Poultry producers with cage-free pullet systems should go back to the basics of bird management to keep their flocks healthy and productive, reported Darrin Eckard, Hy-Line North America cage-free specialist. This is a change from flocks kept in cages that may face less disease and fewer parasites. “The one big thing I deal with is talking to people [to help them] understand this is what we used to deal with and it’s coming back now because birds are accessing the floor,” he told Poultry Health Today. Handling parasitic disease Eckard sees more coccidiosis, roundworms, tapeworms and cecal worm ..read more

Lesions created by footpad dermatitis are significantly reduced when broilers are raised in poultry houses with circulation fans, scientists have discovered. Researchers at the University of Maryland found birds raised in houses with fans suffered from less severe cases of footpad dermatitis, which adversely affects bird welfare and the market for broiler paws. “Footpad dermatitis causes painful ulcers and lesions on the ventral footpads of broilers,” graduate research assistant Zoie McMillian told Poultry Health Today. “This is a threat to poultry welfare as well as a threat to the meat indus ..read more

A disease commonly seen in turkey and broiler flocks can also affect layers, meaning that producers should look out for its distinctive signs. Clostridium septicum dermatitis was recently found across multiple sites of a single company, Michaela Olson, DVM, of Wilson Veterinary Care, told Poultry Health Today. The diagnosis began with a mortality spike and unusual feedback when dead birds were sent for further analysis. “The farm sent in whole birds to the lab, and they came back with the lab saying ‘these birds are just too decomposed to even look at; please send in fresh birds.’ So they sent ..read more

Producers should play close attention to insect control in their poultry houses to avoid cases of turkey coronavirus enteritis (TCE). That’s the view of Eric Orozco, DVM, a veterinarian at Butterball in North Carolina, based on his recent experiences with the disease. The most recent outbreak he dealt with began in June 2021, with previous breaks in 2018-19, he told Poultry Health Today. The disease was detected in 8-week-old finishers on two farms through routine polymerase chain reaction testing. “This is a first break for me in this company, but from what other vets have told me, it kind of ..read more

Consistent surveillance and analysis of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) at poultry production facilities can guard against “overvaccination” — where too much vaccine virus in the environment causes a rolling reaction in flocks. That’s the view of Rodrigo Gallardo, DVM, PhD, professor of poultry medicine at the University of California–Davis. Gallardo told Poultry Health Today he recommends surveillance of birds throughout the year for both broilers and layers in order to catch different age groups, with 30 samples the “magic number” in terms of being able to make accurate conclusions about t ..read more

Getting the correct lighting is important in poultry houses to help maximize the birds’ genetic potential; however, too often there’s a disconnect between the LED lamps and the dimmers in service. “We know a lot more than we did 5 or 10 years ago,” Tom Tabler, poultry specialist, University of Tennessee Extension, told Poultry Health Today. “Not every LED bulb and dimmer work well together; we didn’t realize that in the beginning.” Tabler has studied the ins and outs of poultry-house lighting and noted that most producers are unaware of the challenges created when the LED lamp and dimmer are n ..read more

Producers need to be alert to the dangers of drinking-water toxicity issues, according to a senior industry veterinarian. Speaking to Poultry Health Today, Kurt Dobson, DVM, director of veterinary services for George’s, Inc. in Arkansas, said that a recent case of salt toxicity at an eight-house broiler farm underlined the need to not dismiss water on the list of vital components affecting bird health. Issues on the site began to arise when birds were around 3 and a half weeks of age when birds exhibited flushing responses, alongside a mortality spike, he said. Both mycotoxins and sodium toxic ..read more

Coccidiosis in broiler houses remains a nagging challenge. While clinical manifestations are rare, it’s the subclinical condition that impacts the flock through poor feed efficiency and reduced growth rates. Not only does that weigh on a farms’ productivity and profitability, but also the birds’ well-being. “It’s the same old problem and it’s a moving target at the same time. It’s the same species coming at you in different ways, different seasons,” Phil Stayer, DVM at Sanderson Farms, told Poultry Health Today. “The tools have changed through the years; we’ve lost some good tools and gained s ..read more

Environmental enrichments in broiler houses may improve bird welfare by increasing natural behaviors, according to Heidi Rinehart, a student at the University of Maryland. Rinehart has studied broiler behavior and welfare for several years at the university. Rinehart told Poultry Health Today about her study, which looked at environmental enrichments in an organic, commercial broiler house with 36,000 birds and an experimental pen with 20 boilers. Enrichments used included a hay bale, wooden box, spotlight, wooden ramp, and a plastic migration fence (solid and v-shaped). Bird behaviors were ch ..read more

Dark periods are well documented to benefit the long-term performance, health and welfare of broilers. However, to ensure chicks actively seek out food and water, the traditional practice is to provide extended daylight during the early brooding phase. But is that still the right call? Having studied water consumption and feeding patterns over several years, Brian Fairchild, PhD, professor at the University of Georgia, found that chicks developed a rhythm early on. “Chicks are much more active than people think,” he told Poultry Health Today. “They’ll get up three or four times in an hour to g ..read more