Poultry 3, 4, 5 and 6

Question 1

How do we select for moderate to high heritability traits

Answer 1

Via phenotypic selection

Question 2

How do we select for sex limited or destructive traits or poorly heritable

Answer 2

Must use family selection i.e selecting sister line

Question 3

What is BLUP in breeding

Answer 3

Best linear unbiased prediction
Used to work out the breeding value of chickens

Question 4

What determines rates of progess in pedigree selection

Answer 4

Selection intensity
Heritability

Question 5

What is the selection pressure (%) if maintaining an 1000 female population and producing 40,000 offspring

Answer 5

2.5%

Question 6

What does a destructive trait mean

Answer 6

Destructive to get the data out e.g with disease resistance must do a disease challenge

Question 7

Is body weight and egg production selection synergistic or antagonistic

Answer 7

Antagonistic

Question 8

Is weight gain and feed conversion efficiency traits synergistic or antagonistic

Answer 8

Antagonistic

Question 9

Is conformation and breast meat synergistic or antagonistic

Answer 9

Synergistic

Question 10

Is breast meat and abdominal fat synergistic or antagonistic

Answer 10

Antagonistic

Question 11

How many pure lines are involved in crossing to reach broiler level usually

Answer 11

4

Question 12

How would additive genetics manifest if considering a broiler from 4 pure breed lines + example

Answer 12

The trait would be the mean of the performance in the 4 lines
e.g growth

Question 13

How could heterosis work in crossing pure lines

Answer 13

Genes combine in the cross so can get a trait larger than the value of the two
e.g with egg production
Called hybrid vigour

Question 14

What feed conversion rate is target for a 1kg of meat

Answer 14

1.5kg feed
(or 1.55)

Question 15

WHat mortality rates should farmers aim for

Answer 15

3%

Question 16

What do we need to be careful of when feeding broiler breeding stock

Answer 16

They have the genes for growth rate and feed conversion so LARGE APPETITE
But if they gain too much weight will impact on egg laying (their function) so need to control eating

Question 17

How are males fed differently to females in broiler breeding

Answer 17

Fed much less
Because the genes for body weight and growth rate mostly run in male line so would get much heavier on the same feed as females

Question 18

Main difference with feeding layer breeders vs broiler breeders

Answer 18

Don’t need to control body weight and feed nearly as much in layers (as don’t have genes for feed conversion)

Question 19

What temperature should eggs be kept at on farm

Answer 19

Between 15 and 17*C

Question 20

What is different about turkey breeding

Answer 20

All commercial turkeys in UK are bred via artificial insemination

Question 21

What age do we rear broiler layers to before moving to laying accommodation

Answer 21

18 weeks

Question 22

What age do we rear turkey breeders to before moving to laying farm

Answer 22

20 weeks

Question 23

How do we breed pheasants

Answer 23

Keep in communal pens or small pens at ratio of 1 (cock):10

Question 24

How do we breed partidges

Answer 24

Keep in pair boxes of one male and one female

Question 25

How many days do we incubate chicken eggs (gallus gallus)

Answer 25

18 days

Question 26

How is air movement in hatcheries controlled for hygiene

Answer 26

Higher pressure air at setter area (egg incubation) Lower pressure air at the hatchers SO air flows from the cleaner area to the dirtier area + air is filtered and conditioned for temperature and humidity in the different areas

Question 27

How is embryo survival changes with storage time

Answer 27

Decreases

Question 28

What angle are setter trays kept at and how often are they turned

Answer 28

45* Turned every hour

Question 29

After how many days setting are eggs transferred to hatcheries

Answer 29

18 days

Question 30

At what stage would we do in ovo vaccination

Answer 30

When moving the eggs from setter trays to hatchery

Question 31

What factors do hatchers need to control

Answer 31

Humidity: since it increases as chicks hatch must remove this Temperature: removes heat because lots of embryo heat generated

Question 32

At what day in relation to setting are chicks removed from hatch box

Answer 32

21 days - May give probiotics - Vaccinate if not done yet

Question 33

What is the advantage of nest born systems i.e taking 18 day old eggs to farm to hatch directly into barn

Answer 33

Can access feed and water straight after hatching

Question 34

What is the standard hatchability

Answer 34

85%

Question 35

What factors should be considered when predicting hatchability

Answer 35

Age of the flock Breed

Question 36

What does egg breakout study mean

Answer 36

Take one tray that is representative of the whole flock and look at non hatch debris to assess at what stage the chick died

Question 37

What factors should we look into if there is an issue with infertility

Answer 37

Female and male management Cock rations Lighting programmes

Question 38

What should we look into if there is an issue with early dead embryos (2-5 days)

Answer 38

Nest management Egg handling and storage Often related to temperature interuption during egg storage; so starting incubation and then reducing temp which kills embryo

Question 39

What temperature will start incubation process

Answer 39

25*C

Question 40

What factors should we look into with issues of mid dead embryos

Answer 40

Breeder stock nutrition and vitamins Egg contamination e.g via cracks, weak shell

Question 41

What factors should we look into if dealing with late embryo death issues

Answer 41

- Setter and hatchery conditions e.g turning, temperature, humidity Pull time e.g if eggs taken out incubator too early then not ready to hatch in hatchery Avian encephalomyelitis Mycoplasm

Question 42

What two infectious diseases can be associated with late dead embryos

Answer 42

Avian encephalomyelitis Mycoplasma

Question 43

What weight do we want out 45g broiler chick to weight at 34 days

Answer 43

1.9kg

Question 44

What do we expect water conversion to be roughly in related to feed

Answer 44

About double

Question 45

What proportion of UK chickens are red tractor (assured chicken production)

Answer 45

80-85%

Question 46

What is the most common pattern of ventilation in intensive housing

Answer 46

Air comes in the roof and goes out the sides

Question 47

What is a standard -crop length-

Answer 47

30 - 56 days

Question 48

How much downtime is allowed between crops

Answer 48

1-2 weeks

Question 49

What problem does biomass heaters not encounter than gas heaters do

Answer 49

Doesn't create water or CO2 within the house (since indirect heating) so don't need to worry about removing the humidity

Question 50

What drinker system is commonly used in intenstive vs extensive systems

Answer 50

Intensive = nipple Extensive = bell

Question 51

What age are free range broilers usually reared to indoors before allowed to range

Answer 51

3 weeks (i.e when they are feathered)

Question 52

WHat is the cause of infectious bronchitis in chickens

Answer 52

Coronavirus - We vaccinate at day old in hatchery

Question 53

What is the cause of infectious bursal disease and how does it work

Answer 53

Birnavirus Immunsuppressive; if infected early in life, get replication in bursal cells and bird wont be able to produce antibodies

Question 54

How does the mutated form of birnavirus work in chickens

Answer 54

Gives peracute form of disease with high mortality due to viraemia and acute damage to the body

Question 55

3 coccidia species that are relevant to broilers

Answer 55

Eimeria acervulina, E maxilla, E tenella

Question 56

Which coccida species are relevant to older birds not broilers

Answer 56

Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria brunetti

Question 57

How can coccidiosis have an impact on food safety

Answer 57

Predisposes to salmonella and campylobacter

Question 58

What is different about turkey production and broiler production in terms of sex separation

Answer 58

In turkeys, males and females are sexed at day old and reared separately; more sexually dimorphic Stags are grown out for longer (25 weeks) vs hens (16 weeks)

Question 59

How long are turkeys kept in rearing house and how long in growout sheds

Answer 59

Rearing: 6-10 weeks Grow out period = until age of 16-25 weeks

Question 60

WEight of day old turkey poult

Answer 60

50-70g

Question 61

What drinking system is typically used with turkeys

Answer 61

Bell drinkers (since don't do well with nipples)

Question 62

What endemic viral disease are most turkeys in the UK vaccinated against

Answer 62

Turkey rhinotracheitis

Question 63

Which strain causes pasteurella issues in turkeys

Answer 63

P multocida

Question 64

Treating pasteurella in turkeys

Answer 64

Tetracyclines Can vaccinate farm if history

Question 65

If turkey lungs are swollen with a pink 'cooked' appearance and consolidation, what might this indicate

Answer 65

Pasteurellosis

Question 66

What turkeys does erysipelas typically affect

Answer 66

Older, heavier birds (> 13 weeks)

Question 67

What symptoms can erysipelas cause in people

Answer 67

skin rash, cellulitis, endocarditis if it goes septicaemic

Question 68

Presentation of turkeys with erysipelas

Answer 68

Lethargic, unsteady gait, death + in chornic form see scabby skin

Question 69

Post mortem findings in turkey with erysipelas

Answer 69

Enlarged + friable liver and spleen Swollen kidneys Haemorrhages in pericardial fat ...

Question 70

Treatment for turkeys with erysipelas and what is the withdrawal time for this

Answer 70

Procaine penicillin and benzathine penicillin Withdrawel for penicillin is 28 days

Question 71

What is the cause of black head in turkeys

Answer 71

Histomonioasis

Question 72

What can oregano extract (herban) be useful in treating

Answer 72

Black head (histomoniasis)

Question 73

How is black head spread in turkeys

Answer 73

Bird to bird Via intermediate hosts e.g caecal worm, slugs, snails

Question 74

Treatment for black head

Answer 74

Chlortetracyclines/tiamultin Herban Dimetridazole (NB: not licensed anymore)

Question 75

What is known as brooder pneumonia

Answer 75

Aspergillus fumigatus

Question 76

When do we tend to see aspergillus issues in turkeys

Answer 76

In early chicks (<1 weeks) associated with poor hatchery/egg hygiene or cracked egg incubation --> Birds inhale large numbers of spores e.g when infected egg breaks open Also can be seen with wet straw that llows spore replication

Question 77

Post mortem findings with aspergillus fumigatus

Answer 77

Round, plaque lesions in air sacs Nodular granulomas in the lungs

Question 78

Which poultry species is the most susceptible to avian influenza

Answer 78

Turkeys

Question 79

Are commercial layers (egg production) single ages or multi aged

Answer 79

Multi aged to allow all year egg production despite egg production curve

Question 80

Why was the lion code originally brought in for eggs

Answer 80

Salmonella control

Question 81

What do the 0-3 numbers on egg stamp mean

Answer 81

0 = organic 1 = free range 2 = barn 3 = cage

Question 82

What is the major advantage of caged systems for layers

Answer 82

can remove the birds from their own faeces Helps with disease control

Question 83

How many birds in a colony cage

Answer 83

80

Question 84

Where do you usually find the more dominant birds in an aviary system

Answer 84

Top of the house

Question 85

How does rear and move system work with commercial layers and what is an important consideration

Answer 85

Rear until 14 weeks on rearing farm Then transfer to laying accomodation Should MATCH these as closely as possible to avoid stress e.g using same drinker type

Question 86

Is salmonella higher in intensive or extensive systems

Answer 86

Higher in intensive

Question 87

Which disease agents are higher in free range and which are lower

Answer 87

Higher = pasteurella, erysiperlas, blackhead, ascarids Lower = slmonella

Question 88

What is cage fatigue

Answer 88

= osteoporosis Higher in caged systems (ca2+ stripped from bones for eggs)`

Question 89

Mortality risk in colony cage laying hens vs free range

Answer 89

5.4% vs 9.5%

Question 90

How many weeks do hens produce eggs until

Answer 90

72

Question 91

How many eggs per hen until 72 week age in colony cage vs free range

Answer 91

Cage: ~320 Free range: ~300