The surveillance of the hygienic status in hatcheries in Taiwan by fluff test commenced in January, 1996. All together, eight thousand seven hundred and forty-six fluff samples were sent from twenty-five hatcheries around Taiwan to our laboratory between January and December, 1996. The fluff samples were tested for the total bacterial counts, the presence of ”Salmanella”, pathogenic ”Staphylococcus” and fungus. The log bacterial counts of those samples were 1.4-5.9, 1.1-5.6, 1.0-6.0, and 1.1-5.8 in the first (Jan.-March), second (April-June), third (July-Sept.) and fourth (Oct.-Dec.) quarters, respectively. Eighteen hatcheries had significant progress after this surveillance (P < 0.01). The percentages of the presence of pathogenic ”Salmonella”. decreased greatly (p < 0.01), which were 26.8 1 per mille, 2.8 1 per mille 1.9 1 per mille and 1.7 1 per mille in each quarter, respectively. Those of the pathogenic Stap. also decreased greatly from 86.1‰ to 26.4 1 per mille, 10.2 1 per mille and 0.4 1 per mille (p < 0.01). However, the percentages of fungus contamination varied in different quarters (47.8 1 per mille, 14.2 1 per mille, 58.1 1 per mille and 17.7 1 per mille, respectively). In conclusion, fluff test is valuable for improving the hygienic status in the hatchery in Taiwan.
The surveillance of the hygienic status in hatcheries in Taiwan by fluff test commenced in January, 1996. All together, eight thousand seven hundred and forty-six fluff samples were sent from twenty-five hatcheries around Taiwan to our laboratory between January and December, 1996. The fluff samples were tested for the total bacterial counts, the presence of ”Salmanella”, pathogenic ”Staphylococcus” and fungus. The log bacterial counts of those samples were 1.4-5.9, 1.1-5.6, 1.0-6.0, and 1.1-5.8 in the first (Jan.-March), second (April-June), third (July-Sept.) and fourth (Oct.-Dec.) quarters, respectively. Eighteen hatcheries had significant progress after this surveillance (P < 0.01). The percentages of the presence of pathogenic ”Salmonella”. decreased greatly (p < 0.01), which were 26.8 1 per mille, 2.8 1 per mille 1.9 1 per mille and 1.7 1 per mille in each quarter, respectively. Those of the pathogenic Stap. also decreased greatly from 86.1‰ to 26.4 1 per mille, 10.2 1 per mille and 0.4 1 per mille (p < 0.01). However, the percentages of fungus contamination varied in different quarters (47.8 1 per mille, 14.2 1 per mille, 58.1 1 per mille and 17.7 1 per mille, respectively). In conclusion, fluff test is valuable for improving the hygienic status in the hatchery in Taiwan.