Under-performance in poultry Flashcards
Describe a poultry pyramid
TOP:
Pure line genetic flock - genetic companies
Great grandparents - genetic companies
Grandparents - Integrator/genetic companies
Parent flocks - Integrator companies
Broilers or layers - Integrators/ farmers
BOTTOM OF PYRAMID
Where does crop sit (crop, proventriculus or gizzard)?
Gizzard
How much of the market do free range eggs make up?
43%
Describe enriched cages
potential to nest potential to roost potential to scratch potential to stretch 15 birds/pen produces cleaner eggs
Name 3 laying systems
free range: access to fields and barn
enriched colony cage - 750cm2/bird
barns - 11 hens per m2
Describe hen lifecycle
- 0-16 w birds are reared in bars on pullet rearing farm (20 vaccines in this time, most in water)
- pullet moved to laying farm
- 18-20 w pullet starts to lay (very small eggs to start)
- pullet becomes a ‘layer’ and lives until 72 w (aim to increase to 100d)
Outline diagnostics in poultry
FLOCK LEVEL!
- serology (Ab titres, 10% flock)
- swabs (PCR/bacteriology culture and sensitivity)
- virus isolation
- FEC, cocci oocyst counts
- PME
How is mycoplasma tested for?
PCR
Main cause - under-performance in layers
Poor management
CS - poor management in layers
- egg production drop
- change in egg shell quality
- change in egg size
- mortality
- water/feed intake reduction
List some dz affecting layers
- infectious bronchitis (IB)
- mycoplasma
- peritonitis
- endoparasites and ectoparasites
- POOR MANAGEMENT
What is IB?
- common virus
- coronavirus
- virus mutates readily –> many shells (>100 strains)
CS - IB
- snicking
- watery eyes/nose
- head shaking
- ‘wrinkly egg’s
Pathogenesis - IB
- IB damages cilia in respiratory tract –> infected birds cannot remove mucus containing these bugs out of lower respiratory system –> allows bacteria and viruses better access to the air sacs than in healthy birds
- once in the air sacs bacteria (e.g. Pasteurella, E.coli) can cause air sacculitis and even cross the thin air sac wall into abdomen to cause peritonitis and death
Dx and prevention of IB
- PCR swabs (cloacal, 10 samples), 1st point of call
- paired serology (£600 so commercial flocks only)
- ensure good vaccination technique (rear)
- ensure correct vaccines are used at correct time (q6-8 weeks during lay)