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Effect of Butyric or Lactic Acid on the In vivo Colonization of Salmonella typhimurium

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Russell Research Center, Athens, GA 3-613; Phone: (706) 546-3484; FAX: (706) 546-3771

E. B. Shotts

Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

Correspondence: N. A. Cox

Two groups of newly hatched chicks received standard broiler rations supplemented with 0.6% acid (either butyric or lactic) continuously starting at one day of age, while a control group received unsupplemented feed. At two days of age, chicks were inoculated by oral gavage with 1 mL of 10⁶ CFU Salmonella typhimurium. Ceca were obtained from six chicks of each group at day 7, 14, and 21. After seven days there were no differences in level of Salmonella colonization among the supplemented and control groups. After fourteen days, lactic acid decreased colonization by 1.6 logs (P<. 05), while no significant decrease was observed with butyric acid. After twenty-one days, both acids had significantly reduced intestinal colonization; butyric and lactic acid produced 1.67 and 1.95 log reductions, respectively. There were no significant differences in body weights among the groups at day 21. It is important to demonstrate that the level of Salmonella in the digestive tract and ceca of broiler chickens can be significantly reduced by the addition of selected carbohydrates to the water or feed. Reduced levels in the intestines means less salmonellae to be spread around in the grow house and during processing, and therefore less contaminated final product.

Key Words: Butyric • chicken • fatty acids • lactic • Salmonella