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Bacteria Contaminants Associated With Poultry Feeds From Three Different Companies
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To maintain healthy birds, the feeds are kept fresh as much as possible
at all times. The amount of feed in feeders are limited to the extent
necessary to avoid wastage. It is a good practice to fill hanging
feeders – only three quarter full, and trough feeders only two third
full (Graham, 1977). Checking the weight of the birds and its feed
consumption is very necessary. A drop in feed intake usually is the
first indication of trouble, a disease outbreak, molt, stress or poor
management (Graham, 1977). Most poultry feed are prepared in dehydrated
forms and because of this, there is the need to store them properly to
avoid moisture uptake and damage by heat. In this way,. They can
remain safe for a considerable period of time without loosing their
safeness and value. The feed should be stored in a suitable place where
it will not be attacked by microorganisms, insects, rodents, etc. Air
tight storage is not advisable because offensive odour might result when
there is obstruction of out flow and inflow of air (Leonard, 1981).
High temperature and oxidation destroy certain vitamins, therefore, care
must be taken in the preservation and storage of feeds to protect the
vitamins they contain (Mc Graw – Hill encyclopaedia 1992). The condition
of feed storage and handling could be a source of contamination. When
feeds are unhysgenically handled and stored, there could be a buildup of
microbial contaminants.
Poultry have been found to be
susceptible to infection due to certain microorganisms and man may be
secondarily infected through heavy contaminated food such as poultry
meat and eggs (Gorden and Tucker, 1965, Hall, 1977, and Barrell, 1982).
Micro-organism that may contaminate feed include the following general
another disease caused by salmonella infections is paratyphoid.
Paratyphoid is an infection disease of chi, Entherobacter,
Escherichia, Protens,Pseudomonas, staphylococcus, salmonella, shigella,
providencia, serratia, Klebsiella,streptococcus, clostridium,
Aspergillus and Erysiphelothrie (Leonard, 1981). Typically, in some
countries, about 50% of all outbreaks of salmonellosis in man are caused
by infections derived from these sources and the incidence of
salmonella in poultry carcasses has, in certain cases been found to be
7% or more (Van schothorst Notermans, 1980). Okongi (1984) examined
poultry feed and found that salmonellawas present in the sample.
Another disease caused by salmonella infections is paratyphoid,
Paratyphoid is an infections disease of chicken, turkeys, ducks and
other birds. Bofulism another kind of disease occurs in both young and
adult poultry birds. It is caused by a bacterium, Clostridium
Botulinum. This organism grows in decaying plants and animals materials.
Birds feeding material containing the toxins produced by the bacteria
lose control of their neck muscle (Leonard, 1981).
OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY:
The objective of this study is to ascertain the microbial safety of commercial poultry feeds produced by companies.
AIMS OF THE STUDY
i. To isolate micro-organisms that are contaminants of poultry feeds.
ii. To identify the bacterial types
iii. To determine the microbial load of poultry feed.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Poultry feed is known to contain salmonella, and other microorganisms
are also implicated in poultry feeds, (Klinger and Ladidot, 1993). It
is therefore pertinent to carry out microbiological examination of
commercially prepared poultry feeds to ascertain their safety to
livestock.
HYPOTHESIS HO:- Poultry feeds are associated with
bacterial contaminants H1:- Poultry feeds are not associated with
bacterial contaminants
HII:- Poultry feeds do not have enough bacterial contaminants to cause infection in poultry
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This work is limited to bacteria contaminants associated with poultry feeds from three different companies.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
As
the end of the project work, the results will be a guide to the
microbiological safety or otherwise of the commercially prepared poultry
feeds.
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