Poultry

Mycoplasma Gallisepticum

2012-02-28T10:12:00.000+05:00

Chronic Respiratory Disease

Cause

Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG)

Transmission

Parent to off-spring (eggs)
Airborne dust
Droplets

Incubation Period
4 days to 3 weeks

Species Affected

Chickens
Turkeys

Clinical Signs

Respiratory distress

Low appetite

Low weight gain

Low FCR

In adults

Sneezing
Coughing
Respiratory congestion

In laying

Drop in egg production 20-30%

Internal Lesions

Reddish inflamed trachea
Cheesy exudate in air sacs

Mild Cases

Slight mucus in trachea
Cloudy air sacs
Light froth in air sacs

Diagnosis

Blood testing
Isolation
Postmortem examination

Differential Diagnosis

N.D with secondary e-coli infection can give similar lesions

Treatment

Fertile eggs can be dipped in tylosin solution, methods include by injection or by dipping
Tylosin
Tetra Cyclines
Floroquinolones
Spiramycin

Neflox Review

2012-02-19T15:41:00.001+05:00

Today i will discuss about the product by Selmore Pharmaceuticals Neflox available in Pakistan market.

This product contain 23% florfenicol belong to chlorfenicol family or some can say it is the next generation of chlorfenicol. This is known as broad spectrum antibiotic and has activity against both gram -ve and gram +ve bacteria.

Coming to the review of Neflox it shows good results as compared to chlorfenicol.

This medicine comes in liquid form so the company claims and also there is general view that it's more soluble in water, while practical use of this medicine shows that on dissolving it in water it forms cloudy web like mass sowing it to be partially soluble in water.

However using using slight warm water to dissolve medicine show quite good results but still not enough.

Result wise it is quite good but it's not cost effective as compared to chlorfenicol which is cheap and also show very good results. It shows very good results where resistance has been developed against use of chlorfenicol.

There is more work for company to do to improve it's solubility.

Disinfectant Programme

2012-02-09T13:14:00.000+05:00

Disease in poultry result in direct losses in shape of dead birds, low FCR, low production. The cost to eradicate the disease from flock surpass the cost to prevent it including effective disinfectant program and other necessary preventive measures.

Proper use of disinfectants also reduce the need to use of other control measures.

Number of micro organisms on surface of poultry housing may range from TEN THOUSAND MILLION or more per square cm.

The program is divided into different phases and each one should be completed thoroughly before going to the next phase.

Phase 1

Remove all birds and old litter from houses to eliminate chances of re-contamination
Remove all equipment and soak them in solution of detergent to remove soiling, then disinfect with disinfectant, dry and store them in lean area for future use
After removal of organic matter remove remains by scrapping
After removal of organic matter detergent's and disinfectant's will work effeciently

Phase 2

Use some good detergent and apply it thoroughly on all surface and let it there for at least 30 minutes before washing with clean water

Phase 3

Drain the water system, wash away all the water
Use some good water lines cleaner solution and let it stay in water lines for a while before being washed away

Phase 4

After cleaning of house with water let the house dry for at least 12 hours to maximum of 48 hours, this will allow for better absorption area for disinfectant when applied
Drying is also useful measure to reduce number of microbes

Phase 5

For terminal disinfection use some good disinfectant having activity against wide range of microbes
Spray should reach all areas of the house including roof, walls and cracks etc.
Use of warm water for spraying enhance the activity of disinfectant considerably
If there is little or low risk of disease in area then concentration of disinfectant can be lowered
House should be allowed to dry before placing equipment and litter

Phase 6

After placing the equipment into the use fumigate the house with KMNO4 + Formalin or with any other thing available in the area
All the house cracks and holes should be closed before fumigation to improve fumigation effect and to reduce number of microbes to very little level

Phase 7

After restocking has completed for 5 days then one can carry out routine aerial disinfection

Phase 8

Use the foot baths with proper solution in them
Always dip before entering the poultry house
Replace solution in foot baths once a week

Note: Other then these main phases carry out all the required things one think necessary for optimal health of the poultry flock.

Controversy Over Prices

2012-02-04T18:35:00.000+05:00

Before the start of the season it was decided by all the layer hatchery owners that rate of day old chick would be 55/chick. This was announced in the mid of November last year.

But after 15 days due to high prices of egg forced the hatchery owners to revise the rate list so all the companies revised their rate list and this time they announced that their rate for the season would be 70/chick.

Companies started to make deals on the the announced rate but on last days of December for the reasons unknown a company named BAHOO Chicks revised their rate list and this time they announced their rate for the season 80/chick.

The news of the third time revised rate spread the whole market like fire in jungle. All companies then started to revise their rate list.

All the companies announced that for January 2012 to 15 February 2012 their rate would be 70 and from 16th of February their rate would be 80/chick.

This situation gave some hatchery owners to blackmail the farmers who were the main people affected by this situation. Owners forced the farmers who already had booked their chicks in advance that they had to pay extra money according to new rate list, if not then threatened them to keep their advance money and not deliver the chicks on deal done with them.

But some owners proved them men of their word and not forced the farmers to pay extra for the deals done in advance.

However now companies are advance booking with caution, as they are expecting that rate list will be revised again.

Most of the deals for chicks are being settled on rate about 75/chick.

The high rate have caused most of companies to loosen their grading criteria, mixing and sending the B-grade chicks with A-grade chicks so to get max from this season. But this situation has caused them to face a problem in shape of high early chick mortality.

This high early mortality consist of B-grade chicks who can't withstand the harsh conditions of weather and management failure as A-grade chicks.

Market analysts say that this situation has developed due to;

1. Low import of fresh breeder
2. High rate of eggs this season
3. Last year's low egg rate which caused most of the farmers to not to invest in new chicks

These factors are considered to be main for rise of chick price.

It is most probably expected that chicks will be sold in black market at much higher rate then announced by the companies because high egg rate has forced most of farmers to invest.

Organic & Inorganic acids

2012-02-02T23:37:00.000+05:00

Recent studies conducted in EU & USA revealed that extensive use of antibiotics in live stock (poultry, fish, pig, large animals) resulted in resistance development in microbes and also in formation of super bugs that are totally resistant to antibiotics.

This resistance resulted as that in treatment of some cases in humans antibiotics were totally unable to solve the problem. This situation warned the authorities a lot. So they started to find the alternative to antibiotics for use in livestock.

Now antibiotic use in livestock in EU & USA is completely banned.

After this the EU researchers find their to solve the problems in herbal products obtained from natural sources mostly plant sources. While the researchers in USA find their in use of organic and inorganic acids.

Most commonly used organic acids are acetic acid, formic acid, propanoic acid etc. While the commonly used inorganic acid is phosphoric acid. Their continuous use show good results but they must be used regularly for long time.

Some researchers believe that to gain maximum results by these acids one has to treat his/her flock from the very beginning.

Other view is that these with very little quantity of antibiotics show excellent results in terms of

1. Lower disease occurance
2. High liveability
3. High weight gain

Currently experiments are undergoing before one can surely say that these are 100% safe and will not do any harm to humans as what was faced in shape of antibiotics.

Egg Market Situation

2012-02-01T18:58:00.000+05:00

Egg prices are now dropping after about 2months. The prices started to fall as the temperature began to rise. Market situation in Karachi also contributed to this and prices in Punjab fall so sharply.

Even more decrease in rate is expected. People are thinking that market would be stable at farm rate of about 2000-2200 per crate. Due to continuous drop in rate farmers are trying to sell their stocks as soon as possible to avoid any more economical losses related to the price.

This situation has finally brought the signs of relief to consumers mainly middle and lower class who were mainly affected by this situation.

This season was definitely the GOLDEN SEASON as their was no increase in feed prices and yet the price of the eggs increased so much and remained at high rate for very long time. Most of the farmers were able to overcome the losses from which they suffered from last disastrous season.

Farmers are still believing that if temperature fall down again the prices will be again high. But currently consumers are happy and hoping that prices will not increase.

Early Chick Mortality

2012-01-31T22:18:00.000+05:00

This year brought a lot of problem to local hatchery owners in Pakistan as there is a lot of early chick mortality.

Local surveys revealed that many farmers suffered from high mortality rate as high as 90%.

This situation has caused hatchery owners to lose their prestige and also their market share. Now they are trying to find solutions to coupe with this current grim situation.

N.D Outbreaks in Pakistan

2012-01-31T22:11:00.000+05:00

N.D struck E.C.H this year in Pakistan, Punjab region. local surveys revealed cause of these huge outbreaks include,

1. Severe weather condition

2. Vaccine failure

The main causes for the vaccine failure included

1. Low ambient temperature

2. Low dose of vaccine administered

The main reason to administer low dose of vaccine included farmers try to lower their cost of production, but this practice caused farmers to suffer from high economic losses in shape of high mortality and low weight gain. This situation resulted rise in the meat prices in local market.

Current Status of Poultry

2012-01-31T17:04:00.000+05:00

Current surveys on poultry disease situation revealed that enteritis was the main cause to cause huge losses related to production of flocks. Many factors contributed to this severe condition include;

1. Poor quality of feed stuff

2. Severe weather conditions

3. Miscellaneous pathogens (salmonella, clostridium)

The problem was so severe that famous medicines were failed in solving the problem.