Poultry Flashcards
1
Q
4 reasons why chicken so widely consumed.
A
Source of protein
Low in fat
Less environmental impacts than red meat
Cheap
2
Q
Lifespan of laying hen?
At what age do they start laying?
A
Around 1 year lifespan.
From around 16 weeks old.
3
Q
How does veterinary care work in the poultry industry?
A
Bigger production companies likely have their own in-house vets, whereas smaller production farms may use independent vets.
4
Q
What are important factors for larger scale production to pay attention to?
A
Food security
Disease control
Environmental factors
5
Q
What is the most common breed of duck? – describe it.
A
Peking – white with orange beak.
6
Q
What colour is a broiler usually?
What do they usually look like?
A
White.
Chunky with large leg and breast muscles.
7
Q
What colour is a laying hen usually?
Describe.
A
Brown.
Not as chunky with smaller breast and leg muscles.
8
Q
What do grandparent and parent flocks produce?
What do laying hens produce?
What is a pullet?
A
Broilers and layers.
Produce eggs we eat.
A young hen of less
9
Q
When did enriched cages come into effect?
When were battery cages banned?
A
2003.
2012.
10
Q
What is the benefit of enrichment cages?
What direction is the poultry industry heading in?
A
More space per bird.
More access to other resources.
Poultry industry heading towards free range farming.
11
Q
What do poultry farms require a high level of to get started?
Labour requirements?
What is the most important unit cost?
A
High level of financial capital.
Low labour.
Feed most important unit cost.
12
Q
What animals come under poultry?
A
Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails, pheasants.
13
Q
At what age are broiler chickens slaughtered?
How are broilers mostly kept?
A
5-6 weeks old.
Loose housed in indoor barns.
14
Q
Who is the egg market controlled by?
What are the production types for egg production?
Who is the broiler market controlled by?
What is the main production type in broiler production?
A
Major egg packers.
Contract production and company owned farms.
Processors control broiler market.
Nearly all contract.
15
Q
Who control the turkey market?
When is the turkey market most significant?
Who produce duck meat?
How many large integrated companies produce duck eggs?
A
2 large integrators control turkey market.
Christmas.
2 large integrated companies.
3.
16
Q
What does it mean for the poultry industry to be integrated?
A
Major companies now own/contract hire farms to grow broilers or rear hens.
They specify type of chick to be grown, diet, vac programme.
Often own are are in association with feed mills.
Check weight and health before slaughter.
Told when crop will be harvested.
17
Q
Main companies for laying hens?
Main companies for broilers?
Main companies for turkey?
Main companies for duck meat?
Main companies for duck eggs?
A
Stonegate, Noble Foods, The Lakes, Glenrath Farms, Oaklands, Fridays, Fairburns.
Two-Sisters, Vion, Faccenda, Cranberry, Sun Valley Foods, Moy Park.
Bernard Matthews, Faccenda.
Cherry Valley, Gressingham (do goose meat).
Watercress Lane, Noble Foods, Stonegate.
18
Q
How many poultry genetics companies are there uk?
What breeds a layers dominate the UK market?
A
6.
Hyline, Lohmann, Novogen.
19
Q
How many in the UK parent stock?
How many genetics companies for broilers?
What breeds of broilers domniate the UK market and what companies are associated with them?
A
200,000
4.
Cobbs (Cobb Breeding Company) and Rosses (Aviagen).
20
Q
Breeder companies for turkeys?
Breeder company for ducks?
Breeder company for geese?
A
Turkeys = British United and Nicholas Turkeys (Aviagen).
Ducks = Cherry Valley.
Geese = Gressingham.
21
Q
How much space per bird in conventional cages?
What other resources are included in enriched cages?
A
550cm squared.
Nest areas, perches and scratching areas.
22
Q
Features of furnished cages?
A
Barns separated into many small cages.
Large, closed buildings where temp, lighting, ventilation, food and water are carefully controlled.
23
Q
Describe barn housing?
A
Large barn that is closed where temp, lighting, ventilation, food and water are carefully controlled. Hens are loose.
24
Q
Describe free range housing.
A
Barn, with access to outside via ‘popholes’. Always have access to outside with adequate vegetation and cover in day.
25
What percentage of broilers are housed indoor?
Describe standard indoor broiler housing.
How many birds would be housed in a standard indoor broiler house?
94%.
Large, closed buildings with control over temp, ventilation, lighting, feed, water.
25,000-50,000 birds.
26
Describe improved indoor broiler housing.
Natural light through windows. Reduced stocking densities with environmental enrichment.
27
Describe free range broiler housing.
Access to outdoor range area for part of lives via 'popholes' in side of building.
28
Describe organic broiler housing.
Access to outdoor range for 2/3 of life. Use of enrichments like perches advised inside.
29
What is the maximum stocking density for all broilers?
33kg/m squared UNLESS certain extra stipulations are complied with eg greater requirements on record keeping and environment maintenance.
30
What are turkey producer allowed to do?
What are usually left on the turkey's neck? and why?
Allowed to slaughter birds and 'dress' them, or even leave birds 'uneviscerated' until point of sale.
Black feathers left to show dark colour of them.
31
What percentage turkeys housed indoors?
Describe standard indoor turkey housing. How many housed?
95%.
Reared on floor of large purpose-built sheds or converted farm buildings.
Up to 25,000 birds housed.
32
Describe pole barn housing.
What percentage of turkeys free range?
Describe free range turkey housing.
Upper part of the house walls open to allow natural light and air.
5% free range.
Turkeys have access to outdoor range area.
33
What products come from ducks and geese?
What goose are the geese derived from?
What are the ducks used derived from?
Eggs, meat, feathers, fatty liver (Foie Gras).
Greylag goose.
Wild mallard and Muscovy ducks.
34
Differences between swans & geese and ducks?
Swans and geese moult once a year but ducks moult twice per year.
Swans and geese tend to feed on ground but ducks tend to feed on water.
Swans and geese males and females tend to be same colour but ducks are dimorphic.
35
Duck stocking densities:
1d-10d on slatted.
1d-10d on solid littered.
10d-3w on slatted.
10d-3w on solid littered.
3w-8w on slatted.
3w-8w on solid littered.
Stocking density of free range ducks?
1-10d sl -- 50/m squared
1-10d sol -- 36/m squared
10d-3w sl -- 25/m squared
10d-3w sol -- 14/m squared.
3w-8w -- 8/m squared
3w-8w sol -- 7/m squared.
2,500 ducklings per hectare.
36
How is lighting used to bring birds into lay?
How can use of lighting keep birds calm?
How much dark time allowed for broilers?
How much dark time for layers and turkeys?
How many hours of light usually for layers in 24 hour period?
What day length to bring layers into lay?
Used to increase day length.
Dusk and dawn dimming.
6 hours dark for broilers.
8 hours dark for layers.
10-12 hours of light.
16 hours day length to lay.
37
What light flicker frequencies can a chicken detect up to?
90-100Hz.
38
List factors affecting the performance of poultry.
Genetics
Nutrition
Sex
Age
Water quality and availability
Temperature
Environmental pollution eg ammonia
Stockmanship
Stocking density
Disease and welfare.
39
What should the house temperature for layers be?
What should the humidity of the layer house be?
What should the layer house light intensity be?
What should the ammonia concentration be in the layer house?
What should CO2 levels be in layer house?
17-25 C for adults depending on system of production.
40-60% (up to 70-75% for short periods)
At least 10 lux. Nest boxes should be <1 lux.
<20ppm ammonia.
<3000ppm CO2.
40
What should the broiler house temp be?
What should the broiler house humidity be?
What should the light intensity be in the broiler house?
What should the ammonia conc be in broiler housing?
Carbon dioxide level?
Must be >3C above outside temp when outside temp exceeds 30C.
Must not exceed 70C when the outside temp is <10C.
At least 20 lux.
<20ppm ammonia.
<3000ppm CO2.
41
What is the thermal comfort zone defined as?
Conditions in which a bird is likely to be able to maintain body temp and not work excessively hard to do so eg by shivering when too cold or panting when too hot.
42
How long is the process of egg laying?
Describe process.
22-26hrs.
1.Yolk released by the ovary.
2. Yolk enters oviduct where fertilisation would take place.
3. Albumen forms around yolk in the oviduct.
4. Yolk and albumen held together by a thin membrane.
5. Shell added by the shell gland in the uterus.
6. Egg laid via the cloaca.
43
How long is the egg an 'incubator' for a chick?
What do the pores in the egg shell allow for?
What percentage lipid and protein is the yolk of an egg?
What percentage protein in the albumen?
21 days.
Pores allow movement of water vapour and gas exchange of O2 and CO2.
~33% lipid, 17% protein in yolk.
~ 10% protein in albumen.
44
What is the weight of a small egg?
What is the weight of a medium egg?
What is the weight of a large egg?
What is the weight of a very large egg?
<53g small.
53-63g medium
63-73g large.
>73g very large.
45
How many eggs might a red jungle fowl lay per year?
~20 eggs.
46
What are the negative effects of cage housing?
Cage layer fatigue.
Lack of performance of normal behaviour such as foraging and dust bathing.
Loss of freedom of movement, exercise, undisturbed rest ad escape.
Frustration, injurious pecking and mislaying of eggs.
47
What are welfare concerns of laying hens in free range housing?
Keel damage
Injurious pecking
Mortality
48
What seems to be the main cause of keel damage?
What can keel damage cause?
How can keel damage be avoided?
collisions with furnishings around the laying house eg perches that are fixed and raised.
Can cause pain and reduced mobility and reduced productivity.
By understanding how the birds move around the house, making sure common flight paths are not obstructed, provide ramps so chickens can move between levels more easily, consider perch design.
49
What is gently feather pecking?
What is severe feather pecking?
What is cannibalism?
What is vent pecking?
What are the productive negatives of pecking?
What is the root cause of feather pecking?
Pecking at tips of feather of flock mate.
Pecking and pulling at feather of flock mates, sometime with feather removal.
Pecking at the skin and underlying tissue of flock mates.
Cannibalism localised at the vent.
Increased feed consumption, increased mortality, decreased production.
Feather pecking is redirected foraging behaviour due to poor litter, lack of foraging opportunity, inappropriate diet, underuse of range, exacerbated stress, breed variation.
50
What is the aim of beak trimming?
What percentage of the beak should be removed?
At what age should this take place?
What are the different methods used?
What are welfare implication of beak trimming?
to blunt the tip of the beak to make it less damaging.
<33% removed.
Before chick is 10d old.
Hot or cold blade, robotic, chemical, laser.
Acute/chronic pain, behavioural change.
51
What are short term effects of beak trimming?
What are log term effects of beak trimming?
Acute pain, tight restraint, suspension by head, distress.
Sensory deprivation, neuroanatomical effects, less active, less pecking behaviour, eating less, slower growth.
52
Issues with hot blade trimming?
Advantages of infrared trimming.
-Possible formation of neuromas
-Shorter beaks
-Scar tissue
-No open wound
-Reduced operator error
-Gradual change in beak shape
-Reduced stress
-Reduced feather pecking
-Improved feather conditions
-Improved feeding behaviour
53
When was there a plan for beak trimming to be banned?
2010.
54
What legislates beak trimming across the EU?
EU Council Directive.
55
How feather pecking be avoided?
Keep movement between housing as stress free as possible -- match lighting, feed type and height, feed times and perching types and system, flooring, avoid mixing diff groups.
Carefully plan onset to lay -- onset at <19w old increases feather pecking.
Allow access to range earlier to increase use, access to shelter.
Access to good litter, foraging opportunities -- hay, straw, alfalfa blocks
Encourage routine with lighting, staggered lighting.
Dust baths.
Adequate feed.
Parasite and disease control.
Consider the effects of the mix of individuals.
Enrichment.
Verandas.
56
What are the main causes of mortality in free range systems?
Disease
Predation
Smothering
Injurious pecking
57
What parts of the chicken are used for meat?
Breast, leg and wing muscles.
58
What are the production and welfare concerns for broilers?
- Their rapid growth weight can cause heart defects and lameness.
- The performance of their normal behaviour relies on their space allowance and facilities they are provided with.
- Foot pad dermatitis/ pododermatitis/ hock burn.
- Breeding flocks: Mating injury and hunger.
59
What EU legislation applies to broiler, when did it come into effect and what flock types does it apply to?
Broiler Directive.
30th June 2010.
Applies to flocks of >500 birds (non organic, free range, parent flocks, chick brooding, and hatching)
60
What are the requirements for the max 33kg/m squared SD?
Minimise drinker spillage; feed ad lib, provide dry friable litter; minimise noise levels; max light intensity 20 lux; at least 6hrs darkness (4 continuous); 2 daily flock inspections; thorough cleaning; comprehensive records of numbers, mortality rates; and usable area per bird.
61
What is the higher max stocking density allowance for systems that meet more stringent requirements?
What are these more stringent requirements?
What could an even higher SD be with even more stringent conditions.
39kg/m squared.
Must inform competent authority (APHA); record detailed technical house info, ammonia not exceeding 20ppm, CO2 not exceeding 3000ppm, house temp never exceeding 3C more than outside temp (when 30C or more); relative humidity <70% when <10C outside.
42kg/m squared.
62
Who checks the chicken in the abattoir and what do they check for?
Where is the data returned to?
What data is collected?
What will an exceeded score trigger?
What could be the result of this in future?
- Vet checks fir health and welfare problems.
- FSA (Food Standards Agency).
- PM inspection to check for contact dermatitis, parasitism, systemic illnesses.
-Triggers an alert to the productions company/farm.
-Reduced stocking densities in future.
63
What is used to assess lameness?
What effect may lameness have on production? why?
What is the result of rapid broiler growth rate? -- What is the solution?
What is foot pad dermatitis/hock burn?
--Cause? -- solution?
-Bristol gait score.
-Reduced production -- may not be able to reach food, so reduced growth and increased mortality.
-Causes broken limbs and rickets. -- Keep birds active with enrichments and perches and select for breeds with lower lameness incidence.
-Lesions on the feet and legs.
-Caused by wet litter and inappropriate litter materials. -- Solve by use of wood shavings, good drainage and management and appropriate ventilation to control humidity.
64
What does ventilation control?
What does high humidity cause?
When is dust hazardous to health?
-humidity and air quality.
-causes wet litter and heat stress due to difficulty to thermoregulate.
-When it is present in the air at conc >10mg/m cubed of inhalable dust.
65
What causes high ammonia levels?
What does the combo of dust and ammonia cause?
Wet litter.
Resp disease, infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma, infectious Coryza.
66
Requirements for minimum ventilation?
What is the minimum ventilation for all classes of poultry?
Supply fresh air for O2, remove sufficient CO2, moisture and air pollutants.
2m cubed of air per second per tonne of feed consumed daily.
67
In breeding, what is red jungle fowl courtship behaviour?
Feather ruffling, waltzing, crowing, tidbitting, high step advance, wing-flapping.
68
What issue can occur to hen in mating?
Damage to feather condition due to aggressive mating.
69
How is obesity overcome in broiler breeders?
What is the feed intake of broiler breeder in rear?
What is the feed intake of broiler breeder in laying period?
Feed restriction
25-33% ad lib intake.
50-90% ad lib intake.
70
What are indicators of hunger and stress in feed restricted broiler breeders?
Hyperactivity
Pacing
Stereotypic pecking
Over drinking
High feeding motivation
Increased plasma corticosterone
Increased heterophil/lymphocyte ratio in blood.
71
Solution to hunger in broiler breeders?
Environmental enrichment
Scatter feeding -- foraging
Diluted feed eg with oat hulls.
72
What are welfare concerns for turkeys with lack of space? -- solutions?
Foot pad lesions, heat stress
-- Solve with litter management, good ventilation, and thinning (remove Fs at 18w to give more room for bigger males.
73
What are welfare concerns for turkeys that cannot perform normal behaviour?
--solution?
Injurious pecking, frustration and stress.
--Solve with enrichments, beak trimming, low light levels.
74
What are the welfare concerns for turkeys that experience poor handling and transport?
Risk of bone fracture, dislocated hips and bruising.
75
What is an essential provision for ducks?
What does this provide?
What does legislation state?
Access to open water -- provides opportunity to perform normal behaviour and clean feathers and eyes.
Legislation states ducks must be able to immerse heads under the water source.
76
What is a welfare concern for ducks that cannot perform normal behaviour?
-- Solution?
Injurious pecking.
Access to open water and other enrichments for foraging, beak trim.
77
Why is litter management so important for ducks?
They flick water around.
78
What could be the cause of a duck not being able to right themselves after falling onto their back?
Inappropriate body shape, lack of muscle strength, nutritional deficiency or disease.
79
What is the role of the vet in managing poultry disease?
Disease prevention with biosecurity, flock health planning, vaccinations and other prev med.
80
What are synonyms for Newcastle disease?
Is there a cure?
3 trophics of Newcastle disease?
Mortality?
Avian Distemper, Paramyxovirus, Fowl Pest.
No cure.
Neurotrophic, viscerotrophic, pneumotrophic.
High mortality.
81
What is Avian Influenza caused by?
Vaccination?
What will the low pathogenic strain cause?
What will high pathogenic strain cause?
Caused by orthmyxovirus.
Rapid mutation rate so vac almost impossible.
Mild resp signs -- sneezing, runny nose and eyes, lethargy.
Appear v sick -- swollen head, blue discolouration of neck and throat, appetite loss, resp distress (eg gaping beak), coughing, sneezing, gurgling, rattling, diarrhoea, fewer eggs laid, death.
82
How is AI spread?
Direct contact, contact with contaminated bodily fluids eg faeces.
83
Who must be informed if suspicion of notifiable avian disease? -- what will they do?
In what case could a bird without disease test positive on serological test?
What is enforced?
APHA. -- take care of testing.
If animal vaccinated against AI.
Exclusion zones around affected farms and movement restrictions are enforced.
84
What are biosecurity measures taken in case of outbreak?
-Exclusion of wildlife
-Taking care with movements of people on or off farm (48hr exclusion)
-Clean PPE and provision of footbaths and showers.
-House disinfection between flocks
Pasture management (rest/rotation)
-Clean feed and water, sterilise bedding.
-Regular health checks
-All in/all out system
-Vax
85
What do nutritional requirement depend on?
Physiology
Species
Age
Purpose of the animal kept eg breeding, broilers, layers
Housing
86
What should feed also provide as well as nutrition?
What percentage of time do junglefowl spend foraging?
Performance of normal behaviour eg foraging.
~60%
87
What are specific poultry nutritional requirements based around?
Feathers
Egg and shell
Bone health in layers
Meat
88
What are the nutritional requirements for feather health?
Nutritional requirements for egg and shell production?
Methionine and cysteine.
Calcium, phosphorous and trace elements, proteins, cantaxanthin, carotenoid for yolk pigments.
89
What are nutritional requirements for Bone health in laying hens?
What is the nutritional requirement for meat production?
Calcium, phosphorous, omega 3 and omega 6.
Protein.
90
Importance of water.
Impacts growth and performance.
Insufficient supply leads to increased mortality.
Increased water requirements for sick animals.
Common way of administering vaccines and meds to treat whole flock simultaneously.
Behavioural needs for waterfowl.
91
What is the relationship between energy conc of feed and feed intake?
Why is the control of energy conc of feed so important?
As conc of energy increases, intake decreases.
The decreased intake due to high energy conc may cause decreased intake of other nutrients. Nutrient density must be managed to ensure all requirements are met.
92
How can we change energy density?
Fats -- increased fats increase energy density.
Dietary fibre -- increased dietary fibre decreases energy density.
93
What are the main energy sources of UK and EU poultry?
What does it contain?
Wheat and barley.
Contain non-starch polysaccharides for dietary fibre.
94
Why are non-starch polysaccharides indigestible?
What are the 2 forms of NSPs?
What are the negative effects of the 2 types?
How do commercial poultry feeds aid digestion of NSPs?
Poultry lack the enzymes to break them down.
Water soluble and water insoluble.
Water soluble = increase digesta viscosity so reduce nutrient absorption so cause loose faeces/colitis.
Feeds include enzyme supplements to aid digestion -- includes amylase, protease, xylanase, B-glucanases.
95
What is the grinding organ in the bird?
-- what does it do?
--> What should poultry be provided with?
What may proper functioning of this organ affect?
Gizzard.
-- breaks down seeds and nuts to aid their digestion.
--> Provide poultry with grit.
May affect satiety, gout transit time, gut pH (HCl secretion), microflora. May disrupt oocysts (Coccidia).
96
What is the positive of insoluble fibre?
Viscosity of the digesta decreased, allowing better absorption of nutrients for overall better feed conversion and allows managers to feed less.
97
What does a moderate amount of insoluble fibre cause?
-Decreased small intestine and proventriculus weight and increased gizzard showing improved GIT function.
-Increased gizzard weight associated with increased HCl and digestive enzyme secretion.
-Increased amylase production in the pancreas improves starch digestion.
-Increased bile acid in the jejunum improves fat digestion.
-Reduction in oocyst counts.
-Increased time for nutrient uptakes and increased period of satiety due to slow feed passage rate.
-Reduced motivation to forage due to increased satiety.
-Dilution of feed decreases energy conc of feed and increases time spent foraging -- decreased injurious pecking.
98
How is fat included in the poultry diet?
Why is fat important alongside carbs?
What are the performance advantages of dietary fats in layers?
How does fat help growth?
-Soya oil, soya acid oil, recycled veg oil, poor fat blend.
-Higher percentage ME utilised from fats compared with carbs.
-Heavier egg weights, increased proportion of yolk compared to albumen.
-Hwelps absorption of micronutrients -- fat soluble vitamins -- A (bone metabolism), D (calcium absorption), E (meat quality), K (blood clotting, protective against coccidiosis).
99
What are essential fatty acids for poultry?
Linoleic acid, linolenic acid (omega 6 and 3).
100
What oil is high in linoleic acid?
What are the effects of linoleic acid deficiency?
Soya oil.
-Zero hatchability
-Respiratory infections
-Poor egg production
-Small egg size
-Low fertility
101
What is important to get right with omega 3 and 6?
How is omega 3 consumed in the natural diet of a laying hen?
What is the content of omega 3 and 6 in commercial diet and why?
What are diets supplemented with? -- What outcomes has this supplementation been associated with?
Their ratio.
Green leaves.
Relatively high omega 6 and low omega 3 due to grain content.
Omega 3 supplemented.
Reduced keel damage.
102
What essential amino acids are supplied in feed?
What amino acids of the poultry diet are synthesised from other amino acids?
Where can synthetic fatty acids nit be given in feed?
What are the synthetic fatty acids?
Methionine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, arginine.
Tyrosine, cysteine, hydroxylysine.
In organic flocks.
-DL methionine
-L lysine
-L threonine
-L tryptophan
-L valine
103
What percentage protein in pullet diet?
Mass of protein for layers? -- when should this be stepped up?
What percentage protein in broiler diet?
What percentage protein in turkey diet?
What percentage protein in duck diet?
What percentage protein in goose diet?
14.8% for pullets.
15-18g/day for layers. -- step up at onset of lay/peak lay, decreases with age.
18-23% for broilers.
16-28% for turkeys.
16-22% for ducks.
15-20% for geese.
104
What can the deficiency of a single essential amino acid cause?
What can an excess of any essential amino acid above requirement cause?
Causes limit to performance irrespective to supply of other amino acids.
Causes catabolism (oxidation to reduce energy) which wastes protein which is expensive. Also poor performance.
105
What percentage of the global warming potential of poultry systems does feed production and transport contribute to?
Eutrophication potential of manure management?
~70%.
~40-60%
106
What can calcium deficiency lead to?
What can excess of calcium cause?
What is calcium important for?
Weak bones, poor egg numbers, soft/broken egg shells.
Reduced egg numbers.
Bones, eggs, cells, tissue fluid, enzyme activity in NS and muscle contraction.
107
What does calcium need to be balanced with and what are these components for?
What disease can be cause by Ca, P or vit D deficiency?
Balance with vit D for calcium absorption and phosphorous which is the other constituent of bone.
Rickets -- cannot stand, soft beaks.
108
What about calcium and phosphorous must be appropriate and why?
In who is this much higher?
Ratio (Norm = 2:1) -- abnormal ratio can lead to bone deformations in feet of broiler chicks.
Ratio much higher in layers.
109
What form is calcium supplemented in?
Consequence of too much calcium?
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) (limestone) and oyster shell.
Too much makes food unpalatable.
110
Other functions of phosphorous?
What does phosphorous deficiency cause?
What is a good source of phosphorous for poultry?
Phospho-proteins, phospholipids, nucleic acids.
Reproductive failure and suboptimal growth.
Cereals.
111
What us the problem with cereals?
~80% complexed as contain phytate and chickens lack phytase enzyme to break them down.
112
How would phytate usually be broken down?
How can poultry be helped in digesting cereals?
What is the advantage of this over supplementing inorganic phosphorous?
By phytase synthesised by bacteria in the hindgut.
By supplementation of bacteria derived phytase.
Large amount of inorganic phosphorous is excreted so reduce pollution, cost and improve phosphorous utilisation.
113
What are other vitamins and minerals important for normal growth and productivity?
What is a cheap and cost effective way to supplements vit and mins?
What are chelated minerals?
Disadvantages of chelated minerals?
Vit E/selenium for fertility.
Vit B for embryo dev.
Inorganic mineral salts.
Inorganic minerals attached to a substrate eg AA complex to help overcome potential poor bioavailabilty.
Higher cost per active unit of mineral and use in monogastric diets limited due to limited data.
114
Why can feed composition not be predicted in advance?
What must be done instead?
It is based on feed intake which cannot be predicted.
Measure feed intake and bird weight accurately, use automatic bird and feed weighers, blend between high and low protein feeds under real time computer control in response to observed intake.
115
What is advantageous of a pelleted feed?
What is advantageous of a mashed feed?
No selectivity so consumption of all parts of feed so no components left behind so cost effective.
Increased time spent feeding, reducing injurious pecking.
116
How are broilers, layers, turkeys, ducks and geese fed?
How are broiler breeders fed?
Fed ad lib feed and water.
Feed restricted to control body weight and maximise egg production.
117
What does excess liveweight in breeding females during laying result in?
-Reduced egg laying performance
-Possible mortality of embryos
-High egg size in late lay could cause reduced egg shell quality and hatchability.
-High specification of vits and trace element premix required.
118
How are broiler hens and cockerels fed?
What is hen feed intake at peak?
Fed separately -- hens in feeder track with 'toast rack', cockerels fed in separate tube feeders.
165-170g/hen/d.
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What does the right diet during rear impact?
Liveweight, uniformity, physiological age/maturity.
120
What does liveweight at point of lay affect?
Laying performance, egg size, persistency.
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What is the early feeding of broilers limited by?
What is the best starter feed for broilers?
How many diets are used for a broiler's life?
-Feed consumption that stimulates dev of digestive tract.
- Enzyme supply limits digestive processes for 3-5 days.
-Bile supply limits fat digestion in first 7 days.
4 or 5 diets.
High protein starter feed.
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Whta would the optimisation of feed intake to maximise feed conversion ratio lead to?
What is the difference in mortality between slow and fast growing broiler systems?
Leg weakness and mortality.
Slow = 0%
Rapid = 11%
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What are backyard poultry?
Non-commercial birds eg for exhibition, pets, egg laying, raised for meat, rescue birds.
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What small chicken breed kept as pets?
What heavy chicken breeds kept as pets?
What light chicken breeds kept as pets?
True Bantams.
Barnevelder, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, Buff Orpington -- eat more, lay less.
Campine, Leghorn, Minorca, ScotsGrey
-- lay more but tend to be flighty.
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What modern hybrids kept as pets?
What other chicken types kept as pets?
What other poultry could be kept as pets?
Black roack, Speckeldy, Bluebelle, Sussex.
Rescued battery hens.
Ducks, geese, turkeys, partridges, quail, guinea fowl, pigeons, pheasants, ostriches, emus, rhea.
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How many backyard poultry are in the UK?
What is potentially an important source of disease transmission in backyard poultry?
750,000.
Poor biosecurity.
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Who keeps a poultry register?
What is the requirement regarding this register?
What must be checked before keeping poultry?
DEFRA.
Compulsory to register if keep >50 birds at any time of year.
Local council laws in case they ban keeping of poultry.
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What are the regulations re egg sales?
Only stamped, class A eggs to be sold to restaurants and shops and only if part of Salmonella Flock Plan.
Unstamped eggs to be sold to friends/family/colleagues or at farm gate.
Must keep records of medicines and observe withdrawal periods.
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What flocks must comply with the 'National Control Programme of Salmonella in Laying Flocks'?
What are the exceptions?
Flocks on premises with more than 350 laying hens which are not accredited to any assurance scheme.
-All production is for private domestic use.
-Holding has fewer than 350 hens and supplies direct to the consumer or via local retailers.
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What is the required sample for chicks (salmonella)?
What is the required sample for
1 chick delivery box liner (or hatchery tray liner) for every 500 chicks delivered. Up to a maximum of 10 liners for every batch delivered. Carcasses of all dead-on-arrival chicks (to a maximum of 60) from each hatchery delivery.
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What is the sample required for pullet rearing (salmonella)?
2 pairs of boot swabs OR a large composite faeces sample (for cage rearing) 2 weeks before moving to the layer house/unit?
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Sample required for layers during lay (Salmonella).
2 pairs of boot swabs (barn or free range) OR 2 x 150g composite faeces sample (cage) taken between 22-26 weeks old and repeated every 15 weeks during production.
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Sample required for broilers (Salmonella).
2 pairs of boot swabs per flock within the 3 weeks before the birds are due for slaughter.
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What happens after a positive test in a laying flock?
A series of confirmatory tests for Salmonella enteritidis or Salmonella typhimurium.
If salmonella confirmed, sell eggs as class B with shells removed and eggs pasteurised.
If negative, can go back to selling eggs as class A and as whole eggs.
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How can salmonella be prevented in a poultry flock?
-Rodent control plan
-Buy vaccinated birds
-Test sheds, runs and droppings.
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What are considerations to make when obtaining birds?
-What humans, pets or wildlife they have been exposed to.
-Are different batches kept separate?
-Transportation for them to be delivered.
-Vaccinations already received.
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Where are reputable sources to buy birds from?
Specialist breeders
Agents
Market
Dealer
Garden centre
Rescue birds (ex-batteries)
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What is the quarantine period required for new arrivals when only replacing part of the flock?
Minimum 14 days -- 30-60 days preferably.
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Eggs per week from hybrid hens in 1st year?
Eggs per week in 2nd year?
Eggs per week in 3rd year?
6-7 per week.
5-6 per week.
3-4 per week.
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Backyard poultry housing requirements.
Shelter from wind and rain
Ventilation
Protection from predation
Dry safe area to sleep
Secluded area for laying
Perches
Enough space
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What is the importance of space in chicken housing?
Need of space indoor as may need to be kept in in particularly bad weather.
Need the space to perform normal perching, ground pecking and flapping behaviours.
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What is the disadvantage of triangular pens?
What may be the best option for indoor housing for backyard poultry?
How can choice of litter reduce resp disease?
Birds often only stand in the tallest part of the cage.
Adapted garden shed.
Use dust extracted bedding
Carefully source straw and hay to ensure they do not contain fungal spores.
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What can wet litter cause?
What is wet litter caused by?
Solution?
Fungal resp problems.
Leg and foot health issues
Behavioural problems linked to frustration associated with inability to perform normal behaviours eg foraging, dustbathing.
Defecation, drinker spillage and leaks.
Spot clean daily or change entire litter regularly.
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What is the water requirement for waterfowl?
For what purpose?
Water enough to dunk their heads in.
Wash eyes and bathe to keep feather in good watertight condition.
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What is the reason to not have open water inside the housing?
Alternative?
Too messy.
Use open trough, paddling pool or pond liner outside housing (for just a few).
Ensure to empty static water and clean and sanitise the water daily to reduce risk of botulism.
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Best feed option for backyard poultry?
What should be offered in the afternoon? -- Why?
Commercial feed best as matches age and purpose of birds -- feed ad lib in morning.
Wholegrain offered in afternoon -- Stays in crop longer and keeps full overnight.
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Examples of wholegrains good for the winter. -- when can you start to feed this? -- why?
Wheat, oats and kibble maize. -- once bird 12 weeks old -- as gizzard not fully developed until then.
148
What is a good option for vegetable offering?
What is poisonous to chickens?
What can be given as treats and under what conditions?
Cabbage hung up.
Avocados.
Mealworms only if processed in accordance with the Animal-by-product regulations.
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How long does it take to gradually change feed for poultry?
Risks associated with poultry obesity?
1 week.
Fatty liver --> could get haemorrhagic and die.
Heat stroke in warm weather or if chased.
150
How long does it take to gradually change feed for poultry?
Risks associated with poultry obesity?
1 week.
Fatty liver --> could get haemorrhagic and die.
Heat stroke in warm weather or if chased.
151
What can waste food attract? -- associated risks?
Rodents and/or wild birds -- wild birds carry avian influenza.
152
Points for wing clipping.
Purpose
Prevents escape, not pinioning, clip one wing only, use a quality pair of scissors, carried out once every year, get someone to hold bird.
153
Purpose of beak tipping in backyard poultry?
Points.
Overgrown beak.
Top beak clipped back to meet with the lower beak, not painful, not a mutilation.
154
Why do some back yard poultry get their claw trimmed? Tools?
Why are cockerel spurs trimmed?
They get long, esp in permanently housed poultry.
Nail clippers for smaller birds and larger clipper eg sheet foot shears for larger birds. Only remove nail beyond vein.
Cockerel spurs trimmed as can cause injury during fighting and mating.
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What is the main cause of feather loss on the backs of breeding hens?
How can they be protected from this?
Continual treading by the male during mating.
Can put canvas or leather saddles on them.
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What is a broody hen likely to do?
How do you treat a broody hen?
Sit on a clutch of eggs and hatch them. Sit for 21 days, lose condition and stop laying. they fluff uo their feathers in order to appear larger and may become aggressive and 'nest hog'.
Provide a broody coop with a wired bottom so the hen can be cooled from underneath.
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Common disease in backyard poultry.
Marek's disease (often fatal)
E.Coli (can lead to Colispeticaemia)
Gumoro disease (infectious bursal disease)
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What is it Marek's?
Symptom?
Vax?
Diagnosis?
Herpes type virus.
Causes limb paralysis.
Yes, vac early as strikes young birds.
Diagnosis by periodic medical examination and histopathology.
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What does E.Coli cause?
Diagnosis?
Yolk sac infection in chicks during the first week of life, egg peritonitis.
Diagnosis by PME.
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What is Gumboro disease?
In what birds does it cause high mortality?
Vaccination?
A highly contagious viral infection.
In rearing birds <16 weeks old.
Rare in backyard flocks but vac via drinking water may be advised for high value birds.
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What are the main zoonoses of backyard poultry?
What are others?
Notifable in the UK?
E.Coli, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria.
Erysipelas, ornithosis, clostridium, crytococcus, cryposporidiosis, arcobacter butzleri, helicobacter pullorum, MRSA, staphylococcus.
Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease notifiable in the UK.
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Control of Newcastle disease?
Avian influenza control?
Regulation regarding notifiable diseases?
Vac in most commercial flocks.
National surveillance programme and antibody testing.
Anyone in possession of anybody or bird carcase (excluding wild bird or wild bird carcase) which they suspect may be infected with a notifiable avian disease must notify APHA immediately.
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Process of notifying APHA of NAD.
Disease suspected, notify APHA and discuss clinical signs. If NAD can be ruled out, then no action.
If still suspect, APHA visit and either rule out NAD or O reminded not to move birds on or off premises and official investigation occurs.
Either disease ruled out and movement restriction lifted or NAD declared onsite and move to epidemiological investigation.
Either disease ruled out and restrictions lifted, inconclusive and directions given, or disease confirmed and more rigorous directions given.
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What are the symptoms of worm infestation?
Weight loss, depression, lose condition, poor growth, fatalities, lameness in waterfowl.
165
What does caecal worm carry and what does this cause?
Carries another protozoan parasite with facultative bacteria which causes Blackhead which is cyanosis of the head in turkeys. Can also affect chickens, pheasants or gamebirds but is fatal in turkeys.
166
How can worm infestation be prevented?
Routine worming - Flubenvet/Elanco.
Resting land to avoid build up of worms and eggs.
Runs and paddocks should not be overloaded with too many birds.
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Symptoms of Red Mite.
Visible mites
Irritation, restlessness, tiredness
Anaemia
Reduction in condition and production -- reduced egg numbers and egg quality
Blood spots on eggs
Injurious pecking -- feather damage/loss
Increased mortality
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Diagnosis of Red Mites?
Diff between lice and mites?
Mite life cycle on host?
Mite life cycle in environment?
Cause of red mite spread?
Hard lens magnifying glass, microscopy.
Lice are bigger and have 6 legs while mites have 8 legs.
Lice, Northern Fowl, scaly leg, depluming.
Red mite, egg, larva, protonymph, adult.
-Bought in birds
-Wild birds
-Feed
-Second hand equipment
-Visitors' dirty clothing.
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How can red mites be prevented?
Use materials like metal and plastic with minimal joins -- mite unfriendly (wood = mite friendly).
Pay attention to detail when disinfecting, use insecticide/acaricide,
do these things routinely.
Inspect chickens and environment routinely, set mite traps, carry out spec inspections in warm weather at night.
Intermittent lighting but illegal in UK.
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How to treat red mites in flocks?
How to treat backyard poultry for red mites?
How to treat in both?
-Oral Exzolt -- has 0 days eggs withdrawal and 14d for meat and offal.
-Topical or injectable -- has egg withdrawal at least 7 days after last treatment and 28 days for meat and offal.
-Oral Exzolt -- 50ml or 1L bottle. -- 0.2ml/2kg hen/treatment. or oral garlic which is herbal with 0 days egg withdrawal.
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Environmental control of red mites?
-Powders -- silica, diatomaceous earths.
-Insecticide/acaricide -- spot-treat, routine.
-Plant extracts -- garlic, veg oil.
-Cellulose -- Harmonix.
-Biological -- predator mites.
-Heat -- Raise house temp to 56C
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Food safety around red mite treatment for larger flocks.
Food safety for backyard poultry re red mite ctrl.
Must have 0 day egg withdrawal.
-Forbidden to use SA exemption products.
-Products for food producing animals eg oral and injectable -- ivermectin, moxidectin.
-Statutory withdrawal periods.
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What is coccidiosis?
Result of mild exposure?
Result of sever exposure?
Cycle?
An infection with Eimeria protozoan.
Mild -- Protective immunity.
Severe -- Intestinal damage.
Oocysts consumed --> cell walls broken down --> infective sporocysts released --> change into sporozoites --> invade cell walls --> merizoites produced --> cause more cell damage --> New oocysts produced and excreted.
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Symptoms of coccidiosis?
Diagnosis of coccidiosis?
Treatment for coccidiosis
Control coccidiosis?
Wet, watery droppings may contain blood.
Anaemia. Blood poisoning in severe cases.
Faecal egg counts.
Coccisiocide -- Toltrazuril, Amprolium.
Regular removal of bedding and droppings. Vaccination available.
175
What makes poultry prone to respiratory disease?
Common respiratory disease in chickens?
Their high ammonia and dusty environment.
Infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma, infectious Coryza. -- Also affects quail, pheasants and guinea fowl too.
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Symptoms of infectious bronchitis?
Treatment?
Spread?
Coughing, sneezing, rattling, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, facial swelling, decreased feed intake, decreased egg production, misshapen eggs, ridged, thin egg shell.
May not be treated if uncomplicated. ABX if severe or other contributory infection. Vac available.
Droplet infection through the air, contaminated material and equipment with faeces.
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Symptoms of mycoplasma?
Mycoplasma diagnosis?
Mycoplasma treatment?
What may cause mycoplasma to re-emerge and why?
Coughing, nasal discharge, sinus and head swelling, conjunctivitis, loss of vigour and condition, gasping, swollen joints (mycoplasma synoviae), mortality.
Diagnosed through serology or PCR.
Treat with ABX in drinking water.
Stress -- treatment can reduce clinical disease but mycoplasma may lie dormant.
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Symptoms of infectious Coryza?
Diagnosis?
Treatment?
Facial and wattle swelling, eye and nasal discharge, sinusitis, sneezing, laboured breathing, loss of condition, reduced egg production, loss of appetite.
Diagnosed by isolation and ID of bacteria.
Treat with ABX.
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What does normal poultry excretion look like?
Abnormal?
Firm, brown w/ white top (urates).
Yellow foamy or bloody.
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Possible causes of diarrhoea?
Treatment/advice?
Coccidiosis, worms, viral (rotavirus, adenovirus), Bacterial (brachspria), feed too high in protein causing polydipsia.
Check for coccidia and worms, use coccidiostat or wormer, microscopy of droppings for spirochetes (medicate with tiamulin), add Biostop to water, ensure drinking water is fresh and clean, check feed quality, cut down treats, remove wet bedding and replace.
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What ducks are susceptible to Duck Virus Enteritis?
When is it most prevalent?
Spread by?
Symptoms?
Diagnosis?
Muscovy and Indian Runner ducks.
April-June.
Contact with wild or feral species.
Reduced appetite, ataxia, watery and bloody diarrhoea, increased mortality.
Diagnosed by PME and histopathology.
182
Symptoms of Goose Parvovirus?
Diagnosis?
Rapid progression with anorexia, prostration, death.
Diagnosed by PME, histopathology, virus isolation and/or serology.
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Symptoms of rickets?
Treatment of rickets?
Cause?
Lameness, hock swelling, reluctance to stand or walk, pliable limb bones and beak, splayed legs and other deformities, poor growth, reduce bwt, squat when resting.
Treat with vit D in drinking water.
Diet not properly balanced with calcium, vit D and phosphorous.
