Commission Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 (repealed)Show full title

at the hatchery; or

at the holding.

routine sampling every 16 weeks at the hatchery, which shall on that occasion replace the corresponding sampling at the initiative of the operator;

routine sampling at the holding on two occasions during the production cycle, the first one being within four weeks following moving to laying phase or laying unit and the second one being towards the end of the laying phase, not earlier than eight weeks before the end of the production cycle;

confirmatory sampling at the holding, following detection of relevant salmonella from sampling at the hatchery.

within four weeks following moving to laying phase or laying unit;

towards the end of the laying phase, not earlier than eight weeks before the end of the production cycle;

during the production, at any time sufficiently distant from the samples referred to in points (a) and (b).

Pooled faeces made up of separate samples of fresh faeces each weighing not less than 1 g taken at random from a number of sites in the building in which the birds are kept, or where the birds have free access to more than one building on a particular holding, from each group of buildings on the holding in which the birds are kept. Faeces may be pooled for analysis up to a minimum of two pools.

The number of sites from which separate faeces samples are to be taken in order to make a pooled sample shall be as follows:

Five pairs of boot swabs:

Boot swabs used shall be sufficiently absorptive to soak up moisture. Tubegauze ‘socks’ are also acceptable.

The surface of the boot swab shall be moistened using appropriate diluent (such as 0,8 % sodium chloride, 0,1 % peptone in sterile deionised water, or sterile water).

Walking around shall be done in a manner which will sample representatively all parts of the sector, including littered and slatted areas when slats are safe to walk on. All separate pens within a house shall be included in the sampling. On completion of sampling in the chosen sector, boot swabs must be removed carefully so as not to dislodge adherent material.

The boot swabs may be pooled for analysis into a minimum of two pools.

In cage breeding flocks, sampling may consist of naturally mixed faeces from dropping belts, scrapers or deep pits, depending on the type of house. Two samples of at least 150 g shall be collected to be tested individually:

There are normally several stacks of cages within a house. Pooled faeces from each stack shall be represented in the overall pooled sample. Two pooled samples shall be taken from each flock as described below.

In systems where there are belts or scrapers, these shall be run on the day of the sampling before sampling is carried out.

In systems where there are deflectors beneath cages and scrapers, pooled faeces which has lodged on the scraper after it has been run, shall be collected.

In step-cage systems where there is no belt or scraper system it is necessary to collect pooled faeces from the deep pit.

Droppings belt systems: pooled faecal material from the discharge ends of the belts shall be collected.

Routine sampling shall be as described in point 2.2.2.1.

Confirmatory sampling following detection of relevant salmonella from sampling at the hatchery shall be carried out as follows.

In addition to the sampling as described in point 2.2.2.1, the sampling may include a sample of birds taken at random from within each house of birds on the farm, normally up to five birds per house, unless the authority deems necessary to sample a higher number of birds. The examination shall consist in a test for research of anti-microbials or of bacterial growth inhibitory effect in samples. A test is considered failed if a positive is found in any of the birds.

In case the presence of relevant salmonella is not detected but anti-microbials or bacterial growth inhibitory effect are, sampling of the flock for relevant salmonella and bacterial growth inhibitory effect shall be repeated until no bacterial growth inhibitory effect is detected, or the breeding flock is destroyed. In the latter case, the breeding flock shall be accounted for as an infected breeding flock for the purpose of the Community target.

Suspect cases

In exceptional cases where the competent authority has reasons to suspect false negative results at the first official sampling at the holding, a secondary official confirmatory sampling may be performed, composed of faeces or birds (for the detection of salmonella in organs).

In exceptional cases where the competent authority has reasons to suspect false positive sampling performed at the initiative of the operator at the holding, follow-up official sampling may be performed.