ABSTRACT

 This study evaluated the microbiological quality of poultry feeds sold in Umuahia, Abia State. Three (3) different feed brands (Top, Vital and Hybrid feeds) comprising of four (4) different feed types (Starter, Growers, Finisher and layers) each were collected using sterile plastic containers. The sarnple_s were labeled and _taken to the laboratory for microbiological analysis. From this study a total of six (6) bacteria strains and four (4) fungal species were obtained and identified using morphological characteristics, pigmentation on media, microscopy, biochemical and sugar fermentation methods. This reveals the major bacterial isolates. to belong to Salmonella sp Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas sp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp, and Shigella sp respectively, whereas the fungal isolates belongs to Asper gillus flavus, Aspergillus niger Rhodotorula spp. and Rhizopus stolonizer. The total heterotrophic plate count ranged from 3.15x 10cfu/g to 9.40x10cfu/g. The total coliform plate count ranged from 3.60x10cfu/g to 9.40x10cfu/g. The total salmonella shigella plate count ranged from 7.55x10cfu/g to 7.15x 10cfu/g. The total staphyloccocus plate count ranged from 7.00x 10cfu/g to 5.90x10Pcfu/g. The total fungal plate count ranged from 3.15x 10cfu/g to 9.40x IQ5cfu/g. It was observed that Escherichia coli was the most frequently occurring isolates from the various poultry feeds samples with a percentage occurrence of (15.2%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella sp with a percentage occurrence of (13.6%), Aspergillus niger with a percentage occurrence of (12.1%), Aspergillus flavus, Klebsiella sp and Shigella sp with an occurrence of (10.6%), Rhodotorula sp with a percentage occurrence of (6.1 %), then Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a percentage occurrence of ( 4 .5% ), whereas Rhizopus Stolonizer had the least percentage occurrence of (3.0%). It was observed that among the three different feed brands investigated, the Hybrid feed had the highest number of microorganisms with 26 representing (39.4%), followed by Top feed with 21 representing (31.8%), while the least distribution was found in Vital feed sample with 19 representing (28.8%). From the obtained results, it was concluded that the microbiological quality of the poultry feeds is poor as 'the feeds harbored many different bacterial and fungal species at varying levels of occurrences.