Poultry Flashcards
what is the definition of free range poultry?
during daylight poultry has access to ground with vegetables, mud, nettles, bark wood chips or mesh
what is the body temperature of poultry?
40-42
what is the heart rate of poultry?
120-160bpm
what is the respiratory rate of poultry?
20-130bpm
what external mites effect poultry?
lice, red mite, northern fowl mite, scaly leg mite, depluming mite
what is the main place to bleed a bird?
wing vein (also use jugular)
what is a notable feature of avian red blood cells?
nucleated
what is looked at for a BCS?
pin bones and breast muscle
what are some skeletal conditions effecting poultry?
fractures, kyphosis, scoliosis, spondylosis, bent breastbone, rickets
what is the only skin gland present on poultry?
uropygial/preen gland
what is the uropygial/preen gland for?
producing lipid secretions for feather maintenance
where is the uropygial/preen gland found?
outer auditory canal
ventral glands of cloaca
what is a brood patch?
location on the caudal half of ventral apterium that lose feathers prior to laying
what are some colours which would represent a discoloured comb?
pale, purple, black, yellow, white flakes, white spots
what is the function of the gizzard?
contains insoluble grit to mechanically break up the food
what is the function of the proventriculus?
acts as a stomach to break down food
where are capillaria found?
intestine
where is Heterakis found?
caeca
where are ascarids found?
intestine
where are trichostrongyles found?
intestines
what is the licensed wormer to control internal worm parasites?
flubendazole
how is flubendazole administered in backyard poultry?
for 7 days in feed
what protozoal internal parasites are found in poultry?
Eimeria spp.
Histamonus gallinarium
trichomonosis
hexamitosis
what bacterial infections effect the digestive tract of poultry?
E. coli
salmonella
campylobacter
clostridium
what is the function of the infundibulum in egg production?
capture the ovum
how long does the egg remain at the ovum?
0.5 hours
what is the function of the magnum in egg production?
adds the albumin
how long does the egg remain at the magnum?
3 hours
what is the function of the isthmus in egg production?
adds shell membrane
how long does the egg remain at the isthmus?
1.25 hours
what is the function of the uterus in egg production?
egg shell is added
how long does the egg remain in the uterus?
20 hours
what is the incubation time of chicken eggs?
21 days
how old should eggs be when they are incubated?
over 24 hours
<7 days
what is candling used for?
determine fertility of an egg
when can candling be done on an egg?
9-10 days after incubation
what will be seen when candling a fertile egg?
lots of blood vessels
what can be used to sex chicks?
vent or feathers
what is the difference between male and female chicks feathers?
males have more pointed feathers
what are some problems effecting backyard layers egg production?
oviduct infection (E. coli)
egg peritonitis
IBV infection
egg bound (lack of calcium)
vent gleet
pyometra
what are the non-infectious causes of neurological problems in backyard poultry?
poison - botulism, salt, heavy metals
nutritional - thiamine deficiency
what aged birds is infectious burial disease virus and chicken anaemia virus seen in?
young
why is infectious burial disease only seen in young birds?
multiplies in bursa of Fabricius which is only present in young birds
what is used to anaesthetise poultry?
ketamine
isoflurane/sevoflurane
what are some analgesics available for poultry?
buprenorphine
carprofen
ketoprofen
meloxicam
what is the biggest problem with vaccinating backyard poultry?
unavailability of small quantity doses
cold-chain/liquid nitrogen needed
what is used to euthanise poultry?
pentobarbitone
neck dislocation (<3kg)
what are the most commonly kept backyard waterfowl?
ducks
how much water should backyard waterfowl have access to?
drinking and enough to submerge their head
where are blood samples collected from in ducks?
medial metatarsal vein
what cause angel wing in ducks?
excessive protein intake during rearing
what age is pinioning allowed in waterfowl?
up to 7 days old
what are the main diseases of young game bird chicks?
yolk sac infection - infection in egg/environment
septicaemia
what can yolk sac infection of young game birds lead to?
naval infection
what are the signs of starve out in young gamebirds?
lethargic chicks
empty gizzard/contains bedding material
what can cause starve out in young game birds?
unhealthy breeding flock
prolonged hatching period
chilled after hatch
environment - temperature, ammonia, carbon
poor feed/water distribution
what are the clinical signs of aspergillosis in young game birds?
gasping poults, weight loss, increased mortality
how is aspergillosis treated in young gamebirds?
cull - treatment isn’t economical
what are the clinical signs of rotavirus in gamebirds?
depression, dropped wings, closed eyes, huddling, ruffled feathers
how is rotavirus prevented in young gamebirds?
frequent egg collection and cleaning
cleaning/disinfection between batches
what are the clinical signs of spironucleosis and trichomoniasis in young gamebirds?
watery diarrhoea (yellow/frothy), dehydration, weight loss, uneven flock
what is used to treat spironucleosis and trichomoniasis?
antibiotics and electrolytes
what are the risk factors for spironucleaosia and trichomoniasis in young gamebirds?
wet/moist environment, overcrowding, stress
what can be used to treat coccidiosis in young gamebirds?
toltrazuril
amprolium
what aged gamebirds are effected by coccidiosis?
15 days to 16 weeks
what are the biggest problems effecting release gamebird poults?
stress
enteritis/dysbacteriosis
what are the clinical signs of enteritis in releasing gamebird poults?
scour and dehydration
what can be used to treat enteritis in releasing gamebird poults?
antibiotics, hydration, acidification of water, electrolytes
what are some stress factors relating to releasing gamebird poults?
transport, chill, search for food/water, predators…
what are some signs of an unhealthy pigeon?
not eating/drinking
no eggs
no preening/ruffled feathers
little/different noise
abnormal/watery droppings
little activity/exercise
what is the life expectancy of a pigeon?
20-30 years
what is the temperature of a pigeon?
40-43
what is the heart rate of a pigeon?
180-250 bpm
what is the respiratory rate of a pigeon?
26 bpm
what is the louse that effects pigeons?
Columbicola columbae
what is used to treat lice in pigeons?
permethrin powder/sprays
spot-on ivermectin
what is a notifiable disease of pigeons?
pigeon paramyxovirus
what are the clinical signs of pigeon paramyxovirus?
PUPD, torticollis, unable to feed/fly, sudden death
how can pigeon paramyxovirus be prevented?
vaccination
what does trichomonas cause in pigeons?
canker
how is trichomonas spread in pigeons?
via crop milk within hours of the chick hatching
what can be used to treat canker?
carmidazole, rondidazole, dimetridazole
what lesions are present with canker?
yellow necrotic lesions in the mouth
what are the clinical signs of coccidiosis in pigeons?
green diarrhoea, weak, emaciated, fluffed up
what are some non-infectious causes of mortality in chicks?
temperature, humidity, ventilation
water/feed
transport
nutritional deficiency
what are some infectious causes of mortality in chicks?
navel/yolk sac infection (salmonella, E. coli…)
aspergillosis
vaccination reactions
what are some immunosuppressive diseases of grower and pullets? (chickens)
infectious burial disease
chicken anaemia virus
mareks disease
reoviruses
what are some respiratory diseases of growers and pullets? (chickens)
mycoplasma
infectious bronchitis virus
Newcastle disease virus
avian influenza virus
avian metapneumovirus
infectious laryngotracheitis
parasites - gapeworm
what are the clinical signs of respiratory disease in chickens?
cough, sneeze
poor weight gain and FCR
reduced egg production
what are some gastrointestinal tract diseases of growers and pullets? (chickens)
salmonella
E. coli
clostridium
campylobacter
parasites - worms/protozoa
crop mycosis
what are some neurological diseases effecting growers and pullets? (chickens)
avian encephalomyelitis
mareks
botulism
nutritional
newcastles
avian influenza
what are some non-infectious causes of lameness in growers and pullets? (chickens)
tibial dyschondroplasia
spondylolisthesis
rickets
ionophore toxicity
what are some infectious causes of lameness in growers and pullets? (chickens)
mareks
botulism
bumblefoot
viral arthritis
infectious synovitis
staphylococcus (septic arthritis)
what are the two main notifiable disease in chickens?
avian influenza
Newcastles disease
what is the main organism of egg peritonitis?
E. coli
what are some risk factors of egg peritonitis?
poor flock uniformity and weight
physical/hormonal stress
how can egg peritonitis be prevented?
sustain body weight and uniformity
reduce stress
minimise bacterial challenge
vaccinate for primary pathogens (E. coli…)
how does faeces of chickens appear when they have a Brachyspira infection?
yellow, thick, frothy
what are some metabolic causes of a drop in egg production of chickens?
cage layer fatigue
fatty liver syndrome
fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome
water deprivation
sudden feed changes
what causes egg drop syndrome?
adenovirus
what are the signs of egg drop syndrome?
shell quality - rough, thin, soft, normal, loss of pigment
no specific lesions
drop in egg production
what is the slaughter age of female turkeys?
12-15 weeks
what is the slaughter age of male turkeys?
18-21 weeks
what are some infectious causes of high mortality and poor growth of turkeys less than 3 weeks old?
naval/yolk sac infection
candidiasis
viral turkey hepatitis
aspergilossis
coccidiosis
turkey coryza
staphylococcus
what are some infectious causes of lameness in growing turkeys?
bacterial arthritis
spondylolisthesis
what are some respiratory diseases that effect growing turkeys?
mycoplasma
turkey coryza
fowl cholera
NDV, AID
turkey rhinotracheitis
what are the species of eimeria important in causing coccidiosis in turkeys?
E. meleagrimitis
E. adenoides
what is the difficulty of diagnosing coccidiosis in turkeys?
found in all turkeys so difficult to tell the significance of the lesion
how can coccidiosis of turkeys be prevented?
coccidiostat (monensin, diclazuril…)
toltrazuril, sulphonamides
(don’t use tiamulin with ionophores)
where is E. meleagrimitis found in turkeys?
upper small intestines
where is E. adenoids found in turkeys?
caecum an rectum
what is the intermediate host of Histomonas meleagradis?
Heterakis gallinarium
what does Histomonas meleagridis cause?
blackhead (histomoniasis)
how is histomoniasis controlled in turkeys?
flubendazol to control Heterakis
what is the main clinical sign of turkey coronavirus?
watery scour (9-11 weeks old)
what age turkeys are effected by astrovirus?
5-10 days old
what is the main clinical sign of astrovirus in turkeys?
typhilitis (caecum inflammation/infection)
what age is rotavirus seen in turkeys?
2-3 weeks old
what are the main clinical signs of rotavirus in turkeys?
enteritis and vent pecking
