Organic broilers
Project overview
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Short summary
Reduction of campylobacter by feeding silage
Previous studies have shown that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have an inhibitory effect on the growth and survival of campylobacter. Organic broilers must have daily access to roughage, and silage is routinely provided to chickens at some organic farms. Silage has a high content of LAB as well as organic acids and is therefore a promising option that could serve to reduce the levels of campylobacter in the chick intestines.
The project began with a fermentation study where different LAB inoculated in fresh forage prior to ensiling. When the fermentation was completed juice from the silages inoculated with different LAB were evaluated regarding their ability to inhibit Campylobacter. The LAB showing the greatest ability to combat campylobacter were then used when producing silage for an infectious trial where all chickens were deliberately infected with campylobacter.
In the infection experiment the candidate silage identified in the fermentation study was given to half of the chickens while the others were given a roughage such as e.g. chopped alfalfa. The prevalence of campylobacter in chick droppings were regularly analyzed and chick intestinal microbial profile were evaluated.
Finally, the prevalence of campylobacter in chickens fed with silage compared with chickens given other roughage was studied at organic broiler farms.
Project manager: Helena Wall
Project group: Emma Ivarsson (SLU), Kamyar Mogodiniyai Kasmaei (SLU) och Patrik Ellström, Institutionen för medicinsk biokemi och mikrobiologi, Uppsala universitet.
Publications
Valečková E, Ivarsson E, Ellström P, Wang H, Mogodiniyai Kasmaei K, Wall H. 2020. Silage and haylage as forage in slow and fast-growing broilers – effects on performance in Campylobacter jejuni infected birds. British Poultry Science 61:4, 433-441.
Ioakim, Temwanoku, 2018. Effects of silage and haylage on feed intake, growth and health in two meat type chicken genotypes. Avancerad nivå, A2E. Uppsala: SLU, Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård.
Facts about Campylobacter
Campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported zoonosis in the EU, causing intestinal infections and severe diarrhea in humans. Meat-type chickens (broilers) are the main source of infection. The outdoor rearing of organic broilers put new challenges on biosafety and the prevalence of Campylobacter is therefore much higher in organic broilers than in conventional. In order to avoid that organic chicken is associated with a potential threat to public health, measures are needed to inhibit the bacteria in chick intestines.