COMPETITIVE-EXCLUSION OF SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS IN LEGHORN CHICKS - COMPARISON OF TREATMENT BY CROP GAVAGE, DRINKING-WATER, SPRAY, OR LYOPHILIZED ALGINATE BEADS

The protective effect of cecal bacteria cultures on Salmonella enterit idiscecal colonization was evaluated. Competitive-exclusion cultures w ere administered by crop gavage, in first drinking water, by whole bod y spray, or encapsulated in alginate beads and provided in feed pans. Leghorn chicks were treated with cultures of cecal bacteria on the day of hatch and challenged orally with 10(4) S. enteritidis 2 days after treatment. Salmonella cecal colonization was evaluated 7 days after c hallenge. No Salmonella organisms were detected in the ceca of chicks treated with cecal cultures by crop gavage. Chicks treated with cecal cultures in the drinking water or by spray application showed comparab le protection and significant decreases (P < 0.05) in the number of Sa lmonella in the cecal contents compared with untreated controls. The c onsumption of cecal bacteria encapsulated in alginate beads significan tly decreased (P < 0.05) Salmonella cecal colonization compared with c ontrol treatment, but it provided less protection than the other treat ment methods evaluated.