haccp in table egg industry

8/6/2019 HACCP in Table Egg Industry

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Preharvest

HACCPin theTable EggIndustryHazard Analysis

Crit ical Cont rol Point System for

Enhancing Food Safety

College of Agricultural Sciences


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Prepared byS. A. DavisonUniversity of Pennsylvania, Laboratory

of Avian Medicine and Pathology,Kennett Square, Pa.

P. A. DunnPenn State Department of VeterinaryScience, University Park, Pa.

D. J. HenzlerPennsylvania Department of

Agriculture, Animal Health andDiagnostic Services, Harrisburg, Pa.

S. J. Knabel

Penn State Department of FoodScience, University Park, Pa.

P. H. Patterson, technical editor

Penn State Department of Poultry

Science, University Park, Pa.

J. H. SchwartzPenn State Cooperative Extension,

Lancaster, Pa.


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ForewordThis manual provides educationalsupport for enhancing food safety in

the table egg industry. Those whowant to improve the safety of the

eggs they produce are encouraged toadopt the practices outlined in this

manual. The U.S. Department ofAgriculture endorses the farm-to-tableHazard Analysis Critical Control Point

(HACCP) system as the best science-based approach aimed at pathogen

reduction. Voluntary participation inHACCP-type programs reduces the

risk of marketing eggs contaminatedwith Salmonella enteritidisandmaintains consumer confidence in

eggs and egg products.


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HACCP 4

ContentsIntroduction 5

Biosecurity Risk Factors 7BMPs for People 7

BMPs for Equipment 8BMPs for Animals 8

Clean and Disinfect Between Flocks:#1 Critical Control Point 9

Dry Clean 9Wash 9

Disinfect 10

Control Rodents:

#2 Critical Control Point 11Seal Rodents Out 11

Maintain Covered Bait Stations 12Monitor Rodents with Rodent Indexing 15

Verify the Program 16

Place Salmonella enteritidisClean Pullet Chicks:

#3 Critical Control Point 17

Monitor the Environment 18Pullets 18

Hens 18

Monitor Eggs 20

Appendices 22

A. Cleaning and Disinfection Evaluation Form 23B. Swabbing Cleaned and Disinfected Houses 24C. Rodent Evaluation Form 25

D.Rodent Indexing 26E. Rodent Control Log 27

F. Sampling Pullet Chick Box Papers 28G.Sample Submission Form 29

H. Swabbing Pullet and Layer House Environments 30I. Nest Run Egg Sample Collection 33


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HACCP 5

IntroductionSalmon ella contam ination is the leading cause of foodborne illness in

the United States. Responsibility for the wholesomeness and qu ality of

anima l foods on ce rested w ith the USDA inspection system, bu t today,

we realize this is only one part of quality assurance. In ord er to control

salmonella, new program s mu st be adop ted at all stages of prod uction,

processing, and p reparation of foods. The poultry indu stry and egg

hand lers mu st work together to ensure that the chain of bacteriareduction and quality assuran ce is not broken.

Salmon ella are part of a family of bacteria know n as Enterobacteri-

aceae, which are found in the intestinal tract of human s and other

anima ls. More than 2,300 types of Salmon ella are know n to exist.

Salmonella enteritidis, or SE, is just on e of these typ es, but on e that is

predom inantly found in poultry p roducts including fresh shell eggs and

un pasteurized liquid eggs. SE from feces can contamina te eggshells,

while hens with whole body infections can contaminate egg contents.

People can contract salmon ellosis from consum ing contamina ted eggs,

egg produ cts, poultry, or meat prod ucts that have not been prop erly

cooked. Unfortunately, a contaminated utensil or food handler can

recontamina te a prop erly prepa red food th at was free of SE. Clinical

signs of salmonellosis app ear 12 to 72 hour s after eating the contam i-

nated food and include acute gastroenteritis, fever, headache, abdomi-

nal cramp s, nausea, vomiting, and diarrh ea. Severity of the d isease is

usually proportional to the nu mber of organisms that enter the body.

Therefore, any p rocedure that redu ces the nu mber of SE organisms in

food w ill redu ce the risks of salmonellosis.

Past efforts to control SE have been largely reactive and have n ot

succeeded in p reventing contam ination of eggs. Cur rently, hens or eggs

that test positive for SE are diverted to p rocessing plan ts, where the

bacteria are destroyed by therm al processes. Unfortu nately, egg produ c-

tion environm ents cannot be mad e sterile, and on ly a small fraction of

pou ltry houses, hens, and eggs can actually be tested. For these reasons,

it is virtually impossible to produ ce eggs with comp lete assurance thatthey are free of SE bacteria. Therefore, efforts to control SE need to be

proactive, focusing on risk redu ction and preven tion. Food safety

experts from u niversities, government, and the food ind ustry agree that

the best food safety system available for p reventing food borne illness is

the H azard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.

HA CCP is a science-based system that iden tifies and m onitors

critical control points (CCP) throu ghou t the food chain in ord er to

reduce or eliminate hazards. This manual w ill add ress the seven steps of

the HACCP system for risk reduction:

1. Assess the hazards.

2. Identify CCPs.

3. Establish critical limits for each CCP.4. Monitor CCPs.

5. Take corrective actions.

6. Set up a record-keeping system.

7. Verify that the HACCP system is working.


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HACCP 6

This manu al covers the th ree hazard s identified by th e 1995 Pennsyl-

van ia SE Pilot Study as significant r isk factors for contam inating eggs

with SE. The hazard s are SE-contamina ted p oultry hou ses, rodents, and

pu llet chicks. Today in Pennsylvania most eggs are produ ced un der the

Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP), wh ich emph a-

sizes three CCPs includ ing cleaning and d isinfecting pullet and h en

hou ses between flocks, rodent control, and placing SE-clean chicks in

the pu llet house. The PEQAP is a HA CCP-type p rogram m onitored and

supp orted by the Pennsylvania Departm ent of Agriculture (Figure 1).All people involved in prod uction, procurement, and processing

need to realize that eggs must be treated as a food, not just a commod-

ity. Commitment to the egg indu stry HACCP system m eans everyone is

respon sible for egg safety, from the p erson servicing breeder flocks to

the parent p repar ing egg d ishes for the family (Figure 2). Although

HACCP-type p rogram s can not guaran tee shell eggs to be free of SE

contamination, it will assure the public that egg p rodu cers are taking

every pr ecaution to maintain the safety of their eggs.

Figure 2. Critical links in the egg safetychain.

Primary

breedin

g

Pulletrearing

Hen

managem

ent Proces

sing

Distrib

ution

andstorag

e

Foodserviceandthehome

Egg safety:everyone isresponsible

Figure 1. Seal of the Pennsylvania EggQuality Assurance Program, monitored andsupport ed by the Pennsylvania Departmentof Agriculture.


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HACCP 7

Biosecurity Risk FactorsBiosecur ity involves using all measu res possible to control the spread of

disease-causing organisms such as Salmonella enteritidis (SE). These

measu res includ e controlling hu man traffic, isolating pou ltry from

contaminated equipment and animals, controlling insects and rodents,

vaccination, d isinfection, and good h ousekeep ing. The goal of

biosecurity is to keep d isease-causing organ isms from your birds. These

tiny microbes travel from p lace to place in manu re, dust, and feathers,carried by air and on p eople, equipm ent, vehicles, animals, and other

birds. Therefore, the greatest r isk factors for introd ucing d isease-causing

organisms are contaminated people, equipment, and animals. The best

man agemen t pr actices (BMPs) of a good biosecurity system ar e listed

below.

s BMPs for People

1. Make sure employees and family mem bers wear freshly laund ered

clothing daily.

2. Have all visitors report to a central location and sign a log book

before entering any building.

3. Do not allow an yone, includ ing maintenance personnel and pestcontrol people, to enter your pou ltry house or egg room un less they

are wear ing clean an d san itized coveralls, boots, and hat (Figure 3).

4. Clean an d disinfect boots before entering and leaving each p oultry

hou se. Manure is a major factor responsible for the spread of disease

from one p oultry house to another. If you have m ore than one

pou ltry house on your farm, you may w ant to consider having a

separa te pair of boots for each hou se. By storing the boots in a ru bber

garbage can, you can keep th em in wearable cond ition. This practice

would be especially helpful if you h ave poultry of different ages on

the farm.

5. Change w ater in foot baths and ad d disinfectant at least daily, or

more often if baths collect a lot of dirt an d m anu re.6. Always show er and change into clean clothes before leaving you r

farm and after returning home. This practice will help prevent the

spread of any d isease from one farm to another. You can p ick up

disease organisms by v isiting other farm s, auctions, meetings, or

restauran ts where other farmers, service peop le, or backyard flock

owners visit. By show ering and changing into clean clothes wh en

you return h ome, you are taking a big step toward redu cing the

spread of disease organisms.

7. If possible, try to limit each persons work schedu le to one pou ltry

house.

8. Do not visit youn ger birds after visiting older birds except w hen

younger bird s are positive for SE or other d iseases. If you mu st visitolder birds first, be sure to shower and / or change clothes before

visiting younger birds.

9. Keep all buildings locked at all times to ensu re that your biosecurity

plan is followed by all visitors and nonfarm em ployees (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Keep all buildings locked toensure that your biosecurity plan isfollowed.

Figure 3. Wear only clean and sanitizedcoveralls, boots, and hat.


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HACCP 8

s BMPs for Equipment

1. Borrow equ ipment from anoth er farm only if it is

thorou ghly cleaned and disinfected (Figure 5).

2. Restrict movem ent of all vehicles entering and

leaving your farm. Have vehicles park ou tside th e

premises w henever possible.

3. Bring onto the farm on ly clean and disinfected

crates, egg cartons, etc. Reject anyth ing th at is notclean and notify the supplier of the problem.

4. Do business only with companies that have high

biosecurity standard s.

s BMPs for Animals

1. Avoid contact with w ild birds and waterfowl.

2. Always place new birds in a clean and disinfected

hou se. (See Clean and Disinfect Between Flocks:

Figure 5. Clean and d isinfect borrowed equipment.

#1 CCP for procedures.)

3. Control rodents and insects inside and aroun d p oultry houses.

(See Control Roden ts: #2 CCP for procedu res.)4. Properly dispose of dead birds in a timely fashion.

5. Make sure poultry hou ses are properly ventilated. Large amou nts of

fresh air dilute microbe pop ulations and reduce disease buildu p.

6. Keep man ure as dry as p ossible.

Assign a person to m onitor your biosecurity program . Have all

visitors sign a log book. The book shou ld requ est the date, time,

person s name, reason for visit, and names of other pou ltry farms

visited before arriving at you r farm. Keep all log book entries for at least

3 years as part of your b iosecurity records. Have a second sign-in sheet

for each poultry house. The sheet should request the date, time,

person s nam e, and reason for entering the bu ilding. File house sign-in

sheets mon thly and keep entr ies for at least 2 years.The success of your biosecurity program dep ends on you. Do not

allow any exceptions! The goal of biosecurity is to keep germ s away

from your birds and you r birds away from germs.

REFERENCESBru net, P. Y. 1988. Biosecur ity for Pou ltry: Lock Diseases Ou t. Extension

Circular 350. Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Extension Pou ltry Hea lth and

Managemen t Unit. University Park, Pa. (This pub lication is no longer in

print.)

Nelson, T. M. and E. T. Mallinson . 1987. Biosecurity for Pou ltry: Stom p

the Invisible Enemy. Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Extension Pou ltry

Health and Management Un it. College Park, Md.


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HACCP 9

Clean and Disinfect Between Flocks

#1 CRITICAL CONTROL POINT

Organ ic mater ial can harbor bacteria such as Salmonella enteritidis (SE).

The goal of cleaning and d isinfection is to reduce the organ ic material

and bacteria in the env ironmen t, thereby reducing the risk of SE

contamination.

Down time between the removal of one flock and the placementof the next allows for thorough cleaning, d isinfecting, dr ying, and

inspecting the h ouse. Allow at least 2 weeks betw een flocks. When

turnover is too qu ick, birds may be p laced in a hou se that is still damp

and may not be clean.

Figure 6. Thoroughly dry clean the pullet or hen house.

Figure 7. Wash all surfaces with ahigh-pressure spray.

s Dry Clean

1. Remove all birds, eggs (broken or not), and

other live creatures includ ing cats, w ild birds,

and roden ts. (See Control Roden ts: #2 CCP

for procedures.)

2. Thoroughly dry clean the house (Figure 6).

Use compressed air to clean air inlets bothinside and ou t.

Blow d ust and loose debris into the pit.

Clean man ure off cage cross members an d

floor joists.

Run the m anure scraper as low as possible

or knock manure off cage curtains.

Clean fan housings, brush blades, and

louvers.

Remove all manure an d d ebris from the p it.

Remove all mobile equipment from the hou se, the egg room, and

the workroom area.

3. If par ticular areas hav e not been cleaned prop erly, reclean them p rior

to washing dow n.

s Wash

1. Wash d own the hou se (Figure 7).

Wet dow n all dirty areas and a llow time to soak.

Wash all surfaces and equipmen t using h igh pressu re (1,500 psi and

above).

Heat the house du ring winter wash-down s (the warm er the better).

Give special attention to air inlets, both inside and outside.

Wash the up per p ortion of the house first and then the p it.

Push w ater out of the pit each d ay after w ashing.

Run feeders each d ay after washing and before washing the floors.

2. If particular areas have not been washed properly, rewash those areas

pr ior to disinfection.


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HACCP 10

s Disinfect

1. Apply disinfectant to all surfaces as a spray

or foam, treating the up per p ortion of the

hou se first, then the p it (Figure 8).

Phenols and qu aternary ammonium (quats)

produ cts are suggested disinfectants.

Phenolic comp ound s are used most

often because they are more active in thepresence of organic material than other

disinfectants such as quats.

Chlorine compoun ds can be effective, but

they are readily inactivated wh en they

come in contact with organ ic material.

Surfaces always sh ould be free of organic

mater ial for th e d isinfectant to be effective.

Any p rodu cts used in conjunction with each

other must be checked for compatibility.

Figure 9. Culture the environment aftercleaning and disinfection.

Figure 8. Disinfect, treating the upper portion of the house first,then the pit.

Follow all directions on prod uct labels.

2. If pa rticular areas have not been disinfected p roperly, disinfect againprior to culturing.

3. Clean the following by han d or u sing low p ressure (600 to 800 psi):

electrical equip men t

egg room and workroom

farm p acker

egg grader

egg cooler

office

bathroom

stairs and w alkway to pit

4. Designate a specific person to mon itor the cleaning and disinfection

(Evaluation Form, Append ix A), and to keep records and review the

records, critical limits, and microbial sampling an d analysis to verify

the HACCP p lan is working. If any areas evaluated in Append ix A

have greater than none or slight organ ic matter, reclean and

disinfect those areas prior to cultu ring.

5. Cultu re the environm ent after cleaning and disinfection (Figure 9).

(See App end ix B for procedures.)

6. Reclean and disinfect specific areas if cultu ring resu lts suggest m ore

effort is needed .

7. Once a new flock is placed, keep the hou se as clean as possible. Clean

the packer, egg room, and bathroom da ily. Remove egg m aterial andsoil from cross conveyor rods tw ice weekly and d ispose of broken

eggs prop erly. Keep eggs and feed off the floor and out of the manure

pit. Do some d ry cleaning as needed to m aintain fan efficiency and

inlet capacity.


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HACCP 11

Table 1. Reproduct ive and feeding characteristics of the house mouse

(Mus musculus) and the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus).

CHARACTERISTICS HOUSEMOUSE NORWAYRAT

Home range 930 feet usually 20300 feet(up to 150 feetin some houses)

Longevity 1215 months 1215 months

Sexual maturity 45 days 90 days

Litters per year 511 412

Young per litter 311 810

Daily feeding sites many usually 2

s Seal Rodents Out

1. Keep the exterior of pou ltry houses free of high vegetation, debris,

and feed.

Keep all debris (old equipmen t, wood , cemen t blocks) 10 feet from

the hou se, and m ow the area regularly.

Establish a 3-foot section of 1- to 1 1/ 2-inch-diameter cru shed rock

at a dep th of 6 inches imm ediately around the building perimeter to

further d iscourage rodent entry.

Clean sp illed feed and dispose of cull eggs and birds app ropriately

to avoid attracting rodents.

2. Seal rodents ou t of poultry houses and destroy harborage areas

within houses.

Make sure metal siding on the lower portion of the pou ltry house is

securely attached to the concrete or block found ation to preven t

roden t entry. Rodents can climb d irectly up p orous concrete foun da -

tion walls, pipes, and w ires. Siding on concrete buildings should

begin 3 feet or higher above grou nd level to redu ce roden t entry.

Building exteriors should be tightly sealed, with no gaps greater

than 1/ 4 inch.

Figure 10. Mouse droppings can contain upto 230,000 SE bacteria.

Control Rodents


Rodents are a significant source ofSalmonella enteritidis (SE) exposure

for chickens. A single mou se produces 100 dropp ings a day an d each

can contain u p to 230,000 SE bacteria (Figure 10). By defecating in feed

troughs, on egg belts, and in other areas, rodents can spread infection

throughou t the chicken hou se and contaminate eggs.It appear s mice become infected w ith SE when exposed to contam i-

nated manu re. They can travel to nearby p oultry houses and infect SE-

negative flocks. Placement of contaminated manure or manure contain-

ing infected m ice near poultry facilities provid es an ad ditional source

for SE exposu re.

Rodents reprodu ce rapidly in chicken h ouses wh ere food, w ater, and

shelter are read ily available (Table 1). A few mice entering a new hou se

can proliferate to high nu mbers (up to 10,000 or more) during the life of

a single flock. Rodents consum e food, destroy insulating m aterials, and

und ermine building structures through tu nneling and nesting. A single

hou se mouse consum es 2/ 10 oun ce of chicken feed d aily, while 2,000

mice consu me 25 poun ds of chicken feed each day.


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HACCP 12

Drainage for the bu ilding m ay be constructed with large polyvinyl

chloride (PVC) pipes fitted w ith removable screw lids or gr ates with

openings no larger than 1/ 4 inch.

To ensure entrance doors and pit un loading d oors close tightly, use

one or m ore of the following:

mechanical door fasteners

imp roved d oor tracking

maintenan ce of concrete pit slabs

thick rubber weath er stripping w ith a metal base (if possible)

attached to the bottom of doors (Figure 11)

2-x-8-inch w ood board m ounted inside p it load-out d oors

Holes that previously may h ave housed rodents infected w ith SE

can serve as a source of infection for future rod ent popu lations, so

any p reviously established areas of rodent h arborage inside the

facility shou ld be sealed. Materials may includ e concrete, mort ar

patch, heavy gauge sheet metal, and 1/ 4 inch woven hard ware

cloth (Figure 12). Thick p lastic patching and wood are less desirable

but often are adequate.

Eliminate other poten tial harborage sites within the hou se as well.Knock manu re off cage sup port beam s every 6 to 8 weeks. Remove

manu re from the p it whenever p ossible. In houses with m oderate

and high rodent p opu lations, rodents may live in m anure p iles, and

reducing their num bers is not possible without comp lete manu re

removal.

s Maintain Covered Bait Stations

1. Rodenticides (poison baits and tracking p owd ers) often are includ ed

in roden t control progr ams. Rodenticides adver sely affect body

functions includ ing blood clotting, the nervou s system, and calcium

regulation. Pellets, meals, liqu ids, para ffin blocks and bars, and

tracking powders are available. Rodenticides are grouped into

single- and mu ltiple-dose types (Table 2). Single-dose baits requ ire

Figure 11. Ensure that doors seal tightly.

Table 2. Rodenticides for use in poultry buildings.

ACTIVEINGREDIENT SINGLE/MULTIPLEFEEDING SECONDARYPOISONINGa

Brodifacoum Single Yes

Bromadialone Single Yes

Bromethalin Single No

Chlorophacinone Single/multiple Yes

Cholecalciferol Single/multiple No

Difethialone Single Yes

Diphacinone Single/multiple Yes

Warfarin Multiple Yes (low risk)

Zinc phosphide Single No

NOTE: EPA labels state that bait must be in tamper-resistant stations or put in inaccessibleareas. Workers should wear rubber or latex gloves or use long-handled bait spoonswhen placing bait to protect themselves and to minimize human scent at the station.aSecondary poisoning can occur when pets or other animals consume poisoned rodents.

Figure 12. Seal holes to prevent rodententry and harborage.


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HACCP 13

only one complete feeding, wh ile mu ltiple-dose

baits require repeated feedings over several days

to be lethal.

2. Covered bait stations are used in th e most

successful programs designed to control rodents.

Covered stations keep bait clean and provide a

secure p lace for rodents to feed u nd isturbed.

In add ition, they pr event exposu re of bait to

nontarget animals and children and help prevent

contamination of feed and surfaces by the rodenti-

cides. An inexpensive station designed for mouse

control can be constru cted from a section of 1 1/ 2

x 12- to 18-inch PVC p ipe. Com mercial stations

are also available. Stations w ith a 3-inch op ening

can be used w here rats are the chief pest.

Place stations along all cage row w alkways at

10- to 20-foot intervals. Secure them to the w all

Figure 13. Secure, covered bait station.

or floor (Figure 13). For add itional control, place stations around the

entire p it ledge at 10- to 40-foot intervals, includ ing fan areas in

high-rise houses and at all entry or access sites to cage areas (pipes,

ladd ers, posts, etc.). Locate stations in the w alkways betweenhouses, in utility and egg-packing rooms, and in pit entrance areas

at 10- to 20-foot inter vals.

Rodents m ay be active year-round in the attic or may travel there

du ring cleaning and disinfection of a facility. A trial baiting of the

attic also is recommended . Place small amoun ts of bait at several

locations above th e feed equ ipmen t area for the first 20 feet of the

hou se. Recheck the bait in 2 to 4 days. If it has been consu med , use

bait more extensively.

Where rats are th e major pest, bait stations can be p laced at less

frequent interva ls and at sp ecific harborage or feeding sites based

on their feeding pa tterns (Table 1). Use the Roden t Evaluation Form

(Append ix C) to locate these sites. Wearing disposable gloves or u sing a long-handled spoon an d

following label directions, place 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh bait in

the stations every 3 to 4 weeks, or more frequen tly if the bait is

consumed.

Tracking powd ers also can be effective rodenticides. The pow der

gets on rodents feet and fur w hen they travel through it. During

grooming, rodents ingest the pow der, which contains the rodenti-

cide. These powd ers can be effective w hen ap plied as a d ust to

holes, nesting areas, and roden ticide stations. Because a v ariety of

safety concerns are associated with th ese products, they are seldom

recommended in food production areas. The toxicant in tracking

pow ders is 10 to 40 times stronger than baits and m ay causecontamination of the food p rodu ct and hand ling equipm ent as

the rodent travels through th e home range.

Over time, rodents may associate spoilage and undesirable taste or

ph ysiologic effect w ith a par ticular bait, then reject it. This is

especially true for zinc ph osph ide. Bait shyness is not a p roblem

with anticoagulent rod enticides. To redu ce this problem, zinc

phosp hide baits should not be u sed more than twice yearly

(preferably only once a year), and a ll baits should be kept fresh.


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HACCP 14

Zinc phosphide bait should be used p rimarily as

a clean out bait and is useful after flock

dep opu lation. Bait stations shou ld always be

prebaited with som e chicken feed prior to u sing

zinc phosphide, to get roden ts using the bait

stations often. Prebaiting stations p rior to placing

the rodenticide w ill improve man y rodent

control programs. In general, baiting during

clean ou t can be very effective d ue to lack of feedand harborage in man ure. If solid baits are not

accepted, try sweetened w ater baits or tracking

pow der pr ior to disinfection and w ash-down.

Thoroughly clean off contam inated su rfaces

before placing new birds.

Store rodenticides in tightly sealed conta iners in

a secure area away from p etroleum produ cts and

other materials w ith odors that can be absorbed

by th e rod enticide (Figure 14).

Figure 15. Insect damage can makerodenticides unatt ractive to rodents.

Figure 14. Store rodenticides in sealed containers in a secure area.

Keep an inven tory of several baits containing d ifferent food base

ingred ients (e.g., pellets, meal, liquid, w hole seed, or grain ). Chan ge

bait at least every 3 to 4 weeks to keep it fresh, or m ore frequentlyas it is consu med . Change to a bait containing an other active

ingred ient only if roden ts develop bait shyness (but n ot more often

than 1 to 2 times a year). Bait shyn ess or rejection is often caused

by bait spoilage, especially non-parafinized ba its in w arm , moist

climates. In some situations rodents will find some bait

preparations more p alatable, and it may be u seful to d etermine

bait p reference before baiting all stations. These bait p references

can occur w ith baits having the same active ingredient bu t different

formulations or prepa rations. Insects such as dark ling beetles and

fly larval stages will feed on roden ticides, making th e bait una ttrac-

tive to roden ts (Figure 15). If this hap pens, chan ge the bait and

establish an appropriate insect control program.

Relying on rod ent control measu res primarily at the time of farm

clean-out is d iscouraged. It is necessary to follow a comp lete and

comprehensive rodent control program throu ghout the life of the

flock. Failure to do th is often results in high rod ent nu mbers w hile

the flock is housed. If rodents are infected with SE, they w ill

contaminate the environment (including other houses in a

mu ltiple-hou se comp lex) and may expose the flock to this

bacterium.


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HACCP 15

s Monitor Rodents with Rodent Indexing

Monitoring the n um ber of rodents in a p oultry house is an important

par t of a comp lete rodent control program. Roden t Indexing (RI) is an

invaluable tool for monitoring rod ents. RI uses both visual evaluation

and 12 Tin Cat live catch mou se traps (Figure 16) to assess the relative

num bers of rodents in the hou se and the quality of the current control

prog ram (Table 3 and App end ix D). In ad dition, RI is used to assess the

relative risk that m ice, if infected with SE, may pose to the p oultry flock.

High n um bers of mice have been associated w ith SE contam ination of

pou ltry house environments in Pennsylvania.

Table 3. Rodent Indexing

NUMBEROFMICECAUGHT RODENTINDEX

010 Low (1)

1125 Moderate (2)

26 or more High (3)

NOTE:Count the total mice captured in one week to determine the houses RI based onthis scale. To adjust for mice numbers caught when traps were set for periods less than

or greater than 7 days (i.e., standardizes catches to a week), multiply by 7 and divideby the number of days the traps were set. Poultry farms with an RI of 3 (high) are fourtimes more likely to have contaminated egg belts and manure than farms with an RI of 1.

Figure 16. Live traps are used to monit ormice numbers.

1. To begin Rodent Ind exing, complete the visual Rodent Evaluation

Form (Append ix C) du ring daylight hou rs with th e assistance of a

flashlight. Using the form as a gu ide, place traps in areas w here mice

are most likely to be caugh t, such as along th e walls of the cage

walkways, pit ledges, and n ear fan hou sings. Use 12 traps in all. In a

high-rise house, set a minimum of two traps in the p it. Trap s placed

on p it ledges can be supp orted by a n ail driven into the ledge beneath

the trap . The floor of the p it in the front of the hou se below the feed

hop pers is frequen tly a good placemen t site. Bait the traps w ith an

oun ce of chicken feed and leave them in the hou se for 1 week. Check

the traps twice during the w eek. Any trap w hich has not caught a

mou se at the first check (2 to 5 days a fter traps are set) shou ld be

moved to another location w here rodent harborage is evident. Traps

should be m oved a m inimum of 15 feet. Captured mice should be

humanely euthanitized.

2. The goal, or critical limit, is to main tain low m ouse num bers (RI = 1).

If the RI is greater than 1, reevaluate you r rodent control program .

Rodent Ind exing should be done at least once a month for each flock.

Always file the Rodent Evaluation Form for futu re reference, and

record RI scores in the Roden t Control Log (App end ix E).

3. Visual inspection at night, shortly after dar k or lights out, or in early

mor ning u sing a flashlight can be effective for detecting roden ts.

Using a red cellophan e or p lastic cover over the flashlight lens is less

disturbing to rod ents but is not necessary. Rodents may have

par ticular times when they are active at night, so it may be necessary

to check more than once.

4. Designate a responsible person to monitor the rodent control

program, keep records, and verify that the H ACCP plan is working.

The only effective way to monitor your rod ent control program is

to maintain a record of the num ber of rodents trapped and their

activities. App end ix E contains a samp le Roden t Control Log.


16/36

HACCP 16

Recording specific commen ts (e.g., bait consum ption an d rod ent

drop pings in right rear pit area of hou se) allows for more detailed

assessment and information necessary to adjust the control program.

The log can be p laced on a clipboard for the cur rently hou sed flock,

and past flock records can be placed in files.

s Verify the Program

It usually takes 2 to 8 weeks to achieve an RI in the low category inhouses that have previously had m oderate and h igh rodent popu lations.

If you cann ot answ er yes to all of the questions below, you r roden t

control program may not succeed.

1. Is the exterior of the house p roperly maintained?

2. Are openings in d oors and bu ildings sealed?

3. During cleaning an d disinfection of the poultry hou se, has an

honest effort been mad e to seal holes inside the building and

intensify baiting?

4. Are bait stations p laced at 10- to 20-foot intervals completely

around the walls of the cage walkways?

5. Are bait stations placed a t 10- to 40-foot intervals on the p it ledgeand in other areas of the hou se?

6. If bait is being consu med by rodents, is it replaced with fresh bait

at appropriate intervals in covered bait stations?

7. Is manure kn ocked off cage supp ort beams every 6 to 8 weeks to

dislodge potential rodent living areas?

8. Has man ure been removed from the pit?

9. Has the attic been baited?

10.H as bait been checked for insect damage, which makes it

un attractive to rodents?

REFERENCESBaker, R. 1996. Animal Pest Man agem ent Serv ices, Inc., Chino, Calif.

Personal communication.

Foster, S., H. M. Opitz, and D. Dineen. 1994. Training and Reference

Manu al for Samp ling of Comm ercial Pullet and Layer Hou ses for

Salmonella enteritidis. University of Maine and the Maine Department of

Agriculture.

Henzler, D. J. 1993. Determining the n um ber of mice on farm s is a

d ifficult task . Pou ltry Times XL(6).

Henzler, D. J. and H. M . Op itz. 1992. The role of mice in the epizootiol-

ogy of infection on chicken layer farms. Avian Diseases 36:625-631.

Schlosser, W., D. J. Henzler, and J. Mason , Eds. 1995. Salmonella

enteritidis Pilot Project Progress Repor t.


17/36

HACCP 17

Place Salmonella enteritidisClean Pullet Chicks


Salmonella enteritidis (SE) contam inated pu llet chicks are a significant

haza rd for the introd uction of SE into laying flocks and poten tially their

eggs. Therefore, this critical control point, like cleaning and disinfection

and controlling rod ents, is essential for reducing th e risk of SE exposu re.

Always pu rchase clean p ullet chicks from U.S. Sanitation Monitored SEnegative breed er flocks. Request documen tation of breeder SE status

from the h atchery sup plying p ullet chicks. Decline the chicks if

docum entation cannot be provided .

1. Monitor p ullet chicks as a sou rce of SE by sam pling chick box

drop ping p apers from every tenth box at the time chicks are

delivered. Subm it samp les to a laboratory for SE culturing (Figure

17). See Append ix F for the sampling procedures and App endix G

for a sample submission form.

2. If the culture results are positive for SE, verify the drop ping p aper

results, notify the hatchery, and culture the pullet house environment

(Append ix H).

3. If the environm ent (manu re) cultures are positive, take one of thefollowing corrective actions:

Destroy the flock in a humane fashion.

Rear chicks under a vigorous SE reduction program that includes:

aggressive roden t control

weekly man ure removal

vaccination with an approv ed SE bacterin

treatment w ith antibiotics in rotation with a prob iotic

4. In add ition, clean an d disinfect the p ullet house before introducing

the n ext flock. (See Clean and Disinfect Betw een Flocks: #1 CCP.)

5. Pullet organ cultures and further environmental cultures are neces-

sary to substan tiate the SE status of the flock after the corrective

actions listed above had been completed. Designate a respon sible

person to mon itor the pu llet chick progr am, take corrective actions if

SE is isolated, an d file records of sam ples an d actions taken. Verifica-

tion that the H ACCP plan is wor king is established only after a

thorough review of the procedures and records of SE samp ling.

6. Add itional pu llet managem ent steps can includ e vaccination w ith an

app roved SE bacterin to enhance pu llet resistance, period ic sanitizing

of the water system, and sup plying clean fresh feed from a mill

pr acticing Am erican Feed Industry Association (AFIA) sanitation

principles and using animal p roteins from Animal Protein Prod ucers

Industry (APPI) program sources.

7. Because commu nication is critical for a complete indu stry-wide SE

reduction program, the pullet producer and buyer mu st be informed

imm ediately if chicks or the env ironmen t test positive for SE.

Figure 17. Monitor pullet chicks bysampling dropping papers for Salmonellaenteritidis.


18/36

HACCP 18

Monitor the EnvironmentMonitoring the environm ent (manu re) is necessary for all pullet and

hen h ouses regard less of previous culture results following cleaning

and disinfection (Figu re 18). Bacterial evaluation of the env ironmen t

is a check on the effectiveness of the actions taken at the three critical

control point areas. The goal is to keep SE-negative houses negative.

Results from manu re culturing determine the need for m ore aggressive

actions with p ullet flocks or egg m onitoring w ith hens; therefore, thesamp ling process is critical to the accuracy and reliability of laboratory

results. Only rand om comp osite samp les can reflect the actual

bacteriologic status of the environment throu ghout the hou se.

Figure 18. Drag swab the p it t o monitor environmental contamination.

Figure 19. Environmental samples are ready for submission.

s Pullets

Monitor the p ullets environm ent as a sou rce of

SE by taking the following step s:

1. Designate someone (perhaps the person w ho

oversees pu llet chick box paper samp ling) to

oversee the p roper samp ling of the hou se,

subm it samp les to the laboratory (Figu re 19),

and keep records of the samples andsubmissions.

2. Collect manu re samples (two p er cage row)

wh en the p ullets are 10 to 15 weeks old and

culture the sam ples for SE (App end ix H).

3. If the culture results are positive, notify the

pu llet buyer and reculture the pu llet house to

confirm th e results. Proceed w ith one of the

corrective actions listed u nd er #3 CCP (e.g.,

destroy the flock in a hum ane fashion, or

rear pullets under a vigorous SE reduction

program).

s Hens

Monitor the environment in the laying house by

taking the following steps:

1. Designate a person or persons responsible for

proper sam pling of the house, submitting

samp les to the laboratory, and keeping

records of the sam plings and submissions.

2. Implement the sampling program

(Append ix H).

3. If SE-positive pu llets (as ind icated by positive

chick papers or pu llet environment samp les)

were placed in the laying house, take

environm ental samp les at 7 to 14 days

following placement.

4. Take environm ental sam ples of all laying flocks at 29 to 31 weeks and

again at 44 to 46 weeks of age.

5. If a flock is force molted, take add itional environmen tal samples at

5 to 7 weeks following th e return to full feed.

6. Record dates, times, and details of samples and submissions.


19/36

HACCP 19

If any m anu re samp les test positive for SE, take the following step s:

1. Review the biosecurity p rogram an d all CCPs for potential

weaknesses and correct.

2. Initiate egg monitoring an d discontinue environmental testing once

egg testing is in prog ress.

3. Clean an d disinfect the laying hou se before introducing the next

flock. (See Clean an d Disinfect Between Flocks: #1 CCP.)

4. Keep records on these actions.


20/36

HACCP 20

Monitor EggsEgg monitoring is required for hen flocks in environm ents that test

positive for SE. Initiation of egg testing eliminates th e need for any

further environm ental testing. The results of egg testing determ ine

wh ether eggs must be diverted for pasteurization or hard cooking

rather th an offered to th e consum er as table eggs. Thu s, egg testing is

designed to redu ce the risk of SE contamina ted eggs reaching the table

egg market. Reducing SE contamina tion in eggs is the goal of thequality assurance program , and bacteriologic testing of eggs for SE is a

check on the effectiveness of the H ACCP p rogram . The accuracy of the

laboratory results depend s on the egg sampling process. Only a p roper

rand om sam ple of eggs reflects the actual bacteriologic status of eggs

from hens throughout the house.

Monitoring eggs from the laying hou se involves taking the

following steps:

1. Designate a person or p ersons to be responsible for prop er collection

of eggs, subm ission to the laboratory, and record keeping on th e

samples and submissions.

2. Implement the egg samp ling program

(Appendix I).

3. Collect and su bmit eggs four times at tw o-week intervals (Figure 20).

Each egg su bmission consists of 510 nest run eggs (blood eggs or a

combination of blood and n est run eggs is also suitable).

4. If the four initial egg subm issions are negative, continue to subm it

510 eggs once a month for the life of the flock.

5. Keep records on the d ates, times, and details of all egg collections and

subm issions (Figure 21).

If any eggs test positive for SE, take the following corrective actions:

1. Immed iately divert all flock eggs from the table egg market to

pasteurization or hard cooking.

2. Review th e Biosecurity Risk Factors chap ter and CCPs for potential

weaknesses and correct them.

3. Keep records on these actions.

To attemp t to retur n the flocks eggs to the table egg m arket, take the

following additional monitoring steps:

1. Collect and su bmit 1,080 eggs four times at tw o-week intervals, or

make a one time 4,320-egg subm ission.

2. If all test results are nega tive, the flocks eggs may be retur ned to the

table egg mar ket; however, month ly subm issions of 510 eggs are

required for the rem aining life of the flock.

3. If one or more test results are positive, continue d iversion, and retest

if desired. How ever, with 3 SE positive egg collection cultures over

the life of the flock, no further testing is perm itted and the eggs m ust

by p ermanently d iverted for p asteurization or h ard cooking. All egg

retest results mu st be negative in ord er to return to the table egg

mar ket. If retest results are negative and the flocks eggs are return ed

to the table egg m arket, mon thly submissions of 510 eggs are still

required for the life of the flock.

4. Keep records on the d ates, times, and details of all collections and

submissions.

Figure 21. Keep records on all samplecollect ions and submissions.

Figure 20. Monito r eggs with nest runsamples.


21/36

HACCP 21


22/36

HACCP 22

Appendices StatementThe following appendices areexample forms and procedures

utilized by the Pennsylvania EggQuality Assurance Program (PEQAP)

for the maintenance of egg quality inPennsylvania. They are intended as

examples and therefore are notofficial documents of the program.Egg producers in other states are

welcome to adopt some or all of thePEQAPprocedures. However, only

Pennsylvania producers can enroll atthis time. Those wishing to obtain

official forms or enroll in the PEQAPmay write or call the following office:

Animal Health andDiagnostic Services

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaDepartment of Agriculture

2301 North Cameron StreetHarrisburg, PA 17110-9408

Phone: (717) 783-5309


23/36

HACCP 23

Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance ProgramCleaning and Disinfection Evaluation Form

Identification

Flock ID ______________________ _____________________________MONTH DAY YEAR

Procedures1. Which of the following cleaning and disinfection procedures was used? (Pick one.)

a.Dry cleaning only d.Disinfection after wash-down

b.Wash-down without disinfectant e. Disinfection after washing/drying

c. Wash-down with disinfectant f. Unknown

2. Was the house fumigated? Yes______ No ______ Unknown______

Results

How much organic matter was present on the following surfaces? (Organic matter

includes manure, feathers, eggs, and other items that should be removed during

cleaning and disinfection.)

Location None or slight a Moderateb Excessivec NAd

1. Cages

2. Water cups

3. Feeders

4. Egg belts/elevators

5. Drop boards

6. Manure scrapers

7. Ceilings/walls

8. Walkways/stairs

9. Fans/louvers10. Air inlets

11. Pit floor

12.Pit ledges/walls

13.Pit support beams

14. Utility room

15. Egg packing area

aMatter is not present or is visible only on close inspection.b Matter is easily visible but is present only in isolated areas.c Large amount of matter is visible throughout the house.d Equipment is not present and does not apply.

Comments:

VerificationEvaluator:__________________________________________

Appendix A


24/36

HACCP 24

Swabbing Cleaned and Disinfected HousesThe object of culturing a hou se du ring cleaning or d isinfection is to

determine w hether any Salmonella remain. This helps to determine

wh ether the procedures involved in the cleaning and / or disinfection

have eliminated the bacteria. Specific locations are samp led to a ssess

whether th e sanitation has been successful in these areas and across

different m aterials (wood, m etal, concrete). Comm only, the samp ling

and culturing is don e at the end of all cleaning an d d isinfection proce-du res and after the h ouse is comp letely dried. Swabbing areas that are

wet and conta in disinfectant w ill kill the bacteria on the swab and cause

false negative results. There are times w hen cu lturing is don e in be-

tween stages of the cleaning an d d isinfection p rocess to determ ine

which procedure, disinfectant, or application method is best. Hence,

tests may be repeated for the same areas and early samp les comp ared

with later samp les.

Surfaces mu st be free of organic material for any d isinfectant

to work. (For examp le, the goal on the cleaning an d d isinfection

evaluation form is be in the noneor slight category.)

Samp les are taken by either a hand sw ab or a drag sw ab, using a

latex-gloved h and and a sterile 4-by-4-inch, 8- or 12-ply gau ze spon ge

wh ich is saturated w ith canned skim milk.

Hand swabbing:Swab a m inimum of 10 separa te locations with eachswab, rubbing v igorously. Two swabs are combined in a single

Whirl-pak bag to make a sample. Change gloves between each samp le.

Drag swabbing: Attach a sterile gauze sp onge to the end of a string

(4 to 6 feet) that can be p ulled by h and or connected to a p ole and

dragged across the areas to be sampled. Drag each area for a minimum

of five minu tes. Two sw abs are combined for a single samp le.

If only a limited nu mber of samp les are taken, select areas that

appear to have not been cleaned as well. Idea lly, all of the areas listed

below shou ld be sampled.

Appendix B

Sampling Number ofSample area method samples Whirl-pak ID

Walkways Drag 1 Walk

Egg belts andde-escalators Hand 1 per bank 1EG, 2EG, etc.

Cages Hand 1 Cage

Upstairs walls Hand 2 Wall-L Wall-R

Trough-LFeed troughs Hand 2 Trough-R

Pit floor Drag 2 Pit F-L Pit F-R

Pit ledge Hand 2 Pit L-L Pit L-R

Pit poles Hand 2 Pit P-L Pit P-R

Utility room Drag 1 Utility room

Egg room Drag 1 Egg room


25/36

HACCP 25

Appendix C Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance ProgramRodent Evaluation Form

Identification

Flock ID ______________________ _____________________________MONTH DAY YEAR

HarborageCheck the following areas for evidence of rodent nesting or living areas.

Notapplicable

or not Low1 Moderate HighArea checked None (15) (610) (> 10)

Holes in manure on cage support beams

Holes at walkways and side walls

Holes or gaps in wood sheeting of side walls

Holes in front or rear walls

Holes in fan housings

Holes in walls at ledges in high-rise houses

Holes on ledges or floors in pit entrance

Holes in manure piles

Holes or gaps around or in doors

Holes in shallow pit floors

Holes within layers of plastic drop cloths

Holes and tunnels in attic insulation2

Holes in egg processing room

Holes in egg cooler

Weeds, vegetation, or debris outside house

1Record a number corresponding with the number of holes or living sites noted in specific areas.2Determine current activity through trial baiting.

Population

Rodents present on farm:____ Mice ____ Rats ____ Both

Estimate of current mouse (rodent) population:_____ None or low ____ Moderate ____ High ____ Unknown

Estimate of mouse (rodent) population is based on:____Visual inspection _____Trapping ____Both

Comments:

Verification

Evaluator: ______________________________________________


26/36

HACCP 26

Appendix D Rodent Indexing

PurposeThis protocol is used for establishing a Rodent Index (RI) in layer or

pu llet houses.

General

The monitoring d esign employs a two-step process. First, a visualinspection of the p oultry facility is completed using a check-off form .

Then 12 mou se traps are placed in the pou ltry house and the nu mber of

mice trapp ed are recorded , establishing the Rodent Ind ex. The index is

not d esigned to quantify the actual nu mbers of mice in a pou ltry house

bu t is an attemp t to assess the relative risk to the pou ltry flock.

Equipment required

Flashlight

Rodent Evaluation Form (App endix C)

Twelve mu ltiple-catch mouse traps (available from Woodstream Co.,

Lititz, Pa.)

Procedures

1. Visual inspection: This is don e on a w alk-through of the house (floor

wa lkways, pit, attic) using th e Rodent Evaluation Form as a gu ide.

It details the most common areas wh ere mice reside. The insp ection,

wh ich generally takes from 30 to 90 minutes, is done by w alking

through the p oultry house du ring daylight hours with a flashlight.

2.Trapping:The next step in d etermining whether or not these areas are

currently occup ied by mice requires placing 12 traps in the areas most

likely to catch mice. Trap s are generally placed in tw o areas, either

along the cage walk wa lls (sides, front, or rear) or on th e pit ledges.

Traps on the ledges can be supp orted by a nail driven into the ledge

beneath the trap . Other areas where traps hav e been set include breeze-

ways at the entrance of poultry h ouses, fan h ousing, and pit floor.

a. Bait traps with a small hand ful of chicken feed (about 1 ounce).b. Place traps in areas suggestive of mou se activity, with a minimu m

of two traps in the p it.

c. Check the traps after 2 to 5 days an d remove an d count the mice.

d. Move the traps tha t have not caugh t any mice to a different location.

e. Check the traps again 1 week after they were first placed.

f. Record the total number of mice caugh t for the week on the Rodent

Evaluation Form.

3.Rodent Index (RI): This is based on the nu mber of mice caught and is

used to estimate the rodent p opu lation. Use the following table to

calculate the RI.

Number of Rodent Descriptionmice caught Index of Index

010 1 Low

1125 2 Moderate

26 or more 3 High

4.Estimation of the rodent population: Using the resu lts of the RI and the

Rodent Evaluation Form, estimate the current rodent pop ulation as

none, low, moderate, or high. Indicate whether this estimate is based

on visual inspection, trapping, or both.


27/36

HACCP 27

Appendix E Rodent Control Log

Date Set Check No. Rodent Set Active Lbmo/day/yr Initials traps traps mice Index* bait Brand name ingredient used

*Rodent Index: low (1) = 010 mice; moderate (2) = 1125 mice; high (3) = 26 or more mice.


28/36

HACCP 28

Appendix F Sampling Pullet Chick Box Papers

Obtaining a representative samp le and culture of chick p apers is a

sensitive method for detecting the p resence of Salmon ella in chicks.

Chick drop pings, or meconium, give a good ind ication of prior bacterial

contamination. Papers should be collected and / or swabbed so that no

potential exists for contamination by the environment or personnel.

Swabbing p rocedure

1.Lay chick pap ers on a clean surface and separate them by source

breeder flock(s).

2.With latex-gloved h and s, take a sterile 4-by-4-inch, 8- or 12-ply gauze

sponge saturated w ith canned skim m ilk and rub it vigorously across

the su rface of the chick pap er, covering at least 75 percent of the area.

Use enough p ressure to rub any d ry meconium off the pap ers.

3.Pouring a sm all amoun t of milk (1 to 2 tablespoons) on the paper w ill

improve collection.

4.Swab five chick p apers p er sponge.

5.Place two sponges (a maximum of 10 combined sw abbed p apers) intoan 18-oun ce Whirl-pak bag, and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of skim milk.

6.Change gloves between each Whirl-pak sample (each 10 papers) and

wh enever a glove is torn.

7.Make sure hand s are clean prior to swabbing, and d o not app ly

disinfectant to gloves.

Handling samples

Transp ort samp les on ice packs to a laboratory within 48 hou rs of

collection. Samples can be frozen for longer storage; however, immed i-

ate delivery to th e laboratory is ideal. Attach the following information

to each samp le: pu llet flock identification and the d esignated layer

flock(s), owner, collection date, nam e of person tak ing the sam ple,source breeder flock(s), hatchery, and stra in of birds. An exam ple form

is provided in Append ix G.

Alternative procedure

An alternative to swabbing chick pap ers your self is to send the chick

papers d irectly to a laboratory. Select every tent h chick box pap er for

culture. Separate chick p aper s by source breeder flock(s). Place chick

papers imm ediately into large plastic bags and close bags. Place bags in

clean boxes and transport them in a timely man ner to a laboratory that

has agreed to test such samp les. The pap ers do n ot need refrigeration.


29/36

HACCP 29

Appendix G Sample Submission Form

Flock ID

Date collected

MONTH DAY YEAR

Type of Sample Check () appropriate box

Chick paper swabs

Breeder flock ID Whirl-Pak numbers

Pullet manure drag swabs Number of samples

Layer manure drag swabs Number of samples

Eggs in shell Number of eggs

Eggs, pooled Number of samples

Quality control samples (specify)

Number of samples

Other (explain)

Number of samples

Name of submitter and company

Phone

FLOCKNAME

REFERRALNUMBER

LAYERHOUSEDESTINATION


30/36

HACCP 30

Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program

Swabbing Pullet and Layer House Environments

Purpose

This protocol is used for collecting representative man ure sam ples

in pu llet and layer houses to establish if there is environm ental

contamination with Salmonella enteritidis.

General

Two manu re samples per bank of cages are required for the p rogram.

These samples mu st be representative of all the birds in the hou se.

Accordingly, swabs mu st be dragged along each row of manu re for the

entire length of the hou se. To help ensu re valid results, maintain as

mu ch consistency as possible when collecting samp les.

Equipment required

1. standard biosecurity equipment

2. small cooler w ith three frozen ice packs

3. small garbage bag (presently provided by the Pennsylvania Egg

Quality Assurance Program) containing the following:

a. 2 Whirl-Paks per bank (Prenumber these with the house

collection number; number the banks of the house from left to right

as you face the banks.)

b. pair of laboratory gloves per bank

c. large garbage bag to serve as a tablecloth

d. 2 sterile 4-by-4-inch, 12-ply gauze sponges per ban k,

pre-prepared as d rag swabs (They should be pre-prepared in

autoclave packs with the required nu mber of sponges plus tw o

extra sponges.)

e. can of evaporated skim milk and an alcohol swab (to d isinfect

can before open ing)

4. scissors

5. can opener

6. felt-tipped marker

7. 1-gallon p lastic bag

8. set of manu re drag p oles (These can be constructed from a

3/ 8-by-42-inch solid aluminu m rod with a 1/ 4-inch hole drilled

1/ 2 inch from on e end, or from a 1/ 2-by-36-inch condu it with a

1/ 4-inch hole drilled 1/ 2 inch from on e end. The solid aluminu m

rods are easier to clean and disinfect.)

Procedures

1. Suit up and disinfect before entering th e house in accordan ce with

standard biosecurity practices.

2. Bring all materials to the bottom floor of the hou se. Use the bottom

utility area if the house has one. Bring a bu cket filled w ith a d isinfect-

ing solution, such a s Environ 1 Stroke, and a bru sh for d isinfecting

equipment. Spread ou t the large garbage bag and arran ge the

material on it. Num ber the Whirl-Pak bags with the bank nu mbers

if they have not been prenu mbered.

Appendix H


31/36

HACCP 31

3. Open the alcohol swab and w ipe the top of the can of evaporated

skim milk.

4. Disinfect the can op ener and scissors with the sanitizing solution

in your d isinfection bucket. Use the can opener to op en the can.

Use the scissors to cut open th e autoclave pack of swabs near the

top of the pack.

5. Moisten the swabs in the pack by pouring some milk into the

pack and massaging the outside of the pack. Lay the pack on thegarbage bag.

6. Tear off the top of the tw o Whirl-Paks for bank 1.

7. Put on a pair of laboratory gloves.

8. Samp le the banks from left to right. The bank on th e far left will

be bank 1.

9. Tie the swabs to the p ole. Tie one swab slightly ahead of the other

to give maximum surface area.

10. Walk the length of the house dragging the swabs along one side

of the top ridge of manure. Samp le one or two banks at a time.

Drag the other side of the ridge on the way back.

11. Place the two swabs in a Whirl-Pak without touching the swabs.Cut atta ching strings. Add app roximately 5 ml of milk, close the

Whirl-Pak, and place it in the 1-gallon plastic bag.

12. Use the bucket and bru sh to disinfect poles and scissors.

13. Remove gloves, tear off the top of the next Whirl-Pak, pu t on a

clean p air of gloves, and remove tw o ad ditional swabs from the

autoclave pack.

14. Drag the remaining banks as noted above.

15. Seal the plastic bag and place it in the cooler.

16. Put all discarded material in the garbage bag.

17. Place the coolers outside the house; clean and disinfect them;

then load th em into you r vehicle.18. Follow standard biosecurity procedu res when leaving.

19. Transp ort samp les to a processing facility within 24 hou rs.

Collection adaptations

Variations in poultry house design and/ or unsu itable manu re pit

conditions will require app ropr iate adap tations for collecting

representative manu re environmental samples. Unsuitable man ure

pit conditions could includ e situations w here manu re is piled very

high, or is liqu id or semiliquid.

1. Shallow pit:Attach two d rag swabs onto the man ure scraper assembly

and run the scraper to the op posite end of house. Remove the swabs

and place them in app ropriate Whirl-Paks.

Shallow p it operations all have some type of manu re scraper.

Some have scrapers un der each tier; some hav e a floor scraper only;

and some have a combination of both. Each scraper blade m ust be

swabbed. Sample only solid m anu re on the scrapers. The amm onia in

the pit liquid m ay inhibit Salmonella growth . Two sponges are used

to hand swab the solid manu re on all scraper blades on each bank

and are placed in two separate Whirl-Paks.


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HACCP 32

2. Full width manure belt system:Attach tw o drag swabs to cross

conveyor equipm ent so as to get manu re exposure on sw abs from

only one bank at a time. Run m anu re belts the full length; then

remove swabs and place them th em in app ropriate Whirl-Paks.

Proceed with each bank until the entire house is sampled. Should

equipment design make th is procedu re unw orkable, an acceptable

alternative would be to han d sw ab (using two sw abs per bank) all the

manu re scraper blades at the end of each bank. Put one swab in each

of two Whirl-Pak bags for each ban k.

3. Manure pits unsuitable for dragging:Han d swab egg belts (app roxi-

mately 10 to 12 feet on each cage level) and the d e-escalators on each

bank of cages. Samp ling time shou ld be from three and on e-half to

five minu tes for each bank of cages. One swab on each side of the

bank w ill make a sam ple with tw o swabs in on e Whirl-Pak for each

bank in the house. Place two d rag swabs on one d rag pole and d rag

walkways. One set of swabs for each two w alkways comprises a

Whirl-Pak sample.


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HACCP 33

Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program

Nest Run Egg Sample Collection

Purpose

This protocol is used for collecting representa tive samp les of nest ru n

eggs from layer hou ses. It is designed to make collection as easy a s

possible while providing a valid sampling technique. This protocolexplains the following m ethod s of collecting eggs:

house collection

nest run p acking collection

dozen carton processing collection

General

1. The Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program (PEQAP) calls

for a samp le size of 480 eggs in environm entally positive hou ses.

(To allow for breakage and discarding of excessively d irty eggs,

510 eggs, or 17 flats, are actua lly collected .) A sample size of 1,000

eggs is called for in those houses that h ave had positive eggs and

wish to resum e table egg prod uction. (The amou nt actually collectedis 1,080 eggs, or 36 flats.)

2. Regardless of how m any eggs are collected, it is important to get a

representative sam ple by collecting eggs from all areas of the hou se.

3. You m ay obtain a representative sample by walking through the

hou se and collecting eggs or by systematically collecting eggs d ur ing

packing or processing.

4. Cases of eggs that have already been packed are not a representative

samp le because all of the eggs are more likely to come from the sam e

area of a hou se.

Equipment required

1. For the 1,080 egg sample, you w ill need:

a. 3 new egg cases with short dividers

b. 42 new egg flats (36 for the eggs and 6 to cover the top layer of

eggs in the cases)

2. For the 510 egg sample, you will need:

a. 2 new egg cases with short dividers or three 15-dozen cases

b. 20 new egg flats (17 for the eggs and 3 to cover the top layer of

eggs in the cases)

Procedures

Choose one of the following m ethod s to collect eggs.

1. Hou se collection

a. Plan to collect eggs when the belts are not moving.

b. Figure out the nu mber of eggs required p er section of the house.

Example 1. You need 510 eggs for a 6-bank hou se with 62 sections.

510 eggs/ 6 banks is about 90 eggs per ban k

90 eggs/ 2 sides = 45 eggs per side

45 eggs/ 62 sections = 0.73 eggs per section, or about

3 eggs for every 4 sections

Appendix I


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HACCP 34

Example 2. You need 1,080 eggs for a 5-bank house w ith

51 sections.

1,080 eggs/ 5 banks = 216 eggs per bank

216 eggs/ 2 sides = 108 eggs per side

108 eggs/ 51 sections = 2.11 eggs per section

c. Collect the first egg from the first tier, the second egg from th e

second tier, and so on to the bottom tier.

d. When you come to the last section of the last row, you should just

be filling your last case. If you are m ore than 12 eggs short, go back

to the first bank and collect enough eggs from each bank to make

up the d ifference. Note on your collection sheet how m any eggs

you were sh ort initially.

e. Collect all eggs before reaching th e last 6 sections of the last bank .

Note on your collection sheet how many sections you skipped at

the end.

2. Collection during nest run packing

a. Ensure that only one house is included in a run. Collection during

nest run packing is not app ropriate if eggs are being blended from

more than one house.

b. Calculate the number of flats needed p er pallet or rack.

Example 1. Yesterdays prod uction was five 30-case pa llets.

Each pallet had 5 layers, or a total of 25 layers.

You need 510 eggs, or 17 flats.

17 flats/ 25 layers = 0.68 flats per layer

This is less than on e flat per layer bu t more than one flat

per ever y two layers. Remove 1 flat per p allet layer until

you have 17 flats.

Example 2. Yesterdays prod uction w as four 30-case p allets.

Each pallet had 5 layers for a total of 20 layers.

You need 1,080 eggs, or 36 flats.

36 flats/ 20 layers = 1.8 flats p er layer

This is between on e and two flats per layer. Remove 2

flats per pallet layer un til you hav e 36 flats.

Example 3. Yesterdays prod uction w as eight 12-case racks.

Each rack had 5 layers for a total of 40 layers.

You need 510 eggs, or 17 flats.

17 flats/ 40 layers = .425 flats per layer

This is less than one flat per every tw o layers. Remove

1 flat per every two layers un til you hav e 17 flats.

3. Collection du ring dozen carton processing

a. Ensure that only one house is included in a run. Collection during

processing is not ap prop riate if eggs are being blended from more

than one house.

b. Calculate how many d ozens are needed per pallet.

Example 1. Yesterdays prod uction was five 30-case pa llets.

Each pallet had 5 layers for a total of 25 layers.

You need 510 eggs, or 42.5 dozen.

42.5 dozen/ 25 layers = 1.7 dozen per layer

Remove 2 dozen p er pallet layer un til you h ave

42.5 dozen .


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HACCP 35

Example 2. Yesterdays prod uction w as four 30-case p allets.

Each p allet had 5 layers for a total of 20 layers.

You need 1,080 eggs, or 90 dozen .

90 dozen/ 20 layers = 4.5 dozens per layer.

This is between 4 and 5 dozen per layer. Remove 5

dozen p er pallet layer until you h ave 90 dozen.

Alternative proceduresProducers may d evelop their own p rotocol for collecting rep resentative

samp les of eggs from their houses. These protocols shall be submitted

to the Penn sylvania Departm ent of Agriculture, Animal Health and

Diagnostic Services for app roval. Approved p rotocols will be kept

on file.


36/36

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haccp in table egg industry

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