(b) Collection
methods for environmental samples. Environmental samples shall be collected and
cultured in accordance with the following procedures or any other procedures
approved in writing by the commissioner.
(1)
Floor layer operations. Three samples (two floor litter and one nest-box) shall
be collected per house, or per floor if a house has multiple floors.
(i) Floor litter. Two samples shall be
collected as follows: four 4 x 4-inch gauze sponges premoistened with double
strength skim milk shall be dragged over the floor litter surface for a minimum
period of 15 minutes. The gauze sponges used to collect the samples shall be
placed in an 18-ounce whirl-pak bag, or 50 ml. Falcon centrifuge tube, two
sponges per container with each container containing 5 mls. of double strength
skim milk prepared as provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part. This will maintain the moistness of the sample during transport. The
container shall be marked with the identity of the type of sample, the house
identification, and the floor within the house if there are multiple
floors.
(ii) Nest-boxes. One
nest-box sample shall be collected by using two sterile 4 x 4-inch gauze
sponges premoistened with double strength skim milk prepared as provided in
section 57.9(a) of this
Part. The two gauze sponges used to collect the sample shall be wiped over the
interior surfaces of a minimum of 1/4 of the total nest-boxes. The gauze
sponges used to collect the sample shall be placed in an 18 ounce whirl-pak bag
or 50 ml. Falcon centrifuge tube containing 5 mls. of double strength skim milk
prepared as provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part. The container shall be marked with the identity of the type of sample,
house identification, and the floor within the house if there are multiple
floors.
(2) Caged layer
operations.
(i) Manure samples.
(a) Automated manure removal systems. One
manure sample shall be collected from each row of cages, using sterile 4 x
4-inch gauze sponges premoistened with double strength skim milk prepared as
provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part. Two sponges shall be used for each row. All manure scrapers beneath each
tier of cages shall be thoroughly wiped with the sponges.
(b) Nonautomated manure removal systems.
(Example: deep-pit housing) Collect the samples by dragging the gauze sponges,
premoistened with double strength skim milk, prepared as provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part, along the entire length of the manure pile beneath the cages of each row.
The gauze sponges used to collect the samples from the two rows shall be placed
in an 18 ounce whirl-pak bag or 50 ml. Falcon centrifuge tube containing 5 mls.
of double-strength skim milk prepared as provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part. The container shall be marked with the house identification, and the
location of the bank and rows from which the sample was taken.
(ii) Egg transport machinery
samples. One egg transport machinery sample shall be collected from each row of
cages by wiping at least 1/2 of the total surface area of the escalator belts
at the front of each row of cages with two sterile 4 x 4-inch gauze sponges.
The sponges will be premoistened with double strength skim milk prepared as
provided in section
57.9(a) of this
Part. The gauze sponges used to collect the samples from the two rows of each
bank shall be placed in an 18 ounce whirl-pak bag or 50 ml. Falcon centrifuge
tube containing 5 mls. of double strength skim milk prepared as provided in
section 57.9(a) of this
Part. This will maintain the moistness of the sample during transport. The bag
shall be marked with the house identification, and the location of the bank and
row from which the sample was taken. If egg collection is nonautomated, an
additional manure sample from each bank, collected as described in clause
(2)(i)(b) of this subdivision, shall be substituted as the second sample
required from each bank.
