APPLICATION OF NORMAL AVIAN GUT FLORA BY PROLONGED AEROSOLIZATION ONTO TURKEY HATCHING EGGS NATURALLY EXPOSED TO SALMONELLA

A commercia preparation of norma avian gut flora (NAGF) was aerosolize d for an extended period over turkey hatching eggs during pipping and hatching to examine any protective effects against natural exposure to salmonellae. Turkey hatching eggs, produced by salmonellae-infected b reeder flocks and hatched in a commercial hatchery with a history of s almonellae contamination, were used in two trials. In Trial 1, four do ses of NAGF inoculum per hatching egg were aerosolized through an auto mated hatcher fogging system during the final 48 hr of the pipping and hatching process. In Trial 2, two doses of NAGF inoculum were aerosol ized in a like manner. In both trials, poults were exposed to Salmonel la montevideo during hatching, as indicated by samples collected at th e time of pull. At day 7, treated poults in both trials were culture n egative for salmonellae and control poults were culture positive for s almonellae. In Trial 1, control poults were infected with Salmonella b randenburg, and in Trial 2, control poults were infected with S. monte video. These studies justify further critical evaluation of the protec tive effects of prolonged aerosolization of normal avian gut flora dur ing pipping and hatching against salmonellae colonization in turkey po ults.