Summary

The purpose of this project is to provide a scientific evaluation of the impact of differing litter management practices in the chicken meat industry from an environmental and food-safety perspective. The project aims to provide the knowledge that will ensure that the chicken industry can elect to use any of a range of litter practices – ranging from single use to multi-batch litter across several production cycles. Ensuring that on farm management practices are both sustainable (in terms of resource use) AND that the resultant chicken meat is a safe, quality product is the goal of this project. The project has a strong industry link as the pre-project steering committee to develop the proposal included a technical representative from two major industry participants and a chicken meat grower representative. By evaluating several different litter management practices, the project will provide a solid basis of information for the safe use of multi-batch litter. The project will consist of a direct comparsion of three litter management strategies – single use, partial re-use and full re-use. The comparison will involve determining both the presence and level of the key target organisms (Salmonella and Campylobacter) in both the litter in the shed and in the ceca of the chickens grown in the shed. The study will be performed on two farms and will involve two different processing companies. The knowledge gained in the project will then be available to guide industry in the process of adopting practices that reduce the demand for litter material (a shrinking resource), improve the safety (in terms of food-borne pathogens) of the use of the used litter in general agriculture and improve the quality (lower levels of food-borne pathogens) in chicken meat.

Program

Chicken Meat

Research Organisation

OLD ABN-The State Of Queensland Acting Through The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Objective Summary

A. To compare the levels of key food-borne pathogens (Salmonella and Campylobacter) in litter under different litter management practices
B. To compare the levels of key food-borne pathogens (Salmonella and Campylobacter) in the caeca of chickens grown under different litter management practices
C. To provide scientific data that can be used by industry in the adoption of differing litter management practices