Role of Dump Cage Fecal Contamination in the Transfer of Campylobacter to Carcasses of Previously Negative Broilers

This study was undertaken to measure the potential for broiler carcass contamination with Campylobacter due to exposure of live birds to a contaminated dump cage. Broilers were obtained from commercial growout houses that had been previously identified as Campylobacter positive or negative by culturing feces. Broilers from a Campylobacter-positive house were placed into a new (never used) five-level commercial dump cage and held for 8 h. When broilers from the positive house were removed and processed, broilers from the Campylobacter-negative house were placed into the same openings of the dump cage. Broilers from the negative house remained in the cage, exposed to the feces of the Campylobacter-positive broilers, for 2, 4, or 6 h before being removed and processed. Carcasses from each group were examined for the presence and number of Campylobacter. After 2, 4, and 6 h of exposure to the contaminated dump cage, more than 50% of defeathered carcasses from previously negative broilers had detectable levels of Campylobacter. These data demonstrate that transportation of Campylobacter-negative broilers in a contaminated container can result in carcass contamination with Campylobacter.