Effect of Hatching Cabinet Sanitation Treatments on Salmonella Cross-Contamination and Hatchability of Broiler Eggs

Four trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of hatcher air sanitation utilizing ultraviolet light (UV), ozone, or hydrogen peroxide on bacterial populations, the spread of Salmonella, and hatchability of broiler eggs. The UV light (254 nm, 146 mu W/s) and ozone (0.2 or 0.4 ppm) treatments were continuously applied through the last 3 d of hatch, the hydrogen peroxide treatment (2.5%) was administered 1 or 2 min of each 10 min at rates of 500 or 100 mL/h. Hatchability was not significantly reduced by sanitizing treatments when compared with the untreated control (94 vs 95.6%). As compared to controls, all sanitizing treatments reduced 75 to 99% of the total bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and Salmonella in the hatching cabinet air samples. The use of hydrogen peroxide resulted in greater reduction of bacteria than ozone or UV light. Only hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced Salmonella levels on eggshell fragments. Significant reductions in the number of Salmonella-positive chicks occurred using the ozone and hydrogen peroxide treatments. Hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced the magnitude of Salmonella colonization in chicken ceca. These trials demonstrated that the spread of bacteria can be effectively reduced in the hatching cabinet by air sanitization using UV light, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide. The potential to reduce bacterial cross contamination in the hatcher is achievable without depressing hatchability.