SALMONELLA PREVALENCE IN CROPS OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC BROILER-CHICKENSAT SLAUGHTER

Swabs of crop contents of 635 broiler chickens were obtained from 9 On tario and 12 Quebec processing plants and cultured for Salmonella to d etermine prevalence in broiler crops. Serotypes of positive cultures w ere determined to evaluate the serotype profile. The overall prevalenc e of contamination was low (4.3%). Prevalence was higher in broilers s ampled in Quebec (5.8%) than in those sampled in Ontario (2.2%). In Qu ebec, there were differences in prevalence among the groups of broiler s sampled at the various plants. These differences were believed to be attributable to differences in Salmonella prevalence among groups of flocks delivered to the plants due to the limited exposure of the chic kens to the plant. The serotype profile of Salmonella isolated from th e crops of broilers in this study was similar in several respects to p rofiles obtained from other surveys of Canadian broiler flocks using e ither environmental samples or cloacal swabs. Similarities included: p redominance of Salmonella hadar and Salmonella heidelberg; several oth er common serotypes at a low prevalence; Little Salmonella enteritidis isolated in other studies, and no S, enteritidis isolated in this stu dy. Results of this field survey of Salmonella in crops of broilers ar e similar to those of Canadian studies of other internal and environme ntal sites of broilers. The similarity indicates that monitoring of Sa lmonella environments of flocks of live broiler chickens should define profiles of Salmonella contamination of the carcasses and would also aid in determination of Salmonella contamination status of broiler flo cks. Such information would assist efforts to reduce Salmonella contam ination in broiler chickens.