmonella ent eritidis-contaminated semen. Eggs were sampled at approximate 3-day in tervals, and fecal samples were taken at 24 hours and 7 days after ins emination. Fourteen days following insemination, hens were euthanatize d and the ovary, oviduct, liver, spleen, gall bladder, and ceca were r emoved. None of the previously mated hens had salmonellae present at a ny sampling time. Virgin birds showed salmonellae colonization in all samples. This indicates that mating activity and the environment of fe males offers some protection against salmonellae colonization in the r eproductive tract.