Antimicrobial susceptibilities of enterococci isolated from faeces of broiler and layer chickens

Enterococci were isolated from faecal droppings of chickens in broiler and layer farms and the susceptibilities to nine therapeutic antimicrobial agents and six growth‐promoting antibiotics were determined by the agar dilution method. Resistance to therapeutic antimicrobial agents such as ampicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, streptomycin, tetracycline or tylosin was more frequent in enterococcal isolates from broiler farms than in those from layer farms. Resistance to ofloxacin was rare, occurring in only one (0·7%) of the Enterococcus faecium isolates from broiler farms. Resistance to growth‐promoting antibiotics such as avilamycin, salinomycin and virginiamycin was common among isolates from broiler farms. Of the E. faecium isolates from broiler farms, 12·4% were resistant to avilamycin and 27·4% were resistant to virginiamycin. Resistance to salinomycin was detected in all enterococcal species, ranging from 12·4% of E. faecium isolates to 50% of E. hirae isolates.