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In ovo Injection of Competitive Exclusion Culture in Broiler Hatching Eggs

Centre for Applied Poultry Research, P. O. Box 31, 7360 AA Beekbergen, The Netherlands; Phone: 31-55-5066544; FAX: 31-55-5064858

R. M. Hulet

Penn State University, Department of Poultry Science, 214 Henning Building, University Park, PA 16802-3501

Correspondence: R. Meijerhof

Three experiments examined the influence of in ovo injection of competitive exclusion culture (CEC) in broiler hatching eggs on hatchability and protection against Salmonella panama contamination. Injection of CEC into the air cell of hatching eggs at 18 days of incubation reduced hatchability. Injection of CEC directly into the embryo caused almost complete loss of hatchability. Chicks that hatched from eggs injected with CEC in the air cell showed increased mortality, especially in the first week, due to reduced yolk sac uptake, indicating bacterial contamination of the embryo. At 4 wk of age birds that received CEC by injection into the air cell had a level of Salmonella contamination not significantly different from that of untreated birds and significantly higher than the level of contamination in birds that received oral CEC at day 1.

Key Words: Broilers • competitive exclusion • hatchability • in ovo injection • Salmonella