Effect of feeding selected carbohydrates on the in vivo attachment of Salmonella typhimurium in chick ceca.

Two-day-old chicks were orally inoculated with 1 ml of Salmonella typhimurium (10(5) colony-forming units/ml) and divided into four groups. Three groups were fed 2.5% carbohydrates starting on day 1 (arabinose, galactose, and lactose), while the fourth group served as the control. Ceca were obtained from each group at 7, 14, and 21 days. At the end of 14 days, all three carbohydrates statistically reduced Salmonella recovery. However, lactose failed to reduce recovery between day 14 and day 21. Arabinose and galactose continued to show significant reductions of recovery through 21 days. No statistical difference was found between Salmonella recovery from whole ceca (with cecal material) and inverted ceca (washed free of cecal material).