This good practice addresses the challenge of reducing the risk of Salmonella in broiler farms. The proposed practice aims to provide an additional tool to help reduce the risk of Salmonella by targeting one of its main reservoirs: Alphitobius diaperinus (lesser mealworm or litter beetle) (Figure 1).

These beetles can act as reservoirs of various diseases and, at the same time, cause damage to poultry house facilities. During the production cycle, adult insects live in the litter, feeding on it and on any feed residues that may fall. To develop their biological cycle optimally, they require temperatures above 30 °C. Thus, when the chickens are removed from the house and the litter begins to cool, Alphitobius beetles start to emerge, seeking shelter in the walls, where they remain until optimal conditions in the litter are re-established.

The proposed good practice, which is applicable to any type of production system and house size, aims to eliminate beetles by creating a clean, litter-free strip 25–50 cm wide along the inner perimeter of the house, which is treated with insecticide. Insecticides may belong to the pyrethroid family (e.g. cypermethrin or deltamethrin), neonicotinoids (e.g. acetamiprid), or spinosyns (spinosad). As the litter cools, beetles will move out and, on their way to the walls, must pass through the treated strip. Once the litter has cooled—after approximately 3–6 hours depending on ambient temperature—routine cleaning and disinfection operations can begin.