scholarly journals The Influence of Welfare Training on Bird Welfare and Carcass Quality in Two Commercial Poultry Primary Processing Plants

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 584
Author(s):  
Ellie Wigham ◽  
Andrew Grist ◽  
Siobhan Mullan ◽  
Stephen Wotton ◽  
Andrew Butterworth
Keyword(s):  
Product Quality ◽  
Quality Measures ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Primary Processing ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Commercial Broiler ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
Training Courses ◽  
Welfare Measures

The number of broilers slaughtered globally is increasing. Ensuring acceptable welfare conditions for birds at the time of slaughter is paramount in meeting legislative and retailer specifications, and in producing high quality meat. There is knowledge that welfare training programs for members of the farming and red meat slaughter industry can improve animal welfare measures and product quality, however there is little evidence of the effects of welfare training in poultry processing plants. In our study, a comprehensive welfare training program was introduced to a Costa Rican and a British commercial broiler primary processing plant, both of which slaughter birds by way of neck cut post electrical water bath stunning. The effects of this program on some welfare and product quality measures were investigated, both immediately and six months post training. The welfare measures that showed significant improvements post training included; flapping at shackling, pre-stun shocks, stun parameters and effective neck cut. Product quality measures including broken wings and red pygostyles also improved, however the positive effect of training was not seen in all quality measures. Welfare training does have the potential to improve broiler welfare and product quality at slaughter, and these data could help the development and targeting of future welfare training courses and encourage the uptake of welfare training in the poultry slaughter industry.

Transcriptome Analysis of Salmonella Heidelberg after Exposure to Cetylpyridinium Chloride, Acidified Calcium Hypochlorite, and Peroxyacetic Acid

2018 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
MYRNA CADENA ◽  
LUTZ FROENICKE ◽  
MONICA BRITTON ◽  
MATTHEW L. SETTLES ◽  
BLYTHE DURBIN-JOHNSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Cetylpyridinium Chloride ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Peroxyacetic Acid ◽  
Calcium Hypochlorite ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Commercial Broiler ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
Salmonella Heidelberg

ABSTRACT The application of RNA sequencing in commercial poultry could facilitate a novel approach toward food safety with respect to identifying conditions in food production that mitigate transcription of genes associated with virulence and survivability. In this study, we evaluated the effects of disinfectant exposure on the transcriptomes of two field isolates of Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) isolated from a commercial broiler processing plant in 1992 and 2014. The isolates were each exposed separately to the following disinfectants commonly used in poultry processing: cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), acidified calcium hypochlorite (aCH), and peroxyacetic acid (PAA). Exposure times were 8 s with CPC to simulate a poultry processing dipping station or 90 min with aCH and PAA to simulate the chiller tank in a poultry processing plant at 4°C. Based on comparison with a publicly available annotated SH reference genome with 5,088 genes, 90 genes were identified as associated with virulence, pathogenicity, and resistance (VPR). Of these 90 VPR genes, 9 (10.0%), 28 (31.1%), and 1 (1.1%) gene were upregulated in SH 2014 and 21 (23.3%), 26 (28.9%), and 2 (2.2%) genes were upregulated in SH 2014 challenged with CPC, aCH, and PAA, respectively. This information and previously reported MICs for the three disinfectants with both SH isolates allow researchers to make more accurate recommendations regarding control methods of SH and public health considerations related to SH in food production facilities where SH has been isolated. For example, the MICs revealed that aCH is ineffective for SH inhibition at regulatory levels allowed for poultry processing and that aCH was ineffective for inhibiting SH growth and caused an upregulation of VPR genes.

scholarly journals Molecular Tracking, through Processing, of Campylobacter Strains Colonizing Broiler Flocks

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (16) ◽  
pp. 5722-5729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen T. Elvers ◽  
Victoria K. Morris ◽  
Diane G. Newell ◽  
Vivien M. Allen
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Oligonucleotide Probe ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Processing Line ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
Molecular Tracking ◽  
Carcass Contamination

ABSTRACTMany of the poultry flocks produced in the United Kingdom are colonized withCampylobacter, and the intensive nature of poultry processing usually results in contaminated carcasses. In this study, a previously reported molecular oligonucleotide probe method was used to track a specific flock-colonizing strain(s) on broiler carcasses during processing in two United Kingdom commercial poultry processing plants. FiveCampylobacter-positive flocks were sampled at four points along the processing line, postbleed, postpluck, prechill, and postchill, and twoCampylobacter-negative flocks processed immediately after positive flocks were sampled prechill.flaAwas sequenced fromCampylobacterstrains isolated from these flocks, and strain-specific probes were synthesized. Skin and cecal samples were plated onto selective agar to give individual colonies, which were transferred onto membranes. These were then hybridized with the strain- and genus-specific probes. For all the 5 positive flocks, there was a significant reduction in campylobacters postbleed compared to postpluck but no subsequent fall on sampling pre- and postchill, and the strain(s) predominating on the carcasses throughout processing came from the flock being processed. This indicates that strains from the abattoir environment were not a significant cause of carcass contamination in flocks with well-established campylobacter colonization. However, negative flocks that were preceded by positive flocks were contaminated by strains that did not generally originate from the predominating strains recovered from the ceca of the previous positive flocks. This suggests that the abattoir environment has a significant role in the contamination of carcasses from negative but not fully colonized flocks.

Taking the stress out of transport - indices of physiological stress in transit

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 42-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Mitchell ◽  
P.J. Kettlewell
Keyword(s):  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
The Uk ◽  
In Transit

Currently, in excess of 650 million broiler chickens are produced per annum in the UK.The rearing of these animals on large numbers of geographically dispered sites necessitates their transportation to centralised processing plants for slaughter. Birds are transported in containers in which behaviour, including any thermoregulatory component, will be restricted. The design of the container and the vehicle and the external climatic conditions will have profound effects upon the immediate environment of the birds. In transit they may be exposed to a variety of potential stressors including the thermal demands of this transport microenvironment, motion, acceleration, vibration, impacts, fasting, withdrawal of water, social disruption and noise. The adverse effects of these factors and their combinations may range from discomfort and mild aversion to death. Mortalities in transit are generally 0.4% or less but this may represent approximately 2 million birds per annum in the UK. It is estimated that up to 40% of the mortalities observed at the processing plant are a consequence of “stress”. It is thus essential from the standpoints of both animal welfare and productivity to optimise commercial poultry transport conditions and to provide the sound scientific basis for legislation relating to vehicles and transport practices. Although examination of the existing literature reveals that thermal stress is acknowledged as a major hazard during animal transportation it has been poorly characterised under practical conditions and the interactions between the animals and the complex thermal microenvironments clearly require more rigorous analyses.

Cleaning Conveyor Belts in the Chicken-Cutting Area of a Poultry Processing Plant with 45°C Water

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 496-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. SOARES ◽  
J. G. PEREIRA ◽  
C. M. ZANETTE ◽  
L. A. NERO ◽  
J. P. A. N. PINTO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conveyor Belt ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Work Shift ◽  
Processing Facility ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Conveyor Belts ◽  
Poultry Processing

Conveyor belts are widely used in food handling areas, especially in poultry processing plants. Because they are in direct contact with food and it is a requirement of the Brazilian health authority, conveyor belts are required to be continuously cleaned with hot water under pressure. The use of water in this procedure has been questioned based on the hypothesis that water may further disseminate microorganisms but not effectively reduce the organic material on the surface. Moreover, reducing the use of water in processing may contribute to a reduction in costs and emission of effluents. However, no consistent evidence in support of removing water during conveyor belt cleaning has been reported. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to compare the bacterial counts on conveyor belts that were or were not continuously cleaned with hot water under pressure. Superficial samples from conveyor belts (cleaned or not cleaned) were collected at three different times during operation (T1, after the preoperational cleaning [5 a.m.]; T2, after the first work shift [4 p.m.]; and T3, after the second work shift [1:30 a.m.]) in a poultry meat processing facility, and the samples were subjected to mesophilic and enterobacterial counts. For Enterobacteriaceae, no significant differences were observed between the conveyor belts, independent of the time of sampling or the cleaning process. No significant differences were observed between the counts of mesophilic bacteria at the distinct times of sampling on the conveyor belt that had not been subjected to continuous cleaning with water at 45°C. When comparing similar periods of sampling, no significant differences were observed between the mesophilic counts obtained from the conveyor belts that were or were not subjected to continuous cleaning with water at 45°C. Continuous cleaning with water did not significantly reduce microorganism counts, suggesting the possibility of discarding this procedure in chicken processing.

scholarly journals Effect of Salmonella Vaccination of Breeder Chickens on Contamination of Broiler Chicken Carcasses in Integrated Poultry Operations

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (23) ◽  
pp. 7820-7825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda C. D�rea ◽  
Dana J. Cole ◽  
Charles Hofacre ◽  
Katherine Zamperini ◽  
Demetrius Mathis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Broiler Chicken ◽  
Vaccination Program ◽  
Broiler Chicks ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Broiler Meat ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT While measures to control carcass contamination with Salmonella at the processing plant have been implemented with some success, on-farm interventions that reduce Salmonella prevalence in meat birds entering the processing plant have not translated well on a commercial scale. We determined the impact of Salmonella vaccination on commercial poultry operations by monitoring four vaccinated and four nonvaccinated breeder (parental) chicken flocks and comparing Salmonella prevalences in these flocks and their broiler, meat bird progeny. For one poultry company, their young breeders were vaccinated by using a live-attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine (Megan VAC-1) followed by a killed Salmonella bacterin consisting of S. enterica serovar Berta and S. enterica serovar Kentucky. The other participating poultry company did not vaccinate their breeders or broilers. The analysis revealed that vaccinated hens had a lower prevalence of Salmonella in the ceca (38.3% versus 64.2%; P < 0.001) and the reproductive tracts (14.22% versus 51.7%; P < 0.001). We also observed a lower Salmonella prevalence in broiler chicks (18.1% versus 33.5%; P < 0.001), acquired from vaccinated breeders, when placed at the broiler farms contracted with the poultry company. Broiler chicken farms populated with chicks from vaccinated breeders also tended to have fewer environmental samples containing Salmonella (14.4% versus 30.1%; P < 0.001). There was a lower Salmonella prevalence in broilers entering the processing plants (23.4% versus 33.5%; P < 0.001) for the poultry company that utilized this Salmonella vaccination program for its breeders. Investigation of other company-associated factors did not indicate that the difference between companies could be attributed to measures other than the vaccination program.

scholarly journals Detection and quantification of Campylobacter spp. in Brazilian poultry processing plants

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (01) ◽  
pp. 109-113
Author(s):  
Karen A Borges ◽  
Isabel C Cisco ◽  
Thales Q Furian ◽  
Denise C Tedesco ◽  
Laura B Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Specificity ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Food Preservation ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Campylobacter Spp

Introduction: Campylobacteriosis is considered the most common bacteria-caused human gastroenteritis in the world. Poultry is a major reservoir of Campylobacter. Human infection may occur by consumption of raw and undercooked poultry or by contamination of other foods by these items. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry processing plants with conventional culture method and real-time PCR. Methodology: A total of 108 poultry processing plant samples were collected to test with conventional microbiology and qPCR. Sampling included cloacal swabs, swabs of transport crates (before and after the cleaning and disinfection process) and carcasses (after the chiller, cooled at 4°C and frozen at −12°C). Results: Positivity in cloacal swabs indicated that poultry arrived contaminated at the slaughterhouse. Contamination in transport cages was substantially increased after the cleaning process, indicating that the process was ineffective. The detection of Campylobacter on carcasses was higher than that on cloacal swabs, which could indicate cross-contamination during the slaughtering process. Conventional microbiology and molecular methods revealed a prevalence of 69.4% and 43.5%, respectively. Lower detection by qPCR can be attributed to the high specificity of the kit and to biological components that could inhibit PCR reactions. Conclusions: Our results indicate that poultry arrive contaminated at the slaughterhouse and that contamination can increase during the slaughtering process due to cross-contamination. The isolation of Campylobacter in cooled and frozen carcasses corroborates the bacterial survival even at temperatures considered limiting to bacterial growth which are routinely used for food preservation.

Influence of Oily Bird Syndrome on the Shelf-Life of Fresh Ice-Packed Broilers

1982 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 813-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. FLETCHER ◽  
D. M. THOMASON ◽  
J. O. REAGAN ◽  
D. D. SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Shelf Life ◽  
Microbial Growth ◽  
Food Science ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
University Of Georgia ◽  
Plate Counts ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Commercial Poultry ◽  
Food Science Department ◽  
Retail Conditions

Processed ready-to-cook broiler carcasses were obtained from a commercial poultry processing plant on three separate occasions. The birds were identified at the plant as being either normal or as exhibiting the appearance and feel of birds exhibiting the phenomena collectively termed as “oily bird syndrome” (OBS). The carcasses were packed in ice, transported to the Food Science Department, University of Georgia, held on ice for 24 h and individually bagged and stored under retail conditions at 2°C. At 2, 8, 14 and 20 days postmortem, the birds were examined microbiologically for total plate counts and observed for evidence of spoilage. No consistent trends could be ascertained to indicate that birds exhibiting OBS would have higher total bacterial numbers or shorter shelf-life. Thus, it would appear that birds exhibiting OBS would pose no problems regarding initial microbial loads, microbial growth rates or reduced fresh shelf-life as compared to carcasses not exhibiting OBS.

Class 1 and Class 2 Integrons in Poultry Carcasses from Broiler House and Poultry Processing Environments

2003 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 1426-1431 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTHEW T. ROE ◽  
J. ALLEN BYRD ◽  
DOUG P. SMITH ◽  
SURESH D. PILLAI
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Variable Regions ◽  
Class 1 ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Size Diversity ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Broiler House ◽  
Tank Water

Integrons have been identified as major genetic contributors to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of integrons in poultry processing at the broiler house and in processing plants. Class 1 and class 2 integrons were found throughout the processing environment. Of the two classes of integrons, class 1 was the most prevalent in all processing areas. The levels of both classes of integrons decreased from the farm to the processing plant. Within the chiller tank in the processing plant, the persistence of these sequences appears to be related to the free chlorine concentration of the chiller tank water. The variable regions of the amplified integrons showed size diversity (from 680 to 2,000 bp), suggesting diversity in types of antibiotic-resistance–coding gene cassettes. The presence of the class 1 and class 2 integrons in the chlorinated chiller tank suggests that these sequences are capable of withstanding this critical step in the reduction of microbial loads on poultry carcasses. The persistence of the integron gene sequences on the farm and throughout processing highlights the stability of these transmissible antibiotic-resistance–coding nucleotide sequences and their potential role as reservoirs of antibiotic-resistance–coding genetic elements within the poultry rearing and processing environments.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in a poultry and pork processing plants

10.5219/1422 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 815-820
Author(s):  
Yuliya Yushina ◽  
Dagmara Bataeva ◽  
Anzhelika Makhova ◽  
Elena Zayko
Keyword(s):  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Campylobacter Coli ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Poultry Processing ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Campylobacter Spp

The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in different stages of poultry and pork processing in the Central region of Russia. A total of 47 Campylobacter isolates were obtained from 107 samples from poultry processing plants (40.2%): 87.2% were identified as Campylobacter jejuni, whereas 12.8% were identified as Campylobacter coli. The prevalence of Campylobacter was significantly (p <0.05) higher after evisceration in the poultry processing plant. Campylobacter spp.was detected in 62.7% of the equipment and environmental samples. From positive samples of Campylobacter spp., 84.3% of Campylobacter jejuni and 15.7% Campylobacter coli were observed. A total of nine Campylobacter isolates were obtained from 116 samples from pork processing plants (7.8%): 33.3% of them were identified as Campylobacter jejuni whereas 66.7% were identified as Campylobacter coli. Splitting and evisceration were also critical in Campylobacter contamination. Almost all pork carcasses were Campylobacter positive, and all of them were identified as Campylobacter coli. The prevalence of positive Campylobacter samples in poultry processing plants was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in pork processing plants.

scholarly journals Processing Low-Grade Retted Straw of Fibre Flax Into Homogeneous Fiber Using Trailed Flax-Harvesting Combine КВЛ-1

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
E. V. Soboleva ◽  
A. V. Bezbabchenko ◽  
V. G. Vnukov ◽  
S. V. Prokofiev
Keyword(s):  
Flax Fiber ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Research Purpose ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Primary Processing ◽  
Average Mass ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Flax Straw

To obtain long and short flax fiber of high quality under the conventional processing technology, retted flax straw of no less than grade 1.5 is required. However, according to some data, low-grade retted straw flax of grade 0.75 and lower used at some flax-processing plants can make up to 30 percent of the total mass of harvested raw materials. To maintain profitability, this retted straw must be processed into short homogenous fiber using new innovative technologies and equipment. (Research purpose) Study of the technological process of primary processing of low-grade retted straw flax, starting from the field and finishing at a flax-processing plant in various technological lines, determination of the rational composition of technological equipment of post-treatment lines of chaff -fiber mass obtained in the field with the flax-harvesting combine KVL-1, as well as determination of quality indicators of the obtained fiber. (Materials and methods) For research purpose, two types of low-grade retted straw were used as raw material: type 1 – retted straw grade1.0, type 2 – retted straw no.0.5, taken from Russian flax-processing plants. Primary processing of retted straw was carried out directly in the field with the flax-harvesting combine KVL-1. Further, the resulting chaff -fiber mass was transported to the laboratory and cleaned in the stationary conditions in various lines consisting of commercially available disintegrator DLV-2 and tow shakers with a lower gilling section. (Results and discussion) Analysis of the research results has revealed that the raw material used – low-grade retted flax straw – features low strength and high separability of fiber. The authors have put forward some recommendations on using the technology of processing low-grade retted flax straw into homogeneous fiber. (Conclusion) The authors have described the design of two technological lines for processing low-grade retted flax straw according to the ‘field-plant’ pattern. Using these lines, one can produce homogeneous flax fiber (monofilament) with an average mass length of 189-195 millimeter, a linear density of 5.6-6.2 Tex and a mass fraction of chaff of 6.7-16.7 percent. It is emphasized that the proposed technologies allow obtaining homogeneous fiber of a grade not exceeding 2 from low-grade retted flax straw. This type of fibre can be used to produce between-joisting and volumetric sealants, nonwoven materials, modified flax fibre, cellulose, technical and medical cotton wool, low-grade yarn, composites, etc.

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