Investigation of the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Salmonella in Broiler Breeder Farms in Iran During 2013-2014

Background and Objectives: Salmonella contamination of broiler breeder farms is of great importance regarding transmission of the bacteria through the production chain of poultry meat. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and management related factors of Salmonella contamination in broiler breeder flocks in Iran. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out between 2013 and 2014 in 23 provinces of Iran. Fecal samples were obtained from 139 broiler breeder farms and were subjected to standard bacteriological tests for Salmonella isolation. The serogroups of isolated Salmonella were determined using standard serological tests. Relevant information of sampled holdings was acquired from the GIS system and used for risk factor detection. Results: The prevalence of Salmonella contamination in broiler breeder holdings was 7.9% and the more positive samples were from Tehran and Fars provinces. The flock age (P = 0.019) and the number of poultry houses in the farm (P = 0.037) were major risk factors of Salmonella contamination in broiler breeder farms. Conclusion: This investigation showed that the prevalence of Salmonella contamination in broiler breeder farms was relatively high. It is necessary to establish an appropriate program for controlling Salmonella contamination in broiler breeder farms. Regular sampling for early detection of contaminated farms would be very important in this case. Sampling from old flocks should be the first priority