HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fairchild, A. S. Articles by Jones, F. T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Fairchild, A. S. Articles by Jones, F. T.

A Comparison of the Microbiological Profile of Poults from Young Versus Old Turkey Breeder Hens

Department of Poultry Science NCSU Box 7608 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7608

F. T. Jones

Department of Poultry Science 204 Poultry Science Center University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

Correspondence: J. L. Grimes

This study was performed to determine whether poults from young turkey breeder hens (YHP, <6 wk of lay) have a different bacterial profile than poults from older turkey breeder hens (OHP, >15 wk of lay) and whether poult bacterial profiles change over the life of a breeder hen flock. Within two hatcheries, YHP had higher numbers of coliforms present in intestines than OHP (p 0.05). Isolated incidences of significantly different bacteria counts by hen age existed in poults from a third hatchery for all bacteria groups examined. However, within each hatchery, there were more differences due to farm than due to breeder hen age. Seasonal variation had as much influence as hen age when evaluating poult bacterial profiles. It was concluded that factors such as individual farm management, poult environment, biosecurity and traffic control, breeder flock bacterial profiles, and weekly conditions in the hatchery probably have a greater effect on poult bacterial profile than age of breeder hen.

Key Words: Bacteria • hen age • microbial profile • poults • turkey breeder hen