On farm interventions to minimisespp. contamination in chicken.

Abstract

1. This review explores current and proposed on-farm interventions and assess the potential of these interventions againstspp. 2. Interventions such as vaccination, feed/water-additives and, most importantly, consistent biosecurity, exhibit potential for the effective control of this pathogen and its dissemination within the food chain. 3. Due to the extensive diversity in thespp. genome and surface-expressed proteins, vaccination of poultry is not yet regarded as a completely effective strategy. 4. The acidification of drinking water through the addition of organic acids has been reported to decrease the risk ofspp. colonisation in broiler flocks. Whilst this treatment alone will not completely protect birds, use of water acidification in combination with in-feed measures to further reduce the level ofspp. colonisation in poultry may be an option meriting further exploration. 5. The use of varied types of feed supplements to reduce the intestinal population and shedding rate ofspp. in poultry is an area of growing interest in the poultry industry. Such supplements include pro - and pre-biotics, organic acids, bacteriocins and bacteriophage, which may be added to feed and water. 6. From the literature, it is clear that a distinct, albeit not unexpected, difference between the performance of in-feed interventions exists when examinedcompared to those determined instudies. It is much more likely that pooling some of the discussed approaches in the in-feed tool kit will provide an answer. 7. Whilst on-farm biosecurity is essential to maintain a healthy flock and reduce disease transmission, even the most stringent biosecurity measures may not have sufficient, consistent and predictable effects in controllingspp. Furthermore, the combination of varied dietary approaches and improved biosecurity measures may synergistically improve control.