Infection of Campylobacter in a broiler flock can be predicted from a welfare assessment, according to a study carried out in collaboration between Anses, EFSA, UNIPR and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
In this study, carried out in France, researchers investigated the correlation between animal based welfare indicators (such as presence of foot pad dermatitis and hock burns, body lesions and arthritis), and incidence of Campylobacter in ceacal contents and skin samples from the chicken at slaughter.
Results show that, on farm, flocks with more than 25% of animals with severe lesions on the footpad are predicted to be Campylobacter-positive, whereas flocks where less than 13 individuals have arthritis are predicted to be Campylobacter-negative. The correlation can be described as a vicious circle, where poor environment may result in stress, which reduces chicken immunocompetence, making them more susceptible to infection with Campylobacter or other pathogens. Poor welfare and high growing rate lead to digestive troubles. This leads to wet and dirty litter, which causes foot pad dermatitis and also further spreading of the Campylobacter infection. Reducing these management problems would benefit not only animal welfare but also food safety, since campylobacteriosis is a zoonosis.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.09.005
Alpigiani, I., Cortinas Abrahantes, J., Michel, V., Huneau-Salaün, A., Chemaly, M., Keeling, L.J., Andrea Gervelmeyer, Cristina Bacci, Brindani, F., Bonardi, S., Berthe, F. 2017. Associations between animal welfare indicators and Campylobacter spp. in broiler chickens under commercial settings: A case study. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 147 (2017) 186–193.