Controlling Salmonella in Poultry Litter: Expert Insights and Practical Strategies
Broiler litter is a bustling ecosystem teeming with billions of bacteria. While most of these microorganisms are beneficial, Salmonella can thrive if conditions are not carefully managed. At the 2024 Delmarva Chicken Association meeting, University of Arkansas Professor and Poultry Husbandry and Management Extension Specialist Zac Williams, Ph.D., emphasized the critical role of moisture control in preventing Salmonella outbreaks.
“for Salmonella to thrive in poultry litter, it needs moisture, nutrients, and an optimal temperature,” Williams explained. “Of these, moisture is the easiest and arguably the most important variable for producers to control.”
Before Flock Placement: Laying the Groundwork
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Preventing Salmonella begins long before the birds arrive. Producers should remove any wet material, preheat the house, and ensure adequate air movement. “Air movement from proper ventilation is the single best way to dry anything out and manage litter moisture,” Williams said.
Key steps include:
- Removing caked-up litter under water lines.
- Preheating the house to eliminate existing moisture.
- Ensuring proper ventilation to maintain dry conditions.
During brooding and Grow Out: maintaining Optimal Conditions
Once the flock is placed,maintaining dry litter becomes a balancing act. Proper ventilation is essential to keep cool air at the top of the house and off the warm floor.Williams highlighted the importance of inlet management:
- Sidewall inlets should be open 1 ½ - 2 inches.
- Ceiling inlets should be open 1 – 1 ¼ inches.
“Ceiling inlets need to be closed more because of the way air comes into the house,” he noted. “Sidewall inlets are more directed up and along the ceiling already. If you have ceiling inlets, they are going to get aimed at the floor.”
Managing static pressure is equally critical. “As we heat air up,we will decrease the humidity of the air. For every 10-degree increase, relative humidity drops around 25% because the warmer the air is, the higher its capacity is to carry moisture.”
During grow out, tunnel ventilation requires attention to wind speed. Williams recommends at least 600 feet per minute down the center of the house. Though,producers must be cautious,as slower wind speeds along the edges can lead to wet litter near the side walls.
Cool pads should be turned on around 10 AM, when the house temperature reaches 85˚F, and turned off by 6 PM. “That’s when your humidity and temperature will change. when temperature rises, relative humidity will decrease enough so that the cool cells are not adding extra humidity in that air flowing through the house.”
Water lines are another potential source of moisture. Regular maintenance to prevent leaks and adjusting flow rates according to the birds’ age are essential steps.
What’s Next for Salmonella Control?
The fight against Salmonella continues to evolve.To explore the latest challenges and solutions, industry professionals are invited to attend the Poultry Future Panel Discussion: What’s next for Salmonella control in broilers and turkeys? This event will take place on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, from 8-9 a.m. EST at the Georgia World Congress Center during IPPE 2025. registration is free, and more information can be found here.
Key Strategies for Salmonella Control in Poultry litter
| Stage | Key Actions |
|————————–|———————————————————————————|
| Before Flock Placement | Remove wet material, preheat the house, ensure proper ventilation. |
| During Brooding | Manage inlet openings, maintain static pressure, and monitor humidity levels. |
| During Grow Out | Optimize wind speed, control cool pad usage, and maintain water lines.|
By implementing these strategies, producers can considerably reduce the risk of Salmonella contamination, ensuring healthier flocks and safer poultry products. For more insights, don’t miss the upcoming panel discussion at IPPE 2025.
Headline:
Expert Strategies to Control Salmonella in Poultry Litter: A Conversation with Dr. Zac Williams
Introduction:
In the world of poultry farming, maintaining a healthy environment for chickens is crucial to prevent disease outbreaks, especially from pathogens like Salmonella. Dr. Zac Williams, Poultry Husbandry and Management Extension Specialist at the University of Arkansas, shared his insights on controlling Salmonella in poultry litter at the 2024 Delmarva Chicken Association meeting. Today, we’re discussing those practical strategies with Dr. Williams to help producers ensure safer poultry products.
Senior Editor, world-today-news.com (SE): Welcome, Dr. Williams. Let’s dive right into it. You’ve emphasized the importance of moisture control in preventing Salmonella outbreaks in poultry litter. Can you expand on that?
Dr. Zac Williams (ZW): Absolutely. Salmonella needs three key ingredients to thrive: moisture, nutrients, and an optimal temperature. While we can’t control the latter two as easily,managing moisture is not only feasible but also arguably the most impactful way to reduce Salmonella growth. By keeping litter dry, we can significantly minimize the risk of outbreaks.
SE: That makes sense. Now, you mentioned that managing moisture starts long before the birds arrive. Can you walked us through the preparatory steps?
ZW: Of course.Preparing the house before the flock arrives is essential. Here are some key steps:
- remove wet material: Any wet litter or bedding should be removed to prevent providing a nurturing environment for Salmonella.
- Preheat the house: Heating the house before flock placement helps eliminate any existing moisture and creates an unfriendly environment for Salmonella.
- Ensure proper ventilation: adequate air movement is crucial to maintain dry conditions and prevent moisture buildup.
SE: Those are grate initial steps. Once the birds are in, how do we maintain optimal conditions?
ZW: Maintaining dry litter becomes a balancing act once the flock is placed. Here are some key aspects to consider:
- Proper ventilation: To keep the litter dry, you need to ensure that cool air stays at the top of the house and doesn’t reach the warm floor. This can be achieved by managing inlet openings and maintaining static pressure.
- Optimize wind speed: During grow out, ensure that tunnel ventilation maintains a wind speed of at least 600 feet per minute down the center of the house.Though, be cautious of slower wind speeds along the edges, as they can lead to wet litter near the side walls.
SE: Thank you for sharing these practical strategies, Dr.Williams. It’s clear that controlling Salmonella in poultry litter requires consistent effort and attention to detail throughout the poultry farming process.
ZW: you’re very welcome. controlling Salmonella is an ongoing process, and every step adds to creating a healthier environment for our poultry and safer products for consumers.
SE: Before we wrap up, could you tell our readers about the upcoming Poultry Future Panel Discussion focused on Salmonella control? It sounds like an excellent opportunity to stay informed about the latest challenges and solutions in the industry.
ZW: Indeed, it is. The Poultry future Panel Discussion: “What’s next for Salmonella control in broilers and turkeys?” will take place on January 29, 2025, during IPPE 2025. industry professionals are invited to attend and learn about the latest developments in controlling Salmonella. I encourage everyone to register for this free event and be part of the conversation.
SE: Thank you once again, Dr.Williams, for joining us today and sharing your valuable insights on controlling Salmonella in poultry litter. We appreciate your time and expertise.
ZW: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.
