Researchers at NC State University compared poultry broiler farms of various sizes and found higher rates of Salmonellaat large commercial operations than at small backyard farms; however, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella were found in samples from both types of farm, even though antibiotics are not used in backyard farming.
The researchers conducted their study to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella in backyard farms (in comparison to commercial farms) because there has been limited research conducted on these small-scale operations despite their growth in popularity as a source of chicken meat in the U.S. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also issued warnings about Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry farms in recent years.