Incidence of Salmonella contamination in broiler chickens in Saskatchewan.

The incidence of Salmonella contamination in ten Saskatchewan broiler flocks varying in size from 6 200 to 14 000 was investigated from February, 1977 to April, 1979. Prior to the initial chick placement, brooding equipment, feed, water and fresh litter samples were found to be free of Salmonellae. Samples obtained from the clean and disinfected processing plant equipment before the commencement of daily operation were negative except the isolation for Salmonella anatum from the fingers of the defeathering machine in flock 4.

Influence of dietary protein concentration and frequency of diet changes on rate of growth, efficiency of food utilisation and carcass quality of Large White turkeys.

1. In two experiments, diets in which the protein concentration was adjusted at differing intervals were fed to Large White turkeys for 22 or 24 weeks for males or 16 weeks for females. Four dietary protein concentration regimes were provided within each feeding plan.

Free amino acids in the plasma of poults used as an indicator of possible limiting amino acids in presently available protein sources.

Free amino acids in the plasma of poults were used to determine limiting amino acids in turkey starter diets that incorporated each of four protein sources (pea protein concentrate, dehulled soybean meal, herring fish meal, and poultry residue meal) in comparison with a control diet that contained fish meal and soybean meal. The control diet has been consistent in producing maximum growth with lower free amino acid levels in the blood plasma of poults in our laboratory. The diet that contained pea protein concentrate plus added methionine produced significantly lower plasma levels of methionine, arginine, proline, threonine, leucine, and taurine than the control values.