02-Lancaster Farming Saturday, October 31, 1987 Merino HARRISBURG Margrit and Albecht Pichlcr, Red Hook, N.Y., won the premier exhibitor award in the Merino breeding sheep com petition at the recent Keystone International Livestock Exposition*. Other placings in the Merino Show include: Ram, Spring Lamb 1 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 2 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Kennel S Kathy Smith, Family (OH) Ram, Fall Lamb 1 Kennck/Kathy Smith/Fam, (OH), 2 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Kennck/ Kathy Smith & Family (OH) Pair Of Ram Lambs 1 Kennck & Kathy Smith! Family, (OH), 2 Margrit! Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Charles R Clouser ! Daughters, (OH). Ram, 1 Yr. ! Under 1 Charles/Barbara Platt, (PA). 2 Kennck/ THE EGG INDUSTRY AND SALMONELLA By: Owen D. Keene, Associate Professor of Poultry Science The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 During the last five years there has been an apparent increase in incidence of Salmonella infections in humans in the Northeast as reported by The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. There are over 1,600 different Salmonella ser otypes known. One of the ser otypes, Salmonella enteritidis, has been the serotype mentioned as the organism implicated in some of these outbreaks. Although Salmonella enteriti dis is found in many species of ani mals, CDC has indicated that some outbreaks were from the use of raw or uncooked eggs or egg products. All of the egg associated outbreaks involved USDA graded shell eggs and none involved pasteurized eggs or egg products. I don’t have to tell you that this is a very serious matter for the egg industry because some of these outbreaks may have originated from eggs produced by flocks in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Along with the continuing decline in per capita egg consump tion, public concern about this could reduce consumption still further. Also, if human outbreaks of Salmonella could be traced to specific flock or farms, the liability implications would be uncertain. There are many ways that eggs can become contaminated with Salmonella. The most probable and the most common reason for Salmonellas foodbome outbreaks in improper food handling and pre paration. Consumption of uncooked egg products increase the risk. Salmonella are bacteria that are widely prevalent in the environment and they arc primari ly found in the intestinal tracts of humans, and all other animals including birds. Sheep Show Reported Kathy Smith ! Family, (PA), 3 Margrit/ Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Champion Ram Kennck/Kathy Smith, Family, (OH) Reserve Champion Ram Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Ewe, Spring Lamb 1 Jerry Frame/Fam, (OH), 2 Margrit/ Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Kennck/Kathy/ Fa m, (OH) Ewe, Fall Lamb 1 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 2 Kennck/Kathy Smith, (OH), 3 Margrit/ Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Pan 01 3 Ewe Lambs 1 Kennck/Kathy Smith/Fam, (OH), 2 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Jerry Frame/Family, (OH) Ewe, 1 Yr. ! Under 2 1 Charles R Clouser/Daughter, (OH), 2 Kennck/Kathy Smith ! Fam , (OH), 3 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Pair Of Yrls. Ewes 1 Charles R. Clouser/Daughters, (OH), 2 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Kennck/ Kathy Smith/Family, (OH) Champion Ewe Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Lowdown on Layers by Owen Keene Associate Professor of Poultry Science Penn State University When eggshells are highly soiled with fecal material the risk of Salmonella contamination increases. The internal contents are contaminated by Salmonella that enter through the pores or hair line cracks in the shell. Another possible way Of contamination is ovarian transmission. A few ser otypes of Salmonella may infect chickens, then the chickens build immunity and recover from the disease, but the organism remains in some of the tissues. The hen could shed the organism via the ovary into the egg. The unan swered critical question for the egg producer is whether or not Sal monella enteritidis is shed into eggs or enters by surface contami nation of the shell. The latter would be the easier to control by egg washing and sanitation. Extensive market egg surveil lance in the Northeast by Penn State, Cornell, the Universities of Pennsylvania, Maine and Connec ticut has been negative for Sal monella enteritidis to date. How ever recently, in a few flocks that were implicated epidemiological ly to human outbreaks, evidence of the presence of Salmonella entcr itidis has been found in tissues from the birds but not the eggs. Egg producers and processors may have to change some of their routine practices to protect against this problem. It is imperative to produce eggs free of fecal conta mination. Eggs may have to be gathered and processed more fre quently. They should be washed and sanitized immediately. Egg gathering and egg processing machinery must be cleaned, washed and sanitized after each run of eggs or sooner if eggs are broken or heavily soiled. One infected broken egg may contami nate many other eggs, which may contaminate many more. Do not 'allow eggs to sweat. Remove all hair line cracked eggs. Cracked eggs can be a major sour ce of contamination. Why take chances? Be sure that the eggs that go to market are clean. Rascrv* Champion Ewa Kennck/Kathy Smith/Family, (OH) Exhibitor’s Flock 1 Kennck/Kathy Smith/Family, OH). 2 Margnt/Albrecht Pichler, (NY), 3 Charles R Clouser/Daughter, (OH) Premlar Exhibitor Margnt & Albrecht Pichler, (NY) Polled Hereford Association Holds Sale BY SHARON B. SCHUSTER Maryland Correspondent FREDERICK, MD “It’s a fun time to be in the cow busi ness,” said Ernie Smith, area coor dinator for the American Polled Hereford Association. The capaci ty crowd at the Maryland Polled Hereford Association’? Red, White and Blue sale got in on the fun with some lively bidding at the Frederick fairgrounds. Ten-year-old Jennifer Allobelli of Dover, Pennsylvania made a high bid of $2050 to take home the grand champion senior heifer, S & J Miss Shannon. The big but feminine Miss Shannon is “a top of the line Bravo heifer.” She was bred AI to Renegade on June 23 of this year. Andrew Altobelli, father of Jen nifer, said that he tries to upgrade his herd at Paradise Farm with at least one or two additions to the herd every year. “My daughter and son both show animals,” he explained, and I think she will be a good brood cow. We like the Renegade bull.” Altobelli received a certificate with the heifer and bought through the Youth Purch ase Plan. “I felt it was s good deal on a good cow.” The docile heifer was consigned by George D. Bren nan and shown by Suzanne Schmidt. Schmidt added that Miss Shannon had been shown previ ously by a five year old girl her namesake. Thirty-six lots were sold at an average of $826. Eighteen steers sold at an average of $574. “We’ve been apologizing for what prices have been the past few years,” said Ernie Smith. “But we no longer have to do that I don’t know when we’ve ever had a better market or when we will have a better market than right now,” he added. JVF Tam II was selected grand champion cow by Judge Howard Hoffman. Consigned by R & T Acres of Gaithersburg, she is safe in calf to performer, with a pro jected calving date of February 5. The big dark red cow with “a pic ture perfect udder,” was purchased Arabian Horse Open House Scheduled LEBANON Sunset Hill Ara bians in co-operation with the Pen nsylvania Arabian Horse Associa tion South Central District is pleased to announce an Open House to be held Sunday, Novem- ber Bth fropi one until five PM. Featured will be talks by Dr. Kevin Brophy of Penn Paddock. He will be speaking on Colic- Causes and Symplons and Ready ing the Pregnant Mare For Deliv ery followed by a question and answer session. In addition there will be a num ber of films to be shown including the Highlights of the 1987 U.S. Arabian National Championships. The Pennsylvania Arabian Horse Association is the single largest club in the country with over 1,100 members and is an edu cational organization. Sunset Hill Arabians is located on Michter road approximately 'A mile west of Route SOI south of Schaefferstown. There is no charge and the publ- LIVESTOCK LATEST BCCE3 The exhibitors of the champion and reserve champion Herefords received good prices for their cattle at the sale. Left to right: Cheryl Bennett, Maryland Beef Queen; Suzan ne Schmidt, champion and reserve senior heifers; Mike Schmidt, holding his sister’s ribbon; Harry Taylor of Tam sey Farms with the reserve cow; Bill Baldwin with the reserve junior heifer; and Thelma Mills, champion cow. by Sandra Garcia of Frederick, for a top bid of $lO5O. $llOO bought the reserve champion cow, Tam Mystic 14P 32T, consigned by George D. Brennan. The 6 frame heifer was sold to Fooks Homestead, Myers ville, Md. Dale Sheets of Sparks, Md., bid a cool $1025 to take home S&J Miss Cool Lady, reserve champion ic is invited. Refreshments will be served.' Broiler Placements Down Placements of broiler chicks in trie Common wealth during the week ending October 10,1987 were 2,301,000, two percent below the previous week but 15 percent above the cor responding week a year earlier. Average placements during the past nine weeks were nine percent above a year ago. Settings for broiler chicks were 3,440,000, seven percent above the previous week and 14 percent above the same period a year earlier. The current three- week total of eggs set is three percent above the com parable period a year ago. Expected marketings, based on placements seven to nine weeks earlier less mortality allowance, in Pennsylvania for the week ending December 5, 1987 will be 2,278,000 twelve percent above a EC Id $2,050 to take home senior heifer. Grand champion junior heifer, TK Lady Hunt Club, consigned by TK Polled Herefords was purchased by Karen Ann Emory of Hughesville, Md. for $985. The reserve champion junior heifer went to Jason Fulmer of Mt. Airy, Md. Church View Lady 82W was consigned by Church View Farms in Millersville, Md. Auctioneer - Bryan Blinson For further information please call 717-949-2661. year earlier, according to the Pen nsylvania Agricultural Statistics Service. Broiler-fryers slaughtered in Pennsylvania under Federal Inspection week ending Septem ber 30. 1987 totaled 1,815,000 with an average liveweight of 4.49 pounds.