An unusual case of inclusion body hepatitis in a cockerel

This report describes inclusion body hepatitis in a 12-week-old leghorn-type cockerel. The cockerel had come from a specific-pathogen-free flock and was reared in a positive-pressure isolator until 6 weeks old. Grossly, the cockerel was jaundiced, and the liver was swollen and had small white foci throughout. Histologically, there were foci of hepatic necrosis and basophilic inclusion bodies in the nuclei of numerous hepatocytes. A fowl adenovirus, isolated from the liver, was found to belong to serotype 2/12. The bursa of Fabricius had some degenerative changes, but these were not consistent with infectious bursal disease, nor was there evidence of seroconversion to infectious bursal disease virus in the remaining chickens.

Toxicity episodes involving agricultural chemicals and other substances in birds in Victoria, Australia

A series of case reports detailing observations on toxicity episodes in birds caused by a variety of agricultural chemicals and other substances is presented. These problems arose as a result of ignorance, accident and malicious intent. The episodes involved maldison, monocrotophos, fenitrothion, trichlorofon, dieldrin, chlordane, endrin, metaldehyde, bromadiolone, arsenic, lead and zinc. An unresolved episode where toxicity was implicated is also included.

The resistance to anti-microbial agents of bacteria isolated from pathological conditions of birds in Victoria, 1978 to 1983

The resistance to anti-microbial agents of bacteria isolated from pathological conditions of birds in Victoria, 1978 to 1983, was determined for isolates of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Pasteurella multocida, P. anatipestifer, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Haemophilus paragallinarum. The isolates of E. coli had a high prevalence of resistance to tetracycline and sulphonamides, and a lower prevalence of resistance to furazolidone and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The isolates of Salmonella spp commonly had resistance to tetracycline, sulphonamides, furazolidone and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Almost half the isolates of S. aureus showed resistance to lincomysin and many showed resistance to penicillin. Resistance to tetracycline was found in isolates of P. multocida, P. anatepestifer and Y. pseudotuberculosis. Some isolates of H. paragallinarum showed resistance to sulphonamides, streptomycin and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim.

Investigations of toxicity episodes involving chemotherapeutic agents in Victorian poultry and pigeons

This series of case reports details observations on toxicity episodes in poultry due to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents. These problems arose owing to overdosage, variation in species susceptibility, potentiation of the toxic effects of one substance by the presence of another substance, and particular disease or other on-farm factors. Ignorance and accident were responsible for some of these situations. The episodes involved monensin, salinomycin, nicarbazin, sulphaquinoxaline, dinitolmide, dimetridazole, nitrofurans, streptomycin, and 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid.

Absence of a role for selenium deficiency in the runting syndrome of broiler chickens in Australia

The role of selenium deficiency in the etiology of the runting-stunting syndrome (RSS) of broiler chickens in Australia was investigated. Commercial broiler chickens maintained on selenium-deficient developed signs consistent with selenium deficiency of exudative diathesis and markedly reduced plasma glutathione peroxidase activity, but they did not develop pancreatic atrophy and fibrosis or elevated plasma amylase activity, which are the other lesions associated with RSS. Supplementation of the diets of birds from a RSS-susceptible flock with a mixture of selenium, vitamin E, cysteine, and sulfate had no effect on the incidence of runting in the treated birds. In field outbreaks of RSS there were no observable differences between affected and unaffected birds in the concentration of selenium in tissue samples. Furthermore, evidence is presented which suggests that in cases of RSS, pancreatic atrophy and elevations in plasma amylase precede reductions in plasma glutathione peroxidase activity.

Diseases diagnosed in broiler chicken flocks in Victoria, Australia, 1977 to 1984

During the period July 1977 to June 1984, specimens from 1402 broiler chicken flocks were submitted to the Veterinary Research Institute, Victoria, Australia for investigation of morbidity, mortality and, or, poor performance. A total of 19,450 post mortem examinations, as well as numerous ancillary tests, were performed. The findings on these flocks are presented and the consequences of some particular diseases noted.

Some observations on the development of the long bones of ratite birds

Observations were made on the long bones of 16 young ratite birds (10 rheas, 3 emus and 3 ostriches), from 1-day-old to 12 weeks of age. At hatching all long bones contained large cartilaginous cones which were continuous with the growth plates, and an osseous cortex. At one week of age ossification had commenced on the periphery of these embryonic cones and in some bones the cones had become separated from the growth plates. At 3 weeks of age the embryonic cones of cartilage were still present in the proximal and distal tibio-tarsi and narrow cartilaginous bridges connected the cones to the growth plates. Embryonic cones were not present in other long bones of this 3-week-old rhea nor in the long bones of ratites 6, 8 and 12 weeks of age. Other praecocial birds such as turkey poults and chickens have cones of embryonic cartilage in their long bones at hatching and these persist in the tibio-tarsi till one to 2 weeks of age. The presence of large cones of embryonic cartilage in the tibio-tarsal bones of 3-week-old ratite birds is probably a normal phenomenon. Awareness of this feature is necessary for the correct differential diagnosis of the prevalent musculoskeletal disorders of ratite birds.

Field, clinical and pathological observations of a runting and stunting syndrome in broilers

Observations on a runting and stunting syndrome in broiler chickens in Victoria, Australia, based on general observations from 1980 to 1983 on 2244 chickens from 109 affected broiler chicken flocks, are summarised. The details on 156 of these birds from five affected flocks with varying runting percentages are presented. Typically affected birds were presented with atrophy of the pancreas, the thymus and the bursa of Fabricius.