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Abstract
This study evaluated Salmonella prevalence and load, along with indicator population, during hatching of eggs sourced from four breeder flocks (two control flocks and two flocks with the drinking water treated with chlorine dioxide, ClO2) on four different production days in a commercial hatchery. Microbiological samples (fluffs in hatcher, eggshells in hatcher baskets, and sponge stick swabs of hatcher fans, meconium in chick basket, hallway fans, drains, dirty and clean, clean hatchers, clean chick baskets, clean hatcher baskets, and trucks) were collected. ClO2 treatment of breeder hen drinking water during egg laying did not affect Salmonella prevalence, load, and indicator organism populations (p>0.05). The overall Salmonella prevalence was 40.7% (37/91), with highest prevalence and load recovered from the truck (91.7%) and fluffs (5.40 log MPN/sample) respectively. Cleaning and Disinfection (C&D) reduced (p>0.05) Salmonella populations but did not eliminate Salmonella on the chick baskets (25%). Additionally, C&D reduced (p>0.05) APC, EB, TC and EC populations by ca. 1-log CFU/swab. ClO2 treatment of the drinking water of the breeder flocks during egg lay did not affect Salmonella prevalence and load in the hatchery.