Research note: Fate and dissemination of Salmonella enterica serovar Reading in turkeys at processing using an oral gavage challenge model

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the fate and dissemination of Salmonella Reading (SR) in turkeys using an oral gavage challenge model. One hundred twenty-eight-week-old commercial turkey hens were moved from commercial production to research facilities. Upon arrival, a combination of enrofloxacin, 10 mg/kg, and florfenicol, 20 mg/kg, were orally administered sequentially before comingled placement on fresh pine shavings. Turkeys were challenged with 108 cfu SR by oral gavage on days 4 and 7 post-placement. Subsets were subjected to simulated commercial processing on days 14 (n=40), 21 (n=40) and 28 (n=32) post-placement (corresponding to 10, 11, and 12 weeks of age). Stifle joint, skin, trachea, crop, lung, liver + spleen (L.S.), and ceca were aseptically sampled and cultured for Salmonella recovery and serotyping. SR could not be recovered from stifle joint 14 days post inoculation (P.I). However, at 14 days P.I., recovery of SR were: Skin 80 %; crop 75 %; LS 67.5 %; lungs 60 %; and ceca 57.5 %. (P