Forced hot air to dry feces and kill bacteria on transport cage flooring

SUMMARY Because of fecal shedding from Campylobacter-positive birds, broiler transport cages can be contaminated with Campylobacter, leading to cross-contamination of previously Campylobacter-negative broilers during live haul. Earlier work has shown that drying soiled or washed cages for 24 to 48 h can lower or even eliminate detectable Campylobacter on cage flooring. Because extended drying times are impractical, we tested the use of hot flowing air to speed the process. To determine if the effect was due to heat alone or flowing air alone, hot flowing air was compared with unheated flowing air and static hot air as well as with a benchtop control. The numbers of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and coliforms on small squares of washed or unwashed fecally soiled transport cage flooring were measured after drying treatments. When applied after a water spray wash treatment, flowing air at approximately 50°C for 15 min lowered the numbers of Campylobacter to an undetectable level. This represents a tremendous savings in drying time and suggests a potential commercial application. Static heat at similar temperatures was not nearly as effective, and unheated flowing air was moderately effective, but less so than hot air. Processors may be able to use a forced hot air treatment to dry cages between flocks, lessening the number of Campylobacter on cage flooring, thereby decreasing the potential for cross-contamination during live haul.