A recent publication* provided evidence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella serotypes from both commercial broiler flocks and backyard farms. The study was conducted on ten commercial broiler growing farms and an equal number of backyard flocks. Samples including fecal swabs, soil or litter, feeders and waterers were obtained on days 10, 31 and 52 on production units and similar intervals from backyard farms.
A total of 52 percent of commercial farm samples yielded Salmonella compared to 19 percent of samples from backyard flocks. Salmonella Kentucky was the most common serotype found in samples from both backyard and commercial flocks. A third of the Salmonella isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant with ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid resistance. This was compared to backyard samples with one percent multidrug-resistance recorded.
The conclusion of the investigators was that the role of production practices in driving multiple drug resistance should be investigated in order to to develop appropriate preventive measures
*Parzygnat, J and Crespo, R. (2023). Megaplasmid dissemination of multidrug-resistant Salmonella serotypes from backyard and commercial broiler production systems in the southeastern United States. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2023.0181.