USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project by researchers at Mississippi State University that shows the vertical transmission of Salmonella Reading in breeders. The research was made possible in part by an endowing USPOULTRY Foundation gift from Cargill. The research is part of USPOULTRY's comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A summary of the completed project is below. 

Project #729: Evaluating Vertical Transmission of Salmonella Reading Outbreak Strain in Turkeys Using Bioluminescent Imaging — Dr. Li Zhang, Poultry Science Department, Mississippi State University.

Zhang and others at Mississippi State University completed a research project with the objective of identifying the potential of bioluminescent S. Reading outbreak and non-outbreak strains to colonize the reproductive tissues of breeder hens following experimental infection and vertically transfer from hens through eggs. Bioluminescence technology is a highly effective noninvasive tool that can allow one to view colonization of bioluminescent bacteria in internal organs and track its transmission following live bird challenge. Findings showed the ability of S. Reading to colonize reproductive tissues of breeder hens as well as vertically transfer to eggs.

The research summary is available on the USPOULTRY website. Information on other association research may also be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY website.

Source: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association