Mitigating the Spread and Translocation of Salmonella Enteritidis in Experimentally Infected Broilers under the Influence of Different Flooring Housing Systems and Feed Particle Sizes.

This study aimed to evaluate the influences of different flooring designs and feed particle sizes on the spread of Salmonella (S.) in broiler chickens. Birds (n = 480) were allocated to four different housing systems (fully littered with and without floor heating, partially and fully slatted flooring with sand bath) and two dietary treatments (finely and coarsely ground diets) in 24 boxes. Two broilers per box were experimentally infected with S. Enteritidis (8.00 log10 CFU/bird) at d 17. Salmonella prevalence in caecal contents and the liver was highest in broilers housed on fully slatted floor until d 36/37 (88.1% and 91.5%, respectively), and lowest in litter flooring (caecal content 64.4%) and litter flooring with floor heating (liver 61.7%). In turn, broilers on littered flooring expressed the lowest Salmonella counts in caecal content at d 36/37 (2.21 ± 1.75 log10 CFU/g), partial slatted flooring the highest (3.76 ± 1.46 log10 CFU/g). The mean Salmonella count in the caecal content was significantly lower for birds fed a coarsely ground diet (0.96 and 1.94 log10 CFU/g) than a finely ground diet (5.07 and 3.34 log10 CFU/g) at d 23 and d 36/37, respectively (p < 0.0001). Slatted flooring with a sand bath did not show advantages in terms of Salmonella reduction, whereas the coarsely ground diet markedly reduced the spread of Salmonella.

Resistance of Escherichia coli in Turkeys after Therapeutic or Environmental Exposition with Enrofloxacin Depending on Flooring.

Gaining knowledge about the spread of resistance against antibacterial agents is a primary challenge in livestock farming. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of double antibiotic treatment (at days 10⁻14 and days 26⁻30) with enrofloxacin or solely environmental exposition (identical times, directly into the litter) on resistance against antibacterial agents in commensal Escherichia coli in comparison with the control (without treatment), depending on different flooring. A total of 720 Big 6 turkeys participated in three trials. Four different flooring designs were examined: An entire floor pen covered with litter, a floor pen with heating, a partially slatted flooring including 50% littered area, and a fully slatted flooring with a sand bath. A total of 864 Escherichia coli isolates were obtained from cloacal swabs and poultry manure samples at days 2, 9, 15, 21, and 35. The broth microdilution method (MIC) was used to determine the resistance of isolates to enrofloxacin and ampicillin. A double antibiotic treatment with enrofloxacin reduced the proportion of susceptible Escherichia coli isolates significantly in all flooring designs. Simulation of water losses had no significant effect, nor did the flooring design. Ampicillin-resistant isolates were observed, despite not using ampicillin.

Effect of Different Flooring Designs on the Performance and Foot Pad Health in Broilers and Turkeys.

Litter quality has a significant influence on the performance and foot pad health in poultry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of flooring designs on the performance and foot pad health in fattening broilers and turkeys. Three trials were conducted for each species using a total of 720 Ross 308 broilers and 720 Big 6 turkeys. After day seven, animals were randomly assigned to four groups with three subgroups each: G1—floor pens with litter, G2—floor pens with litter and floor heating, G3—partially-slatted flooring, including a littered area, and G4—fully-slatted flooring with a sand bath (900 cm²). Animals of both species had a significantly higher final body weight at dissection (day 36) after being reared on fully-slatted floors compared to common littered floors. In turkeys, the feed conversion ratio was worse in G4 (1.53 ± 0.04) than in G1 (1.47 ± 0.02) and G2 (1.48 ± 0.03). Water to feed ratio was significantly higher in G2 than other groups. Turkeys’ foot pad health was significantly better in G4 than in other groups beginning at day 21. In turkeys, platforms with slatted floors that allow for temporary separation of the feet from the litter could lead to improvements in foot pad health which could better enable the realization of species-specific behaviours and activities in littered areas.

Effects of different types of flooring design on the development of antimicrobial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli in fattening turkeys.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of flooring designs on antimicrobial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from turkeys treated with enrofloxacin. Two trials were performed with same feed, housing conditions and fattening duration, but with different flooring designs. Furthermore, the first trial was performed in an unchanged environment and the second trial in a changed environment. The flooring designs of the pens were assigned to four groups; G1 - entire floor pen covered with litter, G2 - floor pen with heating, G3 - partially slatted flooring including an area that was littered, G4 - fully slatted flooring with a sand bath. Enrofloxacin was given at days 10-14 via drinking water. The changed environment in the second trial was achieved by moving the animals to new pens with the respective same conditions as previously after antimicrobial administration at day 15. A total of 576 E. coli were isolated from cloacal swab and poultry manure samples. Sample collection was done before the treatment, after the treatment and at the end of the trials at day 35. The resistance of isolates to enrofloxacin and ampicillin was determined using broth microdilution A single treatment with enrofloxacin reduced the proportion of samples with susceptible E. coli isolates significantly in all flooring designs. Overall, frequencies of enrofloxacin resistance were significantly different between the unchanged and changed environment. At the same time, the proportion of ampicillin-resistant isolates increased in the first trial, although no ampicillin was applied in this study.