LIVER DISFASE IN POULTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 48

LIVER DISFASE IN POULTRY.

In Victorian poultry yai-ds thsie is much tiouble caused by liver disease, brought on mostly by improper feeding, and reader*, of th i papers are constantly asking for advice on the question Dr Woods, who has made a careful study of iMs question in feathered •-tock, gives a lot of valuable information 011 the subject. He says:— "The liver is one ot the lai gest and most important organ~ 111 the fowl's body, and is also a -vci-y much abu°ed organ. It is a manufactory and storehouse combined. It manufactures bile, which. : is poured into the inte c tme* to ass'sfc in di- ■ gestion, and to act, also, as a germ destroyer and an aid to keeping the inteatincs in n<irt mal condition. The liver also assists in chemical changes which take place 111 the blood. By reason of its activity, it supplies an appreciable amount of heat. . . Italters staiches brought in by tho blood into a more easily assimilable carbol ydrate, and also s.er\ej as a storehouse for tais material when it is in excess of the immediate need of th" body. "The luer contains a network ot an infinite number of blood \es^eL, through which large quantities of blood are constantly passing. It is especially liable to congestion by leason of its great blood stipp'y and it? intimate connection with the otli"r oigans of chgastion. Errors 111 feeding or anything which produce- inle.-tinal mutation 15 almo=t certain to lesult in c juge?tion of the li\er. The large quantity ot blood constantly pacing through the Inn-foiin-s a convenient channel for infection of that organ with para-ites and disease germ-. Congestion of th^ Liver. — Insufficient ox-" erei' e and o^ erf ceiling aie the noie iiequeat cau?es of congestion of ihe liver, lc may also be caused by poisons, mouldy _>r d'peased food: and may accompany di-ei=p* liko cholera, enteritis, and diseases of hing-s or heart, which interfere with the I'ucubtion of the blocd. Oierfat fowls are partu ularly subject to li\er trouble. Feeding too heavily on starchy and fatty foods is a common cause. Condition • powders and condiments are also responsible for much lner trouble. The symptoms are not always readily recognisable, and the bird's condition may not be suspected. In marked ca^e 5 , there may be loose, watery dlan.ioea, biov/nish or yellowish ; plumage mu-°ed 1:1 av>pcarance, bird is dumpish, dad shows littlo inclination to eat or exeici=e; comb may be dark red or e-ven puiple in colour, foul 1* usually fat. Treatment : Prevent the disease, if jiossible, by keeping the lowls tree from infectious disease, and by regular feediag of wholesome food, and provision made so that they must exercise for a portion of their food daily. When you discover a ca»s of congestion give daily half a teaspoonful of Epsom salts, dissolved in a little watei . Regulate tho diet, avoid starchy foods, like potatoes; do not gv\e any spiccj or condition powders. Feed plenty of fresh green stuff and ?ome cooked meat. Kesp up the treatment for one week, and then turn the bird out on a grass rang© if possible. Inflammation of the Liver. — It is only a step from congestion of the In er to inflammation, which is a more acU anced stage of t!.o same disease. The causes' are the same. It is nearly alwaj ■; fatal, tho bird bong too tar gone for successful treatment beloie the disease is di;co\tred. The i \mptonH are loss of appetite, yellow diairhcra, bird is thirsty and drink- often, breatS Img slow and heavy, biid squats on floor, and w.ll mo\o only when foieed to. Tieat meiit : G1 I . c one tenth of a grain tablet c£ calomel morning and n.ght iov three clajv. In the drinking water, use half a tcr>>-p(>on-ful of tmotxire of mix vomico. to each quart of watti. Feed sparingly on soft food. If bird shows improvement, feed green food liberally, gi\e some raw meat daily, and as soon as the bird is <ible, get it out 011 open air lange. Douglas mixture in tli& drinking water for a few weeks after bird is, turned out on range will prove helpful. Use a tablcfpoontul 111 «_ach pint of drinking v.iter. Jaundice. — Insufficient exeici=e, too nmcu staic'iV food and fat, and not chough nnimal food are the causes of jaundice. The, symptoms do not differ much fiom those nf congestion. Po-^t mortem examination of the bird will sl'.ow a largo gall sac. fuU of dark bile and discolouration of neighbouring organ-. Someti noa there may be greeuish or yellowish di-~colour.it ion of skui, espociaUv mor the h\rr. ri"eatment : Gne Ep*oni .=alts as in congestion, £<nd dun go diet of bird. Get bird out on gra^s range, and :nake it exerci=e in open air. Death in tins di-ease frequently results from poi-omng ot blood by absorption of bile. Waiting or Atiophy of Liver. — This troubla is frequently caused by improper feeding and insufficient food. Symptoms ars pale or flabby comb, dnmpishncss, diovsmc=- and sometimes convulsions, which end in death. Treatment: — Exercise on gra==; lange, good whole=ome food with some meat food. A\ou! = tarchy or fatty foods and mouldy 01 rotten grain, vegeUbles or neat. Give Ep;,om salts, as leeoinmeuded in congestion, for a few day-. Follow this treatment by use of some tome like Douglas mixture 111 the dr.nking water for a few week*. There are other di-.ea«es of the liver, bul, as they aie not lecogni^able during the life of the bird, it would be waste of time and confuting to the leadoi to attempt to detonbe them, and, of c.ur-e. treatment would be out of the question. These di-easos aie avoidable in nearly all oa*cs, raid the means of prevention aro simple. Give your fowls good care, .1 variety of wholesome food, feeding neither stniohy nor rnoaty food* in evce-=; pvoid condition powders or'other '•timulating -übstancc^ in cxec^i; a little -innulUin^ iood or condition powder niaj co good, but five use almost always results disastrously. Provide an opportunity for your birds to exercise, and make them sciateh. for part of thoir living. Give them good' care and keep them clean. — Melbourne Leader..

The London Fire Biigaje use- 17. 000, C0 gallon, of water in a year, again t 32,000,000 in New York. The cuvi'no of the la.il laces at Okeie Falls, Lake Rotoiti, 15 completed, and the* water has been turned rn'o the fluming. All other work 111 connection with the Roto-* rua electric light installation is rapidly appioaching completion. MOUNTAIN KING ASTHMA POWDF.R, in- Kins ot Asthma Cuu>. Sold all CheniioU aud Stores j grioe 2s §tf-