Poultry bacterial and parasitic control

what are the two main salmonella in poultry?

• Salmonella typhimurium (ST)

• Salmonella enteritidis (SE)

what are clinical signs of salmonellosis in poultry?

• anorexia

• dullness

• dehydration

• retarded growth

• septicaemic

• enteritis

• necrotic lesions in small intestine

• caecal cores

• spleen, liver and kidney inflammation

what poultry are more suspectible to salmonella?

young chicks

what does salmonellosis cause in humans?

• gastroenteritis

• nausea

• vomiting

• diarrhoea

• fever

how can we control and prevent salmonella at farm level?

• biosecurity

• good management for optimal health

• surveillance and corrective measures e.g. culling

• treatment protocols

• feed supply - quality and microbiology

how can we control salmonella through biosecurity?

• hygiene and sanitation

• disinfectants

• rodent control

• source of chicks

• wild bird control

• fomides

how can we control salmonella through good management?

• strategic medication

• vaccinations

• minimum stress

• removal of dead birds

• clean environment

• all-in-all-out production system

how can we control salmonella through treatment protocols?

• vaccines against salmonella

• probiotics

what is the main parasite affecting poultry?

coccidiosis

how do we diagnose coccidiosis?

• farm history

• clinical examination

• smapling feed

• post mortem examination

• microscopic examination

how do we control coccidiosis?

• biosecurity

• good management

  • density

  • hygiene and sanitation

what ectoparasites affect chickens?

• louse

• mites

  • northern fowl mite

  • red mite

  • scaly leg mite

• tick

• flea

where in the GI tract of birds is Capillaria obsignata found, what does it look like and what does it cause?

• found in intestine, hair-like worm, 7-18mm

• —> ill thrift, fatal

where in the GI tract of birds is Heterakis gallinarium found, what does it look like and what does it cause?

• found in caeca, small white worm, 7-15mm

• —> ill thrift

• (vector = Histomonas spp)

where in the GI tract of birds is Ascaridia galli found, what does it look like and what does it cause?

• found in intestine, large thick yellowish-white worm, 5-10cm

• —> ill thrift, fatal if impaction

where in the GI tract of birds are Trichostrongyles found and what do they cause?

intestine —> ill thrift, severe weight loss (esp red grouse)

where in the GI tract of birds are Tape worms found, what do they look like and what do they cause?

• found in intestine, segmented and white

• —> ill thrift and weight loss

where in the GI tract of birds is Gizzard worm found and what does it cause?

gizzard —> fatal in young stock (esp goslings)

where is gapeworm found and what does it cause?

in trachea - blocks airways and causes gasping

how can you treat endoparasites in poultry?

• flubendazole is the licensed wormer

• in food for 7 days

What protozoal parasites affect poultry?

• Histomonosis

• Trichomonosis

• Hexamitosis

• Coccidiosis (Eimeria)

what birds are affected by Hexamitosis and what does it cause?

• turkeys, pheasants, pigeons

• causes diarrhoea and unthriftiness

what birds are affected by Histomonosis (Blackhead) and what does it cause?

(note - H. gallinarum is intermediate host)

• turkeys, peasants, quail, peacocks, guinea fowl

• causes yellow diarrhoea, and fatality if not attended early

what birds are affected by Trichomonosis and what does it cause?

• chicken, turkeys, pheasants

• causes canker

how can you control Histomonosis in poultry?

control the intermediate host (endoparasite) —> flubendazole

how can you control Trichomonosis in poultry?

• worm regularly and cider vinegar (7 days per month)

• probiotics

what could increase stress in the flock?

• high stocking density

• poor ventilation, ammonia, dust, humidity

• too much handling

what are the methods of vaccination in poultry?

• coarse spray - e.g. live respiratory vaccines

• drinking water - e.g. live respiratory, coccidial, salmonella

• on food - e.g. live coccidia

• injection - e.g. live Marek’s, avian encephalomyelitis, foul pox

• in-ovo - e.g. live Marek’s