title: On-farm comparisons of different cleaning protocols in broiler houses.
abstract: The present study evaluated the effectiveness of 4 cleaning protocols designed to reduce the bacteriological infection pressure on broiler farms and prevent food-borne zoonoses. Additionally, difficult to clean locations and possible sources of infection were identified. Cleaning and disinfection rounds were evaluated in 12 broiler houses on 5 farms through microbiological analyses and adenosine triphosphate hygiene monitoring. Samples were taken at 3 different times: before cleaning, after cleaning, and after disinfection. At each sampling time, swabs were taken from various locations for enumeration of the total aerobic flora and Enterococcus species pluralis ( SPP:). In addition, before cleaning and after disinfection, testing for Escherichia coli and Salmonella was carried out. Finally, adenosine triphosphate swabs and agar contact plates for total aerobic flora counts were taken after cleaning and disinfection, respectively. Total aerobic flora and Enterococcus spp. counts on the swab samples showed that cleaning protocols which were preceded by an overnight soaking with water caused a higher bacterial reduction compared to protocols without a preceding soaking step. Moreover, soaking of broiler houses leads to less water consumption and reduced working time during high pressure cleaning. No differences were found between protocols using cold or warm water during cleaning. Drinking cups, drain holes, and floor cracks were identified as critical locations for cleaning and disinfection in broiler houses.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Weyenberg
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dewulf
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.affiliation: Provincial Centre for Applied Poultry Research of the Province of Antwerp, Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zoons
authors.affiliation: Provincial Centre for Applied Poultry Research of the Province of Antwerp, Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vervaet
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heyndrickx
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium Koen.Dereu@ilvo.vlaanderen.be.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Reu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004203:Disinfection; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006799:Housing, Animal; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: broiler farm; cleaning protocol; critical location