Salmonella Infection in Chicken and its Preventive Measures

Salmonella is a gram negative bacteria. There are many serotypes of salmonella but most common serotypes that infect chicken are Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella gallinarum respectively which causes heavy losses/mortality to chicken specially the young chicks. Salmonella organisms can be transmitted to chicken either by vertical route through yolk of the egg or by horizontal routes through infected chicken discharge, contaminated shed, feeder/water trough, litter etc. Symptoms of Salmonella infection in chicken 1. Ruffled feathers. 2. Chirping cries when defecating 3. Whitish diarrhoea 4. Difficulty in breathing and general weakness 5. Leg paralysis and swollen joints 6. High mortality in chicken 7. Decrease in egg production in laying birds Preventive Measures to Control Salmonella in Chicken 1. Provide sufficient space for every chicken, avoid over crowding 2. Proper well balanced nutritious diet 3. Daily cleaning of the chicken shed, washing and disinfection of all the feeders/water trough 4. Proper ventilation of the shed so that it remain airy and cool always 5. Proper disposal of waste, litter materials and dead birds 6. Isolate the diseased chicken from healthy ones 7. Routine faecal examination of the chicken to rule out any diseased condition of the flock 8. Control of rodents in the chicken shed and feed godown 9. Restrict the entry of visitors inside the shed

Veterinary Hospital Kohima