POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 286, 29 August 1931, Page 24

POULTRY NOTES

I Coccidiosis —A Serious Menace

(By “New Laid.”)

Although the parasitic disease coccidiosis has become a serious menace to the poultry industry in various parts of tne world, causing heavy mortality among chickens during the growing stage, it has not in the past caused any particular concern to New Zealand poultrymen. The disease, however, is no new one so tar as New Zealand is concerned. I< or many years past there have been received at Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory chickens, varying from ten days to. tell weeks old, who, as a result ot microscopical examination, proved to be more or less affected with the parasite responsible. It was only in isolated cases, however, that any considerable mortality was reported from affected poultry plants, and usually the. chief ground for complaint was the failure of the young affected birds to,thrive and make proper development. Generally speaking, these birds came from plants where they had been subjected to improper management, chiefly in having to live in unclean houses and in being compelled to run on what might be termed poultry-sick ground In most cases on these affected plants when the weak methods of breeding and management were corrected the trouble was soon stamped out. As a result, coccidiosis was not generally looked, upon as a disease likely to become a serious nienaee to New Zealand poultry-keepers. Of late, however, a much more virulent form ot the trouble has been established in certain districts, . and older birds—pullets from five to six months old—many .or which were examined at the Wallacevill Laboratory, proved to be badly mfeste with the parasite. The worst affected birds, according to the chief, poultry instructor (Mr. F. C. Brown) in an article in the, “Journal of Agriculture,” were received during last autumn, and in most cases from plants where considerable mortality had and has since taken place. The majority of the birds examined were white Leghorn pullets ranging from foul to six months old. Birds thus affected, were sent by several owners, and some were from among the best-managed plan, s in the Dominion. From inquiries made, however, it has been ascertained that, with the exception of three plants, none of the affected birds were bred by their then present owners, but were stock which had been purchased, usually by., public auction. Obviously the birds carried the disease in a partially developed stage io the plants of their new owners. In some cases the birds were placed under ideal conditions in the way of housing, and on fresh ground to which fowls had not previously had access, but, notwithstanding this, and the fact that they were provided with good and liberal feeding, they generally failed to thrive, and consequently heavy losses took place. The question arises here as to whether the parasite has become more virulent of late, or whether its more harmful effect is due to lowered vigour in the birds affected and in insufficient resistance to combat the infection. Whatever may be the cause, the presence of the disease in the virulent form .referred to is sufficient to indicate that it is one ot the most serious diseases the poultrykeeper has to contend with at the present time, for in addition to its fatal nature it can be extremely easily conveyed from one bird to another, and so once, the trouble has gained a foothold, it is a difficult matter to check it,, and even if it is checked very serious losses will have taken place. Scientific investigators in other parts of the world who have conducted research in connection with the disease over a long period of years report that preventive measures are the only satisfactory way of dealing With it. Coccidiosis is caused by a microscopic . parasite which develops and multiplies m the cells of the walls of the intestines, which are broken down so that food is not absorbed and the bird starves. As 'more and more of the intestinal cells become affected and destroyed, the parasite commences forming male and female elements, which unite and produce a different stage, which finally is voided in droppings and infects the ground, and tn about four days is ready to re-enter ,a host. It is at this stage that healthy growing stock are apt to become affected when allowed to run on infected ground. This is a very resistant stage in the lifehistory and is called the oocyst stage. Many oocyst are ruptured if. conditions are not favourable to their development. They develop under warm, moist .and shacly conditions, and especially where strict cleanliness is not observed. On the other hand, dryness and sunshine are the greatest enemies of the parasite. Tips means that the house should be maintained in a clean, dry state; also it should be open in front and arranged in such a way that the sunlight will penetrate, to practically all parts of it, thus ensuring that the litter, etc., will not become damp, and wet. If the house is maintaiiied in a dry state, the oocyst is deterred from developing, hence the,birds are not liable to become affected. Older carrier birds are the chief culprits in affecting ground, and young birds lacking- in stamina are highly susceptible .should they come in contact with, the infection. The run is also a great source of danger, for the germs of the disease will survive in the soil for a considerable time. Where affected birds have had access to runs, however,' it is extremely difficult to clean the ground. All coverings, such as long grass, should be removed in order that the ground may. get as much of the sun's rays as possible. The ground should also be given an application of burnt lime, and at a later date be turned over, sown down, and given a long rest. A common mistake in the laying-out of

poultry plants is to have only one run allotted to each house. The result is that bv constant stocking the run soon becomes poultry-sick, and, having no opportunity of being spelled, it provides a harbour for germ-life of all kinds. Mote-, overi if disease does appear, proper measures cannot be taken to prevent the trouble from spreading. -The importance of having two runs to each house, and allowing the .birds access to them alternately, can scarcely be overstated; no poultry-plant, in fact, is complete unless there is an alternate run to each house. In this way a certain area of ground can be turned over or spelled each year and allowed to sweeten. Where there is only one run to a house, on which affected birds have had access, the only safe course to adopt with this season’s chickens is to confine them to the brooder-house right through the brooder, stage, and to do everything possible to lessen the risk of infection, lhen when the young birds are transferred from the brooder they should be placed on clean ground to which adult stock have not hail access for a considerable time. To place chickens in runs which have become stale and dirty through adult stock, or to allow young stock to run with the latter, is simply courting disaster. Even if one is certain that the parasite is not present, it will be found a wise preventive measure to adopt the same means as if it was present. . ... Coccidiosis and other forms of parasitic life can always be better controlled when the floor of the house is made of concrete. Obviously an earth floor.increases the difficulty of getting rid of the parasite once it makes its appearance in the brooding quarters. , ... Experience shows that the use of disinfectants has Jittle effect in destroying the parasite. It is claimed that-if the interior of the brooder-house is well and frequently sprayed with boiling water this will have more effect in destroying the infection than disinfectants. Usually the first sign that young chickens are affected with the parasite is the passing of blood in the droppings, and failure of the birds to thrive and make proper development. . When older birds become affected —pullets from four to six months old—-the symptoms general.}’ shown are weakness in leg-power. ’ and failure to walk in an alert ‘ manner, shrinkage of the comb, and gradual wasting, which is especially seen in the shrinking of the muscles of the breast, leaving the breast-bone standing out as a sharp ridge. The bird gradually weaken? until death occurs, at which stage the victim presents an extremely emaciated appear~nTlie outward symptoms, of the disease may easily be confused 1 with those manifested when tuberculosis or intestinal worms are’ppesent, and the only way. of definitely determining whether the disease is present or not is by a microscopical examination. Poultry-keepers who suspect that the disease is present on their plants should therefore forward one or more of the suspected birds to the Officer-in-Charge. Veterinary . Laboratory. Wallaceville, for examination purposes. As a means of preventing so far as possible affected stock from being sold in the future and in order that the Department of Agriculture may be able to. deal effectively with affected plants, coccidiosis has recently been declared to be a disease for the purposes of the Poultry Act 1924. War on Worms. Both adults and growing stock are likely to become infested with worms. It is well, therefore, to watch them to see that there are no individuals showing lack of thriftiness, loss of weight, lameness, blindness, rough, dirty and lifeless plumage and small, shrivelled, pale, ‘ faded comb and wattles. These, according to Mr. R. R. Hannas, formerly Superintendent of the New Jersey egg-laying contests, are the symptoms of worm infestation. An interior examination of dead birds should always be made. to make sure if worms are present. Slitting tfie intestines their entire length Will show if worms are present. Birds that are known to be or suspected of being infested with worms should be treated with one of the good commercial remedies on the market. Some of these can be given in either feed or water, but most of them require, individual treatment—pills, capsules or liquid given by means of a long syringe. Droppings boards and houses must be well cleaned to prevent reinfestation, and the material removed from the houses burned. It will prevent the soil from becoming contaminated if the birds are confined until they are entirely , rid of the worms. Since dryness and are powerful killing agents, it is wise to cultivate the soil every two weeks throughout the summer when there has been an .infestation. so the new,, soil is constantly brought to the surface and exposed to the sun. Green Leg in Chicks. Many losses of broode- chicks occur each season a? a result of overheating. The effect is manifested in many ways and generally induces chill following on a sweated condition, which often results in bowel trouble and a general lowering of vitality, with consequent heavy mortality. The trouble, according to Mr. H. A. Kitto, overseer. Wallaceville Poultry Station, is caused chiefly by allowing the

chicks to huddle, this being induced either by overcrowding or poor ventilation, and I also by excessive or insufficient heat. Such overheating with its bad effects may, however, also take place on poultry plants where these conditions do not exist, and where the chicks are being reared under what may be regarded'as good management. . Probably the worst effect of allowing chicks to persnire is a weakening of the limbs, the visible signs being swellings in the joints, with a gangrenous condition supervening. The swelling first makes its appearance in the hock joints, and it then travels to the wings. In a few days the neck and head swell, which is an indication that death is not far off. In cases of this kind nothing can be done for chicks which are badly affected, but those affected in the earlier stages may be saved and the. trouble prevented from attacking sound chicks by finding the cause, if possible, and removing it. At the Wallaceville Poultry Station during the bredeing season of 1929, when the most modern types of canopy brooders were being used, this brooder trouble, which is commonly known to poultrykeepers as “green-leg.” made its appearance toward the end of September and gradually became more serious as the weather grew warmer. The trouble was more pronounced in those cases in which chicks were reared in brooders which gave off excessive heat. With brooders, where a uniform degree of heat can be more easily maintained, little or no troible was exr'rienced in this respect. The floors of the brooder-house were, made of concrete, on which straw ' chaff was ased as bedding material, while the general. conditions surrounding the young birds appeared to be all that could be desired for their welfare. Notwithstanding this, the chicks under some of the brooders sweated during the night, as was indicated by the damp condition of the bedding, and the discolouration of limbs.

At the commencement of the hatching season the usual methods of management were varied in an endeavour to find a means of preventing the young birds from sweating, including the use of a simple arrangement in the shape of a framework base covered with wire nettin;!. This overcame the trouble, for since its adoption sweating and its evil effects in the form of discolouration of the limbs, etc., have been entirely eliminated. The frame is a simple one, and easy to construct. It is 6ft square, made of 3in by 2in timber, with lin mesh Wire netting Stretched tightly over the top., To support the wire netting, and to prevent it from sagging, three pieces of 2iu by 2in timber are placed 2ft apart, and nailed inside the frame level with the. top. The wire netting is covered with pieces of single sacking tightly stretched, and the bedding material—straw chaff, etc.—is placed on the sacking. By means of short pieces of 3in by 2in timber placed under the frame the latter is raised 3in above ground level, allowing a free circulation of air underneath, thereby preventing the chicks from becoming overheated. The frame can be easily brought into use. where an electric brooder is being used, The brooder can be made to stand on the top of the frame, and with other styles of brooder the principle of the frame can be easily adopted with a little ingenuity on the part of the poultry-keeper. The frame may also be made to suit the size of the brooder in use. Green-Jeg is an inflammation of . the veins, and is apt to affect chickens not only during the brooder stage, but also after they hove been transferred to the colony house. Indeed, the trouble is more common during the later than during the earlier stage. The frame can also be used in a colony house for chickens to sleep on.. As a further, means of preventing trouble from sweating, the chickens should be encouraged to perch at an early age, for once they have acquired this habit the trouble is seldom, if ever, experienced. Chicks should be hardened off by degrees before being transferred, from the brooder, thus minimising the risks of their huddling in corners due tx> the change of new quarters. At Wallaceville Poultry Station the frame referred to has been found ot value for hardening off, as even before the chickens reached the transition stage, and after the brooder' had been taken away, they slept on the frame in a comfortable manner and showed no signs of making a move to huddle in the corners of the house.

Value of Egg Yolk. _ Miss Hazel K. Stnbeling, senior food economist of the Bureau of Home Economics of the United States Department of Agriculture, has h very high opinion of the value of egg yolk. She declares that the yolk of the egg is a real goldmine for its store of mineral elements, nutrients .and vitamins. In her collective and studied opinion she declares that: “The yolk not only furnishes concentrated fuel for the . body and contains protein of fine quality, but it has an unusually rich store, of minerals and vitamins necessary for the growth and development, and for the maintenance of health and vigour. Taken as a whole the egg is numbered among the richest foods available. “Every 100-calorie portion of egg, on the average, is three and one-half, times as rich in protein, twice as rich in cal- . cium, ; three times as rich in phosphorus, and . four 'times as rich in iron as we believe the average 100-calorie portion of food for the adult need be.” Miss Stribeling says: “The egg is rich in protein/ fat and compounds of phosphorus and even in forms especially adapted for conversion' into body tissue.' “This makes the food value of tho egg much greater than a comparison based simply on the amount of nutrients would indicate. Since some of our foods are so highly refined that they are practically devoid of these mineral elements, it is well to eat freely of the foods that are rich in them, especially eggs, milk, green vegetables and dark cereals.” ,

EGG-LAYING SOCIETY

Taranaki Competition The following is the official report of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Society’s ■ fourth competition for the twenty-first week ended August 20 (in each case the first figures are the weekly total, while the second are the total to date) White Leghorns.—A. J. Cadman,: No. 1, 62- No 2, 7—122; No. 3, &—ll2. G. L. Gavlard: No. 1, 7—107; No. 2, G-1O5; No. 3,16—103. Barkers, Nolantown: No. 1, 6— 116; No. 2. 6—113: No. 3. 6-68. M. Scanlon: No. 1, 4—74; No. 2, 6—04; No. 3, 6—lOo. K. It. Cannon: No. 1, 6—116; No. 2, 6—lie; No. 3, 7—137. W. Crompton: No. 1, 6—96; No 2, 5—35: No. 3, 6—71. Gibbons Bros.: No. 1. 6—101; No. 2, 6—lOS; No. 3, 5—844 No. 4, 6—103. E. M. Galvin, 6—114; G. H. Cross, 4—73; G. H. Kent, 6—64. Brown Leghorns.—C. Goodson. 5—116; A. It. Watson, s—lB. Black Minorcas—D. Swadling, 6—<4; C. Strang, 5—32. Rhode Island Red.—W. E. Jones: No. 1, 5 62; No. 2, 4—66; No. 3, Or-66. J. O. Law: No; 1. s—-75; No. 2, 4. —60; No. 3, 5— 76. . Black Orpington.—V. L. Gane: No. 1, 5—102; No. 2, 6—126; No. 3, s—lol. S. Paterson: No. 1, 0 —21; No. 2, 0—25; No. 3, 4—84. F. A. Warren: No. 1, 6—110; No. 2. 6—106; No. 3, 6—112. D. M. Waddell: No. 1, 6—75; No. 2, 7—149 No. 3, 6—121; No. 4, 6—99. D. Swadling, 3 —50. White Wyandottes.—T. Dowthwalte: No. 1, 6—85; No. 2, 7—138. Golden Wyandottes.—Gibbons Bros., 5— 108. White Rock.—E. M. Galvin, 6—68. Light Sussex.—H. Kirkwood: No. 1, 6— 80; No. 2, 6—60; No. 3, 5—63. A. J.. Davey: No. 1. 6—83; No. 2. 5—101; No. 3, I—lol. Fawn Runner Ducks.—J. Magill, 6—166 V. L. Gane, 6—93; F. A. Warren, 7—100; T. Dowthwalte, 7—36. Khaki Campbell—T. Dowthwalte, 7— 109: J. W. Carrick, O-O. THREE-BIRD TEAMS.

Light Breeds. , . » Total Weekly to 1 2 3 total date A. J. Cadman. W.L. . o 6 7 15 296 G. L. Gaylard, W.L. . . 7 (i 6 19 315 Barkers;'Nolantown, W.L. .; . 6 6 6 18 297 M. Scanlon, W.L. ... .. 4 6 6 16 273 R. R. Cannon, W.L. ..6 6 7 . 19 308 W. Crompton, W.L. . . 6- ■ I > 6 , 17 202 Glbbohs Bros., W.L. . 6 6 5 17 244 Heavy Breeds. W. E.' Jones, R.I.R. . . 5 4 0 9 194 J. 0. Law, R.I.R. . . 5 4 u 14 211 V. L. Gane, B.O. ... . 5 6 16 329 S. Paterson, B.O. ... >. 0 0 4 4 130 E. A. Warren, B.O. . . 6 6 6 1,8 328 D. M. Waddell, B.O. . 6 7 <1 19 345 H. Kirkwood. L.S. . . 6 6 5 17 203 A. J. Davey, L.S. ... . 6 5 1( . 12 ■ 284 W.L., White Leghorn; R.I.R., Rhode Island Red; B.O., Black Orpington; L.S., Light Sussex.