Na. Cox et al., DIMINISHING INCIDENCE AND LEVEL OF SALMONELLAE IN COMMERCIAL BROILER HATCHERIES, Journal of applied poultry research, 6(1), 1997, pp. 90-93
Salmonellae can penetrate egg shells without causing decomposition of
the egg. As these chicks hatch, reservoirs of salmonellae can take hol
d on the commercial hatchery. Our study in 1990 sampled eggshells from
hatching trays, belt swabs, and paper pads from three commercial hatc
heries and found that 75.5%, 90.9% and 66.7% contamination, respective
ly. This study in 1995 repeated these samples, but found 22.5%, 52.2%,
and 12.1% contamination, respectively. The decline in salmonellae con
tamination is both dramatic and encouraging, resulting from several im
portant factors.