Search

30 broiler flocks from two majors Swiss broiler producing companies were examined for lesions relevant to meat inspection between November 1995 and April 1996. 71.8% of condemned carcasses and viscera were assigned to ascites syndrome, bacterial infections and runting. Other diseases and lesions due to injury or processing were rare. Escherichia coli was responsible for the majority of infections. The average condemnation rate (1.0%) corresponded to findings in literature.

Two cases of disturbed health and growth of the skeleton in emus and rheas caused by faults in feeding and mineral supply are reported. 13 of 37 emus developed (beginning in the 3rd week) more and more signs of perosis. The diet fed in this case was based mainly on pelleted diets for piglets and rabbits and unpelleted supplements. The ingesting behaviour (selective intake and refuse of fines and supplements) resulted in an imbalanced mineral intake. In the second case 3 of 15 young rheas showed unphysiological postures of the necks vertebral column. Disposed by an absolutely insufficient calcium supply (the real ingested diet was based on corn and white bread mainly) fractures of vertebrae were provoked by unprofessional handling. During the healing process (uncalcified) connective tissue near to fractures localization led to the abnormal posture of the neck.

A case of growth retardation in a bull is reported. Serum concentration of insulin-like-growth-factor-I, insulin-like-growth-factor-binding-protein-3, insulin, C-peptide, T3, T4, and fT4 were low compared with a normal growing bull in the same age. The causes of growth retardation are discussed.

Premature closure of the distal ulnar physis leads to medial bowing of the radius, later to lateral deviation of the carpus, and ventral subluxation of the elbow. Diagnosis of this growth disturbance depends on accurate radiographical examination. There are different surgical treatments to allow the radius to grow without impediment. The prognosis depends on early treatment.

Eight juvenile cattle with symptoms of hyena disease are described. This represents the first occurrence of the condition in the Republic of Poland. The growth of the affected animals was retarded, with a marked difference in longitudinal growth of the femoral, humeral, tibial and metatarsal bones. The animals showed altered nickel, manganese and inorganic phosphate concentrations, which may be related to the disease. The genetic studies did not reveal any aetiological factors.

Insufficient performance and health problems of reared piglets in individual boxes gave rise to sent 2 samples of the diet to the institute. Due to a demixing process on the transport (winding) the composition of the diet changed markedly. The crude ash content increased (62.7 g----96.2 g/kg feed), on the other hand the protein content decreased significantly (181----126 g/kg feed). Obviously the variable mineral content in the diet impaired the palatability and consequently the performance of reared piglets due to increased disposition for diarrhea.

In a collection of newborn calves including DRB, DSB and DFV breeds (n = 27) the plasma Selenium concentration was measured directly after parturition up until six weeks after parturition by means of neutron-activating analysis. Minimal Selenium concentration occurred on the fourth day. The values of the subsequent Selenium concentrations exceeded those immediately after parturition only slightly. The tested group could be divided into two subgroups, one of which consisted of calves with extremely low initial Selenium concentrations, whereas the animals in the others showed high levels immediately after parturition (0.019 +/- 0.004 micrograms/ml versus 0.046 +/- 0.010 micrograms/ml of plasma). The diagrams appeared to be parallel on two different levels. Nine out of 10 calves with low Selenium levels showed after parturition retarded development and/or suffered from various diseases whereas the other calves (n = 17) showed no signs of clinical disease nor alterations in the race-specific development throughout the testing period.