PREVALENCE OF BACTERIA IN POULTRY LITTERS AROUND FARMS IN GBOKO EAST GBOKO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE

ABSTRACT An analysis was carried out to isolate bacteria from layer poultry litres in poultry farms within Gboko East. Thirty (30) litre samples were collected randomly from Gboko East area of Gboko local government area of Benue state, using sterile polythene bags. Each litre samples was washed using sterile distilled water separately and a serial dilution was carried out on the solution to prepare dilutions up to 10-6 and subjected to microbiological culture techniques using the spread plate technique. After the analysis the following organisms were isolated form the poultry liters, Salmonella typhi, Campylobacter Spp, and Escherichia coli. Salmonella typhi have the lowest prevalence of 7 (35.00%) and Campylobacter Spp having the highest prevalence of 18 (90%). The presence of these organisms could have been as a result of contamination by environmental factors when the litres were dropped, and also as a result of inherent inhabition of the gastrointestinal tract of these birds before even shedding of the litres. It is recommended that adequate care be taken when handling litres so as to avoid contamination of food and items by these litres. Also, farms sould regularly be disinfected to avoid diseases for both current and future batches of birds.