Applied Research Note: Combination of probiotic and prebiotic impacts Salmonella Enteritidis infection in layer pullets

• Published in: Journal of applied poultry research Vol. 31; no. 4; p. 100286
• Main Authors: Kimminau, E.A., Karnezos, T.P., Girgis, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.12.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: layer pullets; prebiotics; probiotics; Salmonella; Salmonella; prebiotics; layer pullets; probiotics
• ISSN: 1056-6171; 1537-0437
• DOI: 10.1016/j.japr.2022.100286

Mitigation of food pathogens such as Salmonella continues to be a focus in poultry production, whether on shell eggs or meat products. No single approach is fully able to eliminate the risk of Salmonella contamination, but rather comprehensive programs are used in a multifaceted approach. Targeted in-feed additives are a component of a food safety program and may help to reduce Salmonella infection. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a probiotic and prebiotic combination feed-additive product to reduce Salmonella Enteritidis (S.E.) infection in layer pullets. A total of 192-day-old pullets were placed in cages in 2 treatments (Control and preprobiotic combination product at 1.5 lb/ton/of complete feed). Birds were challenged with 1.8 × 109 colony forming units (CFU) per bird of S.E. on d 21 of the trial. Twenty-four birds from each treatment were sampled 6, 10, 14, and 18 days postinfection (dpi). Cecal pouches were collected for enumeration of S.E. using plate counting technique. S.E. counts were numerically lower in Treatment 2 compared to Treatment 1 at 14 and 18 dpi, as Salmonella shedding in the course of infection was declining. Mean S.E. count in the ceca of pullets in Treatment 2 was 0.54 log10 lower than that of Treatment 1 (3.36 log10) at 18 dpi. Samples below the detection limit of the counting method were significantly (P = 0.021) higher in 10/24 (41.7%) of the pullets in Treatment 2 compared to 3/24 (12.5%) Treatment 1 at 18 dpi. Therefore, addition of the dietary pre- and probiotic combination product resulted in lower S.E. shedding in layer pullets challenged with S.E.