Slaughter 3 Flashcards
Describe the main issues associated with the transport of broilers
- Susceptible to heat stress and dehydration
- Compromised capacity to respond to acute thermal challenge
- Implications for welfare and meat quality
Describe the main issues associated with the transport of end of lay hens
- Higher proportion of DOA
- Poor feather, excessively vulnerable to wet and cold
- Prolonged pre-transport food withdrawal
- Decreased habituation to transport stress
- Longer journeys
Describe the main issues associated with the transport of day old chicks
- Thermal stress
- Air mixing in stacked containers
- Can tolerate long journeys due to yolk sac reserves
Describe the main issues associated with the transport of pullets
- Well feathered, fully fed and hydrated
- Usually free from metabolic disease
- Withstand greater excursions in ambient thermal conditions compared to chicks or spent hens
What is the role of the AWO in poultry transport?
- Must identify animals that need to be slaughtered first
- Identify welfare needs
- Any measures to improve welfare e.g. methods to cool animals in hot weather
What are the 2 most relevant zoonotic agents associated with poultry?
- Campylobacter
- Salmonella
Outline testing requirements for Campylobacter
- No legal requirement to test for this on farm or in abattoirs
- Limited testing carried out by producers and processors
- May be requested by consumer
What regulation covers the testing for Salmonella?
EC 2160/2003 and 646/2007
Why is Salmonella testing required?
For surveillance of disease and information from tehse tests included in FCI
How is the regulation that applies to Salmonella in poultry implemented? What are the aims?
Through the National Control Programme (NCP)
- Aims to reduce Salmonella spp of public health significance and targets breeders, layers, broilers and turkeys
How is Salmonella testing in broilers and fattening turkeys carried out?
2 pairs of boot swabs per flock within period of 3 weeks before slaughter. With turkeys, can also use 1 pair of boot swabs and a dust sample
When is Salmonella testing carried out in broiler and turkey breeders?
- Day old
- 4 weeks of age
- 2 weeks before coming into lay or before are moved to the laying accomodation
When and how is Salmonella testing carried out in layers during lay?
- 2 pairs of boot swabs (barn or free range), or 2x150g composite faeces sample (of cage reared)
- taken between 22-26 weeks of age
- Repeated every 15 weeks during production
When and how is Salmonella tested in turkeys in lay?
2 pairs of boot swabs every 3 weeks
What are the requirements regarding the FCI/production report for poultry?
- Producer produces the report
- Must be available to OV 24 hours before kill
- Report must state that the flock is under veterinary supervision
What are important general signs of notifiable diseases in poultry?
- Should provide evidence of active notifiable diseases on FCI
- Typically signs seen on farm
- Birds crated on arrival to slaughterhouse may be dead, have respiratory signs or visibly affected (discoloured comb/wattles, nasal discharge)
What are the 2 main notifiable diseases of relevance in poultry?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Newcastles disease
Describe the clinical signs of Newcastle disease
- Respiratory distress (gaping beak, coughing, sneezing, gurgling, rattling)
- Nervous signs (tremor, paralysis, twisting of neck)
- Green-yellow diarrhoea
- Depression
- Inappetance
- Loss of production in layers
Describe the clinical signs of HPAI
- Swollen head
- Blue discolouration of neck and throat
- Inappetance
- Respiratory distress
- Diarrhoea
- Drop in laying
- Inncreased mortality
What are the 2 types of Avian influenza?
- Highly pathogenic
- Low pathogenic
Which avian influenza types are notifiable?
- High pathogenic
- Low pathogenic H5 and H7
Describe the clinical signs of LPAI
- Less serious
- Mild breathing problems
- Affected birds will not always show clear signs
When should the FCI for poultry be completed?
Can be completed up to 1 week before animals are sent to slaughter
What information is included in a poultry FCI?
- Farm and house of origin
- Intended date of slaughter
- Number of birds for slaughter
- Flock mortality
- Diseases diagnosed
- Results of any laboratory tests
- Any medication given
- Previous post mortem results from farm