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Canadian hatchery and supply flock testing standards

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Definitions

All-in/all-out
A production strategy whereby all birds are moved into and out of facilities and/or between production phases.
CFIA-approved laboratory
An establishment or vehicle that is approved under section 29 of the Health of Animals Act for the purpose of performing tests in relation to hatcheries and supply flocks.
Fluff
The chick down and dust produced in a hatcher during the hatching process.
Hatcher
Any equipment in which eggs hatch.
Primary breeding flock
A flock of chickens or turkeys comprising one or more generations of poultry that is maintained for the purpose of establishing, continuing or improving parent lines.

Part I – Canadian hatchery testing standards

The biological hazards that this part deals with are the bacteria and moulds that are required to be tested and monitored as part of determining the efficiency of cleaning and disinfection in the hatchery, and Salmonella species required to be monitored from day of hatch sampling.

The hatchery operator shall collect all samples and provide a copy of the test results to CFIA.

Environmental sampling and testing

Environmental testing results must demonstrate the effectiveness of the hatchery's cleaning and disinfection programs.

The hatchery must meet the following standards

  1. Environmental sampling and testing must be done at least every 6 months after cleaning and disinfection of surfaces
  2. The cleaning and disinfection must be sufficiently effective that the environmental testing results show that the average bacterial counts, the average coliform counts and the average mould counts are in the acceptable range as shown in the following tables

    Table 1 – Surface testing standard counts
    Rating interpretation Average bacterial counts Average bacterial counts Average bacterial counts Average coliform counts Average coliform counts Average coliform counts
    50 cm2Table Note a 20 cm2Table Note b 12 cm2Table Note c 50 cm2 20 cm2 12 cm2
    Acceptable 0 to16 0 to16 0 to10 0 to 5 0 to 5 0 to 3
    Follow-up required 17+ 17+ 11+ 6+ 6+ 4+
    Table 2 – Air testing standard counts
    Rating interpretation Average mould counts Average mould counts Average mould counts
    50 cm2Table Note d 20 cm2Table Note e 12 cm2Table Note f
    Acceptable 0 to 3 0 to 2 0 to1
    Follow-up required 4+ 3+ 2+
  3. If the counts are in the range for which the table indicates that follow-up is required, then the following action is necessary:
    • re-test all surfaces and rooms after re-cleaning and re-disinfection

Day of hatch sampling

Every sixth week while the hatchery is in operation, samples of fluff or chick box liners must be collected. All samples must be sent to a CFIA-approved laboratory and tested for all Salmonella. The initial sampling and testing for a new supply flock must be within the first 6 weeks of its egg setting.

The sampling schedule for hatcheries shall be as follows

Embryonated eggs (balut) sampling

The frequency of sampling must be every sixth week while a hatchery is in operation. The first sampling from a new supply flock must be taken within the first 6 weeks of egg setting. Samples must be collected from all incubators from which balut are removed. At least 6 egg samples from each supply flock at the end of incubation must be submitted to a CFIA-approved laboratory, and tested for all Salmonella.

Part II – Canadian supply flock testing standards

The biological hazards that this part deals with are the Salmonella species. All samples must be collected by the farm operator and submitted to a CFIA-approved laboratory. All testing results must be available to CFIA, when requested.

Disease classifications

Disease classifications are based on a flock and not based on premises. Therefore, if the premises have several supply flocks, each one must be tested separately.

The classifications are the minimum requirements at which the supply flock must be tested.

  1. All primary breeding supply flocks must meet the testing requirements in the following classifications:
    • Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level I
    • Salmonella Enteritidis Clean
  2. All layer supply flocks, including dual-purpose supply flocks intended to supply commercial egg layers, must meet the testing requirements in the following classifications:
    • Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level II
    • Salmonella Enteritidis Clean
  3. All other supply flocks (broiler breeders, turkey breeders, dual-purpose breeders intended to supply chicks for meat production, breeders that supply for balut production, waterfowl breeders, and game bird breeders) must meet the testing requirements in the following classifications:
    • Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level II
    • Salmonella Enteritidis Monitored

Required sampling and testing

Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level I

All primary breeding supply flocks must meet the requirements in the Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level I. Screening for these diseases is done through serological testing.

The supply flock must meet the following testing requirements:

If hatchery samples (such as chicks, chick box liners, fluff, balut) resulted in suspicious or positive results for Salmonella Pullorum or Salmonella Gallinarum: at least 315 birds in the receiving farm must be serologically tested. Reactor birds (as above) must be submitted to a CFIA-approved laboratory for Salmonella testing.

Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level II

All other supply flocks must meet the standards in the Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum Clean classification level II.

The supply flock must meet the following testing standards:

If hatchery samples (such as chicks, chick box liners, fluff, balut) resulted in suspicious or positive results for Salmonella Pullorum or Salmonella Gallinarum: at least 315 birds in the receiving farm must be serologically tested. Reactor birds (as above) must be submitted for Salmonella testing.

Salmonella Enteritidis Clean classification

All primary breeding supply flocks, layer supply flocks, and dual-purpose supply flocks whose progenies are intended to produce table eggs must meet the standards in this classification

The supply flock must meet the following testing standards:

For rearing/pullet/conditioning birds in an all-in/all-out barn

For laying birds in an all-in/all-out barn

For multi-age birds in a barn

Salmonella Enteritidis Monitored classification

All other supply flocks must meet the requirements in the Salmonella Enteritidis Monitored classification. These flocks include, but are not limited to, broiler breeders, turkey breeders, dual-purpose breeders whose progenies are intended to produce meat, waterfowl breeders, and game bird breeders. All supply flocks whose eggs are intended for the production of balut must also meet the requirements of this classification.

The supply flock must meet the following testing requirements:

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