Effects of Lactobacilli and lactose on Salmonella typhimurium colonisation and microbial fermentation in the crop of the young turkey

Abstract

1. Three experiments were performed to examine the effects of Lactobacilli and lactose on microbial fermentation and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium colonisation in the crop of the young turkey.

2. The following carboxylic acids were detected in the crop ingesta: formic, acetic, butyric, lactic, valeric, caproic, oxalic, phenyl acetic, succinic and fumaric; propionic, isobutyric and isovaleric acids were not detectable.

3. At the beginning of the night, there were considerable quantities of ingesta in the crop of young turkeys. During the scotophase, there were progressive reductions in the contents and pH. Moreover, there were linear increases in the concentration of lactic, valeric and caproic acids (by approximately 7-fold over 8 h). Much smaller changes in crop pH were observed in the study where dietary treatments of Lactobacilli were not included.

4. Chronic addition of lactose or Lactobacilli to the diet exerted modest effects on the carboxylic acid concentration in the crop contents but did not consistently influence colonisation of the crop by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

5. Young turkeys confine eating to the hours of illumination (photophase) with a peak in consumption prior to the subjective dusk.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank David Cox for the invaluable statistical advice. The financial support of the Iowa Turkey Federation, the Midwest Poultry Consortium (USDA Special Grant) and the Iowa Livestock Health Advisory Council funds are gratefully acknowledged. This is a paper of the Journal Series Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station.