The International Journal of Engineering and Science (IJES) || Volume || 8 || Issue || 11 || Series II || Pages || PP 06-14|| 2019 || ISSN (e): 2319 – 1813 ISSN (p): 23-19 – 1805 DOI:10.9790/1813-0811020614 www.theijes.com Page 6 Bacterial Contamination of Poultry Feeds, Molecular Studies and Antibacterial Resistance Profiles of Isolates in Keffi Metropolis, Nigeria Gyang, L.,Obiekezie, S.O., Owuna, J.E.,Adamu, M.O. and Obiekezie, S.O.(Mrs) Department of Microbiology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Gyang ---------------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT ----------------------------------------------------------- A study to investigate the presence of bacteria and their molecular characterization from poultry feeds sold in Keffi Metropolis was conducted. A total of 50 samples from three different brands involving four feed types namely Broilers, Layers, Quail and sussex were aseptically collected and analysed using standard microbiological techniques. Preliminary characterization of the bacterial isolates revealed the presence of the following contaminants: Escherichiacoli, Salmonella sp., Bacillus sp., Klebsiella sp., Enterococcus sp., Staphylococcusaureus and Proteus sp. The bacterial load of the feeds were in the range of 0.49 –7.08cfu/g with Brand A having the highest number of bacterial contamination. Bacillus sp. and Salmonella sp. had the highest occurrence rate of 34% each, while Proteus sp. and Klebsiella sp. had the lowest frequency of occurrence of 6% each. Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp. and Escherichiacoli had 14%, 12% and 24 % occurrence rates respectively. Nonetheless, the isolates were highly resistant to Tetracycline (65.5%), Ceftazidime (51.9%), Amoxicillin (49.9%), Septrin (49.4%) and Ampicillin (47.9%), moderately resistant to Chloramphenicol (39.5%) and Cefoxitin (35.8%). However, the isolates showed varying degree of sensitivity to the following antibiotics: Cefoxitin (35.8%), Ciprofloxacin (30.4%) and Streptomycin (27.8%), but was highly susceptible to Gentamicin with a point resistant levels of 22.9%. Molecular studies of the isolates with multiple drug resistance showed presence of at least one Plasmid DNA with band weights between 1330bp to 1900bp. Thus all the poultry feeds were found to be contaminated with resistant bacteria which may pose a public health risk humans. It therefore becomes imperative to for routine bacteriological quality assessment to be conducted on poultry feeds in other to improve production performances in poultry management.. Keywords: Bacteria, Poultry Feeds; Resistance, Molecular, Nigeria. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 28-10-2019 Date Of Acceptance: 16-11-2019 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Poultry refers to all birds that have been domesticated by man. The birds include domestic fowl, duck, geese, turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons and ostriches.Common constituents‟ of feeds include whole cereals, soya beans, vitamins and vegetables such as water leaf, tridax and Amaranthus spp. The protein contents of the feed vary depending on the purpose of keeping the birds. The protein contents of 13%,16%,18%, 21% and 23% is usually a standard measurement for chicks marsh, layers marsh, growers marsh, broiler starter and broiler finish respectively (Barakat, 2004).Various brands of poultry feeds are in existence depending on the functions they perform in the birds. Thus, there are growers, finishers, layers, starters among others (Yusuf et al., 2016). Materials for formulation of feeds are sourced from different origin both animals and plants and are mostly agro wastes (Obi and Ozugbo, 2007; Afolayan and Afolayan, 2008).Nonetheless, the safety and quality of poultry feeds are great subject in developed countries, that feed safety is an essential requirement for all animals. Unsafe feed may also causes great economic losses because of destroying an infected flock of birds and there is a proof that poultry feed is often infected with food-borne pathogenic bacteria (Al-Musawiet al., 2016). Accordingly, poultry feed can serve as a carrier for a range of microbial contaminants such as moulds, mycotoxins and bacteria (Maciorowkiet al., 2007). In fact, many bacteria are associated with environmental contamination of feed ingredients from the family enterobacteriaceae. This family comprises of many established genera including Escherichia, Enterobacter, Salmonella,etc (Okogunetal., 2016). Also, several microorganisms such as Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus spp., E.coli, Campylobacter spp. and Clostridium perfringenscan contaminate poultry feeds either from feed ingredients, through farms‟ workers, equipment, air, handling, used bags or raw materials (Nahid, 2010). There is a considerable evidence that poultry feed is