Competitive exclusion of Salmonella enteritidis in Leghorn chicks: comparison of treatment by crop gavage, drinking water, spray, or lyophilized alginate beads.

The protective effect of cecal bacteria cultures on Salmonella enteritidis cecal colonization was evaluated. Competitive-exclusion cultures were administered by crop gavage, in first drinking water, by whole body spray, or encapsulated in alginate beads and provided in feed pans. Leghorn chicks were treated with cultures of cecal bacteria on the day of hatch and challenged orally with 10(4) S. enteritidis 2 days after treatment. Salmonella cecal colonization was evaluated 7 days after challenge. No Salmonella organisms were detected in the ceca of chicks treated with cecal cultures by crop gavage. Chicks treated with cecal cultures in the drinking water or by spray application showed comparable protection and significant decreases (P < 0.05) in the number of Salmonella in the cecal contents compared with untreated controls. The consumption of cecal bacteria encapsulated in alginate beads significantly decreased (P < 0.05) Salmonella cecal colonization compared with control treatment, but it provided less protection than the other treatment methods evaluated.