Range Production and Bird Health

F. Dustan Clark, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Extension Poultry Health Veterinarian

Poultry Health Status Determination

• Disease– any departure from the normal state of health

• Normal

• Many Diseases Produce Similar Signs

• What To Look For

Observations

• Facilities

• Records

• Birds

Facilities

• Signs of outside influence– Rodents, wildlife, insects

• Feed and water sources– Number and availability

– Clean feed and water

• Litter or ground

• Roosts and manure

Records

• Acceptable parameters• Measurable data• Past History• Current Information

– What are the birds doing ?– How long?– How many affected?– When did it first happen?– Has it happened before?– What has been done? (Changes)

• Tests Deaths• Treatments

Birds

• Behavior – Flock– Individual

• Examples– Eating, drinking, interactions

Examination

• Preliminary– done while observing birds

• Complete– must catch bird– systematic examination of anatomic systems– checking for variation from normal

Systematically check all anatomic systems for variance from normal

1. Discharges2. Accumulations3. Use4. Abnormal sounds, odors, colors5. Swellings6. Soiling of feathers7. Loss

1. Skeletal2. Respiratory3. Plumage4. Circulatory5. Eyes, ears, nostrils6. Gastrointestinal7. Feces

• Increased mortality• No appetite• Diarrhea• Coughing• Lameness• Depression• Decreased production• Unusual behaviors• Blisters, swellings• High number of ill animals• Unthriftiness

Learn Symptoms of Disease

Poultry Diseases

• Numerous Diseases in Poultry

• Comparisons– Organic Chicken vs Commercial is limited

• Some Diseases and/or Problems are more common

• Limitations on Therapy

Unique Problems

• Predation

• Lack of Environmental Control

Clues To Identifying Predators1. Several birds killed

a. Mauled but not eaten

b. Killed by small bites-neatly piled,some heads gone

c. Heads/crops eaten.

2. 1-2 birds killeda. mauled, abdomen eaten

b. Deep marks on head and neck, some meat eaten

3. 1 bird gone feathers left

4. Chicks killed, abdomen eaten, lingering smell

5. Several gone-no clues

• Dogs• Mink, weasel• Raccoon

• Opossum• Owl

• Fox/coyote• Skunk• Human

From: J. Berry. Predators: Thieves in the night. OSU/CES Bull #8204

Bacterial Diseases

• Fowl Cholera Pasteurella

• Mycoplasma MG MS

• Coryza Hemophilus paragallinarum

• Botulism Botulinum toxin

• Gangrenous Dermatitis Clostridium perfringens

• Fowl Cholera

• Mycoplasma– MG

– MS

• Coryza

• Botulism

• Dermatitis

• Swollen face, wattles, sinuses

• Pneumonia, Sudden death, swollen joints, torticollis

• Coughing, swollen face and sinuses. Bubbles in eye, sticky eye discharge

• Swollen joints and/or footpad

• Sticky eyelids, odor, rales, nasal discharge

• Limberneck, flaccid paralysis

• Blue.black skin lesions, high mortality

Dermatitis

Mycoplasma

Cholera

Dermatitis

Botulism

Coryza

                          

MS

Viral Diseases

• Fowl Pox Pox virus

• Laryngotracheitis Herpes virus

• Infectious Bronchitis Corona virus

• Newcastle Paramyxovirus

• Mareks Disease Herpes virus

• Avian Influenza Orthomyxovirus (Influenza)

• Fowl Pox

• Laryngotracheitis

• Infectious Bronchitis

• Newcastle– Avian Paramyxo– Exotic Newcastle

• Mareks

• Avian Influenza (AI)– Low Path AI– High Path AI

• Blisters, scabs,skin growths.• Difficult breathing and swallowing,

growth in mouth, death

• Cough, blood on feathers, mouth, beak, Difficult breathing, death

• Egg drop, cough, sneeze, poor egg quality

• Egg drop, soft shell eggs, chirping, cough

• (high mortality, diarrhea, CNS, depression, nasal discharge)

• Paralysis of legs, wings, neck, birds less than 6 months

• High mortality, hemorrhages, similar to Exotic Newcastle

                           

PoxBronchitis

ENDNewcastle

Mareks

Mareks

Pox

AILT

IB/ND

Internal Parasites

• Coccidia Eimeria sp.

• Blackhead Histomonas

• Tapeworms• Gapeworms Syngamus

• Threadworms Capillaria sp.

• Roundworms Ascarids

• Coccidia

• Blackhead

• Gapes

• Tapes

• Rounds

• Hair/Thread

• Weight loss, huddling, blood in feces, mortality in young. Unthrifty.

• Weight loss, unthrifty, yellow diarrhea

• Gasping, open mouth

• Weight loss, See in feces

• Weight loss, unthrifty, ruffled

• Diarrhea, Unthrifty, thickened crop.

     

                                    

   

Coccidia

Blackhead

Tapes

Rounds

Hairworms

External Parasites

• Lice

• Mites– Skin– Leg

• Lice– Numerous species

• Mites– Northern

– Red

– Scaly Leg

• Feather damage, skin damage, feather picking, irritation

• Feather and skin damage, feathers look oily, anemia, feather loss.

• Northern stays on bird

• Feather loss, picking, anemia, restless at night, skin damage. Red gets on bird at night

• Thick dry white or yellow crusts on leg scales.

Northern Fowl Mite Red MiteScaly leg mite

Louse

Therapy

• May be limited• Many antibiotics are

unavailable• Most vaccines for

meat poultry are given early in life– 18 days of incubation

– Day 1

Biosecurity

Biosecurity

Greek: Bios - “Life”

Security - Protection

Effects of Disease

• Decreased reproduction

• Decreased productivity

• Increased mortality

• Decreased cash-flow

• Quarantines

• Market loss

• Flock loss

How Much Biosecurity is Needed?

• No one plan

• Use common sense

• Risk of each potential source of disease

• Spend more money on treatment (and production losses) than prevention would have cost

Sources of Pathogens

1. Introduction of diseased or carrier animals2. Clothing or person of visitors3. Introduction of contaminated materials

(fomites)- feeds, forages4. Inappropriate disposal of carcasses5. Contaminated water supplies6. Fence line contact7. Vehicles8. Wildlife, rodents, wild birds, insects, pets9. Air-borne fomites10. Vertical transmission

Biosecurity

Risk Accepted

• Personal decision

• Talk to veterinarian, county agent, banker, spouse

Control PointsTwo General Areas

1. Farm Facilities (Location, Structures, Layout)

2. Farm Operational Procedures

Farm Location

• What roads are nearby ?

• Distance to other facilities

• Distance to other animal facilities

Farm Layout and Construction

• Road type

• Type and condition of fences

• Buildings and pens

• Feed bins

• Animal/Bird and waste disposal

Farm Operational Procedures

Greatest impact on Biosecurity

Easy and Quick to change

Biosecurity Practices

1. Control exposure to diseased or carrier animals2. Control visitor access3. Ensure that fomites (objects) are clean4. Dispose of carcasses appropriately5. Check feed and water contamination6. Control fence line contact7. Control exposure to vermin8. Address vertical transmission9. Air borne contamination10. Other practices you discover

Controlling Exposure

• Purchase from known health status herds• Isolate new or returning animals for at

least 2 weeks– 30 days is best

• Test new additions for disease as appropriate

• Keep records• Veterinary examinations

Protect Poultry by Raising their Resistance

• Vaccination program

• Parasite control program

• Reduce stress

• Nutrition

Visitor or Traffic Control

• Second greatest threat• May carry disease

organisms• May be necessary• May bring equipment• Restrict Access to

animals• Require identification

• Keep facilities & gates locked

• Have visitors sign a log• Change clothes, use

coveralls, boot covers• Wash hands and

disinfect• 48 hr min. quarantine

(Internationals)

Farm Entrance• One secured entrance

• Biosecurity Sign

Sanitation and Disinfection

• Keep farm clean• Boot bath (scrub brush and disinfectant)

– Boots for on farm only• Coveralls• Spray car/truck tires

– Clean floor mats• Wash (CD) all incoming equipment

– Best to not borrow equipment

Coveralls, Hat, and Boots

Clean and Disinfect Equipment

Foot Baths

• Change periodically

• Use appropriate

disinfectant

• Clean boots before use

Appropriate Disinfectant for the Job

Commercial disinfectants

Bleach

3 parts to 2 parts water

Pest Management

• Sources of Disease

• Rodents, flies, wildlife, animals, etc.

• Minimize contact

• Control measures should be a part of general routine

Rodent Control

Clean feed and water

• Water available at all times

• Clean water

• Prevent rodent contamination of feed

• Remove contaminated feed

Animal Waste Storage and Disposal

Avoid contamination of environment and animals

Other on Farm Animals

Disease in Other “On Farm” Animals May Result In

• Quarantine• Excessive Mortality• Slow movement of unaffected animals to

markets• Government regulations

– Permits– Quarantines– Restrictions

Assistance

• Isolate sick animals• Have all dead animals necropsied• Report unusual signs immediately• Health certificates if out of state animals• Veterinarian, County agent• Participate in local, state, national, etc.

associations• State Cooperative Extension Service

Biosecurity Practices

1. Control exposure to diseased or carrier animals2. Control visitor access3. Ensure that fomites (objects) are clean4. Dispose of carcasses appropriately5. Check feed and water contamination6. Control fence line contact7. Control exposure to vermin8. Address vertical transmission9. Air borne contamination10. Other practices you discover

BioSecurity Essentials

• Lock animal facilities• Separate clothing for on-farm use• Restrict visitors to minimum and insist on

clothing change and possibly shower• All machines, vehicles and equipment

disinfected upon entry to farm• Foot/shoe baths containing disinfectants at

entrance • Proper disposal of dead carcasses• Post “Restricted” signs at entrance - and

enforce!

Recognize Disease Early

Other Points to Consider

Practice Biosecurity

• Do not visit your neighbor if you have a problem

A Biosecurity Program Needs Flexibility

Look for Warning Signs of Problems

Anticipate The Unexpected

Be Vigilant in Disease Prevention