Salmonella and chickens
What most people know about Salmonella is that it occurs in chicken or in eggs. It is the most familiar place where Salmonella bacteria can be found. Salmonella also likes to nest in the intestines of poultry. People contract food poisoning if they do not heat their contaminated chicken or eggs adequately before eating it. In other words: Salmonella in poultry is a public health hazard.
Identifying salmonella in chickens
Salmonella is difficult to recognize in chickens to the untrained eye. Unlike in dairy cattle or humans, there are few obvious symptoms. This is because chickens become particularly tired from a Salmonella infection, and that takes energy. Energy that cannot be used for growth and/or production. Poultry farmers are therefore wise to also take regular samples that are tested for salmonella. That way they keep an eye on whether and how much salmonella infection there is among the poultry.
Monitoring salmonella poultry
In addition to poultry farmers' own monitoring for Salmonella, this is also monitored by the central government. The NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) takes samples according to a set schedule. By the way, they do not only do this on chicken. Also on all kinds of other products on which Salmonella occurs, such as meat or vegetables. The NVWA has contaminated products taken off the market. If many food infections are detected in a certain area, the NVWA, together with the RIVM, looks for the source. Failure to comply with regulations creates a public health hazard and is subject to hefty fines.
Hygiëne en regels bij pluimveebedrijven om salmonella te voorkomen
Poultry farmers are required to make the necessary efforts to control Salmonella on poultry. HACCP is a hygiene code they must comply with. The NVWA also checks whether poultry and other production companies (including animal feed companies) comply with it and work sufficiently hygienically. In order to act quickly in case of contamination and remove products from the market, everyone who produces food and feed must have a system by which the Salmonella chicken or other contaminated products can be quickly traced.
Clean drinking water prevents Salmonella among chickens
Drinking water systems in poultry farms are a known source of contamination. Biofilm forms in the pipes. Biofilm is a persistent cooperation of all kinds of microorganisms including Salmonella. Disinfecting the pipes with chemicals is expensive, temporary and bad for the animals. Watter offers a sustainable solution for clean, Salmonella-free drinking water in poultry farms. That means biofilm disappears from the pipes and chickens have clean drinking water and stay healthy.
This is how Watter works against Salmonella and other harmful bacteria
The Watter system is a device. We connect it to the water supply and the electricity grid. Furthermore, salt goes into it. Inside the device, electrolysis of the salt and water takes place. Because of this electrochemical reaction, HOCl is the most active substance in the water, which cleans up all kinds of microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and yeasts. The water has become a disinfectant. Because it contains a high number of different active substances, the agent remains effective even with very low doses of those substances. And that is why it is safe to use for drinking water.
Watter has been extensively tested by TNO and others. It proved effective against Salmonella. So poultry benefits from drinking water treated with Watter. Besides Salmonella typhimurium, it also fights Escherichia coli and many other harmful bacteria that feel comfortable in drinking water pipes. With Watter, you are guaranteed 100% clean drinking water for your chickens, both in the pipes and that sensitive spot where the water reaches the chicken: the nipple. We guarantee. With ten years of experience in drinking water on poultry farms, we already know many success stories. For example, read the story of Van Maanen here.
The effect of Salmonella control in poultry farming
Just because a chicken is not sick does not mean it cannot get better. The chicken does not get sick because the Salmonella and the other foreign microorganisms are fought off by the chicken's immune system. That costs a chicken energy anyway. Energy that broilers, for example, would otherwise use for growth.
In summary: Watter is more economical than chemical disinfection, and also provides increased production and better health of your animals. The Watter system pays for itself. Want to discover more? Please contact us!