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Poultry diseases
When chickens are healthy they consume less feed and produce more quality eggs. They are less trouble to look after and less money is spent on medical costs. Poultry disease can spread rapidly among chickens because they are usually kept together in the chicken house. The chickens share the same feeders and drinkers, which can spread disease and infections rapidly from sick to healthy chickens. In intensive egg production systems, much focus is placed on the egg laying performance of the flock. Poultry diseases can negatively affect the health and performance of your flock. Important and common poultry diseases include necrotic enteritis, chronic respiratory diseases, gangrenous dermatitis, fowl cholera, and avian influenza.
Providing a clean, safe and sanitized water supply is crucial in assuring flocks perform their best. However, before implementing a daily water sanitation program, it is important to thoroughly clean as much of the water distribution system as possible. Line cleaning is necessary before providing birds with sanitized drinking water because even low levels of sanitizer placed in dirty water lines can result in the biofilm sloughing off, which clogs drinkers so that water is restricted to the...
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Poultry infected with the parasite Eimeria maxima usually develop avian coccidiosis, a disease estimated to cost producers globally more than $1.2 billion every year. So Agricultural Research Service (ARS) immunologist Hyun Lillehoj has been working with colleagues in ARS and around the world to find dietary supplements that strengthen the poultry immune system.
Lillehoj, at the ARS Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., cooperated on the research with...
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This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of prebiotic ( Fermacto ) in low protein diet on serum cholesterol and intestinal microbiota of broiler chicks. One hundred and fifty six 1-day old Ross 308 broiler chicks of both sexes were used for 42 days. The chicks were randomly allocated to 12 pens containing 13 chicks each with 3 replicates and assigned to receive one of the 4 dietary treatments of 2 levels of protein (low and high) and 2 levels of prebiotic (0 and 0.2%) in a...
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Anticoccidial efficacy of ‘Coxynil” a herbal feed additive was tested against Einieria tenella in broilers, vs. a vs. Salinomycin. Body weight of birds challenged with E. tenella in Coxynil treated groups was higher as compared to Coxynil untreated & Salinomycin treated groups.. Oocyst out put, lesion score, HI titres against New Castle disease virus and T Cells were significantly higher in Coxynil supplemented groups. Examination of ceaca of the birds, revealed that the...
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Eye disorders are not generally prevalent in poultry on a flock basis. However, as birds rely heavily on their sense of sight to carry on their daily activities, an increased incidence of eye problems can result in decreased flock performance. A visually impaired bird is at a major disadvantage in competing for food, water, and social position in a population of birds. Ammonia Toxicity The most common eye irritant in intensive...
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Are early-life conditions important?
Production systems for laying-hens are continuously exposed to infectious pathogens. To prevent infections from spreading through the flock, various control methods are used nowadays. However, these methods not only increase production costs, but also prevent laying-hens from building up their own reserves to combat these threats. The capacity to adapt in order to withstand threats is considered to be well-developed,...
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Reoviruses are widespread in nature and have been isolated from a variety of animals. These viruses have also been isolated from humans and in fact the name reovirus is a mnemonic for respiratory (r) enteric (e) orphan (o) since the virus was isolated from the human respiratory and enteric tract, but was not associated with disease. In some species of mammals (primarily mice) these viruses have caused liver, pancreatic, lung, and heart disease and central nervous system...
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Bacteria are microscopic living organisms. All bacteria are not detrimental to animal health. In fact, many bacteria are beneficial and necessary for such processes as food digestion, manufacturing of some dairy products, etc. Classification of bacteria into species is done so disease producing organisms may be separated from those that are harmless or beneficial.
Successful control of bacterial diseases entails isolating and identifying disease-producing species, if present, and...
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History
Spiking mortality syndrome of chickens (SMSC) has been classified as such for approximately ten years. During the first experiences with the disease a number of causative agents were implicated, yet the symptoms remained relatively the same.
From approximately 1988 to 1990 the syndrome reached critical epidemic proportions particularly in the Delmarva area of the U.S. Isolated cases were also reported at that time...
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The high cost of clean out, litter disposal and new bedding makes it economical for broiler producers to re-utilize bedding material for one, two, three or even more years of production. However, this practice makes proper litter conditioning an essential tool of good management for keeping flocks healthy and profitable. Conditioning litter between flocks addresses where the birds live, which is the most crucial aspect of the poultry house environment. Litter quality impacts bird health, skin...
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We all realize that diseases cost both companies and growers and they both strive to avoid the consequences of disease. Diseases can be caused by microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi or protozoa), internal or external parasites, genetic disorders or by nutrient deficiencies. Modern poultry production methods have virtually eliminated nutrient deficiencies and are addressing genetic disorders. However, both companies and growers continue to battle against microbes and parasites. Since fewer and...
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Hops contain substances that control pathogenic bacteria in the intestines of chickens, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators have reported. Certain bacteria in the intestines of chickens not only can cause contamination of meat during processing, but also may pose major production losses by causing disease in the broiler chicken. Currently, poultry producers use sub-therapeutic amounts of antibiotics in poultry feed as growth promoters and to control...
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In past years, several laying hen flocks in Manitoba have had mortality due to Hemorrhagic Fatty Liver Syndrome (HFLS). In a hen with this condition, damage occurs due to the buildup and oxidation of fat in the liver. The hen dies suddenly from internal bleeding when a damaged blood vessel in the liver ruptures. Clotted blood is often found in the body cavity. HFLS should be suspected if many of the dead birds in a flock are overweight and have pale combs. The dead birds should be examined...
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The data in Figure 1 indicate that there has been a continued steady increase in outbreaks of Mycoplasma in Arkansas poultry in the last few years. In fact, if the trend continues, there will be a record number in Arkansas during 2000. The purpose of this article is to discuss symptoms and effects of the disease in poultry, help poultry producers better recognize the disease and prevent the spread of mycoplasmas to other poultry flocks. ...
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MAREK’S DISEASE MD is a common and important neoplastic disease of chickens caused by serotype 1 herpes virus (MDV). These are related antigenically to non-oncogenic herpes virus of chickens (serotype 2) and turkeys (serotype 3), also known as turkey herpes virus (HVT). Within serotype 1, MDV four pathotypes are recognized: (mild (m), virulent (v), very virulent (vv) and recently, very virulent + (vv+). All pathotypes of serotype 1 cause disease but serotype 1 isolates can be...
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Pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) followed by ascites is a major cause of economic loss in the broiler industry. The main mechanism responsible for ascites in broiler chickens is an increase in intravascular hydrostatic pressure occurring secondary to right ventricular failure. Development of cardiac failure in an apparently healthy young broiler chicken is affected by a range of factors including genetic selection for rapid growth rate, high feed efficiency and a large pectoral...
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Introduction Maintaining the structure of the digestive tract in good health is critical for successful rearing of broilers. Dietary factors disrupting mucosal integrity or motility of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) might induce enteric disorders, wet litter problems, poor pigmentation and inefficient growth. Enteric disorders have been managed through dietary changes including the use of in-feed growth promoters and animal proteins. Addition of certain antibiotics to feed...
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Mycoplasmosis is a contagious disease in game birds and poultry caused by a bacteria-like organism. The specific Mycoplasmas of concern to backyard flocks include Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS). These organisms have the ability to infect many different avian species including chickens, turkeys, quail, pheasant, and even certain wild birds. Just one infected bird brought onto the premises could potentially infect certain other types of...
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This one day technical conference will be held in Hannover, Germany on Monday 10th November 2008 (the day before Eurotier) which is for professional poultry producers, veterinarians and those in ancillary industries is hosted by International Hatchery Practice and International Poultry Production. After an introductory paper on "The role of vaccination in modern poultry production" by British poultry veterinarian Philip Hammond, the conference focuses goes on to focus on...
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An advanced intercross ( F6 ) between two commercial layer lines was used to map genes associated with survival to Marek’s disease using candidate gene and quantitative trait locus mapping approaches. After further validation and fine-mapping, the identified genes and genomic regions can be used to select for increased resistance to Marek’s disease using marker-assisted selection approaches. Introduction Marek’s...
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