Effect of Litter Treatment on in Broilers and on Cecal Microbiota.

Since 2018, when a process hygiene criterion for in broilers at the slaughterhouse was implemented across Europe, efforts to reduce at farm level have increased. Despite numerous studies aiming to reduce colonization in broilers, no efficient control strategy has been identified so far. The present work assessed first the efficacy of a commercial litter treatment to reduce colonization in broilers during two in-vivo trials and second, its impact on cecal microbiota. The treatment does not affect broiler growth and no effect on counts was observed during the in-vivo trials. Nevertheless, cecal microbiota were affected by the treatment. Alpha and beta diversity were significantly different for the control and litter-treated groups on day 35. In addition, several taxa were identified as significantly associated with the different experimental groups. Further work is needed to find a suitable control measure combining different strategies in order to reduce .