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Antimicrobials have been widely used in poultry, promoting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence and spread. Resistant bacteria selected by antimicrobial use (AMU) can contaminate the farm environment and transfer resistance genes to other bacteria, providing opportunities for persistence and (re-)colonization of subsequent flocks and potentially jeopardizing antimicrobial treatments. We investigated the effects of AMU on AMR in poultry in the long-term (due to historical AMU in the farm) and in the short-term (due to current AMU in a flock). Litter samples from 35 broiler and 35 turkey farms in North-East Italy were sampled longitudinally for AMR testing of E. coli indicator bacteria in 2019/2020. Differences in AMR as a function of historical AMU (Defined Daily Doses in 2016-2018), current AMU in the sampled flock, farm size and season were tested using Generalized Estimating Equation regression analysis. In both broilers and turkeys, the highest resistance levels were observed for sulfamethoxazole (>70%), followed by ampicillin (54-60%). Only few positive associations between historical levels of penicillin use and the specific resistance levels to penicillin in broiler farms, and the overall historical AMU and resistance to trimethoprim in turkey flocks, were significant. Current AMU showed significant effects on resistance to sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline in turkey flocks. Significant effects of farm size on some AMR levels were also identified. We found a stronger association between current AMU and AMR compared to historical AMU and AMR. AMR persistence in the farm environment in absence of direct AMU pressure needs to be further investigated.

Leptospirosis is known to determine reproductive disorders on livestock, and Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii are the most frequently reported species. Leptospira noguchii is an emerging pathogen, but its association with reproductive disease is unclear. We have detected L. noguchii as the agent of an outbreak with reproductive disorders in a Brazilian dairy goat flock. In the kidding season, five out of 10 Saanen had abortions in the final month of pregnancy and two newborn kids had acute clinical signs. After necropsy of three foetuses and one newborn kid, fragments of liver, lung and kidney were submitted to lipL32-PCR. It yielded positive results in at least one fragment from each animal. After, a nested secY-PCR, followed by sequencing, could identify L. noguchii, with 99-100% of identity with sequences obtained from cattle in the same region. For the first time, L. noguchii was detected in goats and, most importantly, the association of this leptospiral species with reproductive failures in ruminants has been demonstrated.

Background and Aim: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of high economic and public health importance in large and small ruminant populations worldwide. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in small ruminants in organized farms in the southern region of India. Materials and Methods: Farms exclusively rearing sheep and goats were selected based on the number of animals (small, medium, or large) and the location of the farm (urban, periurban, or rural). A total of 1499 serum samples; 1001 from sheeps and 498 from goats were sourced from six sheep and four goat farms and tested using Rose Bengal Plate and indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay tests. Results: The apparent prevalence of brucellosis was higher in sheep (8.29%, 95% CI 6.7-10.1) than goats (5.82%, 95% CI 4.0-8.2). The true adjusted population level seroprevalence was also higher in sheep, at 7.7% (95% CI 6.0-9.6) than in goats, at 5.1% (95% CI 3.2-7.6). According to bivariate categorical analysis, six highly significant (p

This study was conducted to investigate Babesia parasites infecting sheep in eight districts of Sulaimani governorate/north Iraq from April to October 2017. Forty flocks of small ruminants were selected to collect blood samples randomly from 450 sheep. The samples were examined for babesiosis by microscopic examination and PCR. Primers based on the 18S rRNA were used for Babesia diagnosis, followed by sequencing of the amplicons for confirmation of the PCR product identities. Seventy-four samples (16.44%) showed the presence of Babesia piroplasms microscopically, while 116 (25.78%) samples were positive using PCR. Results showed that B. ovis was reported in 15.78% (n = 71), and B. motasi in 10.0% (n = 45) of the samples. Also, BLAST analysis of the obtained partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from current study isolates revealed the existence of both B. ovis and B. motasi, with a high homology degree of nucleotide identity with other nucleotide sequences of Babesia spp. in GenBank database. Distribution of babesiosis, according to the sampling time, revealed that high-frequency rates occur during July and August. Based on the result data, babesiosis was mainly caused by B. ovis and B. motasi.

Background: Newcastle disease, is one of the most important diseases of the poultry industry, has many economic losses. The aim of this study was to isolate and determine the molecular identity of Newcastle disease virus in 40 broiler flocks with respiratory symptoms in four provinces of Iran.Methods and Results: Samples of farms with respiratory symptoms were collected from different regions of Isfahan, East Azerbaijan, Golestan, and Khuzestan provinces and inoculated into 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. The Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the Newcastle disease virus on allantoic fluid. Of the 40 flocks, the virus was isolated and identified in 16 flocks. The PCR products of 16 isolates were sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was drawn. Accordingly, six isolates were in genotype II and ten isolates were in subgenotype VIId of class II. Conclusion: Both genotypes were present in all four provinces. The isolates of Khuzestan province showed the greatest diversity compared to the other three provinces. The similarity of isolates belonging to genotype II in this study was observed with Pakistan, China, and Nigeria and other isolates were similar to previous isolates in Iran. Also, the highest amino acid sequence in the F-protein cleavage site was 112RRQKR/F117 for VIId genotype isolates and 112GRQGR/L117 for II genotype isolates.

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of Q fever in sheep in the northern part of Kaduna State, Nigeria. This study aimed to determine Coxiella burnetii infection and its risk factors in sheep in Kaduna State. A total of 400 blood samples consisting of 259 samples from females and 141 from males were aseptically collected from the jugular vein of sheep from flocks in Kaduna State. The sera obtained were screened for Q fever using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). The obtained data were analysed to determine whether there is a relationship between sex, age, and the animals tested. The analysis revealed that 8.0% of the sera was seropositive by iELISA. There was no significant difference in Q fever seropositivity in the study area according to the sex of sheep (P > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in Q fever seropositivity according to the age of sheep. This study indicated a high seroprevalence of Q fever mainly among female animals and older sheep. Further studies are required to determine the epizootiology of Q fever in the study area more precisely.

Background A major focus of research on the gut microbiota of poultry has been to define signatures of a healthy gut and identify microbiota components that correlate with feed conversion. However, there is a high variation in individual gut microbiota profiles and their association with performance. Population level samples such as dust and pooled excreta could be useful to investigate bacterial signatures associated with productivity at the flock-level. This study was designed to investigate the bacterial signatures of high and low-performing commercial meat chicken farms in dust and pooled excreta samples. Poultry house dust and fresh pooled excreta were collected at days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 of age from 8 farms of two Australian integrator companies and 389 samples assessed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing. The farms were ranked as low (n = 4) or high performers (n = 4) based on feed conversion rate corrected by body weight. Results Permutational analysis of variance based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarities using abundance data for bacterial community structure results showed that company explained the highest variation in the bacterial community structure in excreta (R2 = 0.21, p = 0.001) while age explained the highest variation in the bacterial community structure in dust (R2 = 0.13, p = 0.001). Farm performance explained the least variation in the bacterial community structure in both dust (R2 = 0.03, p = 0.001) and excreta (R2 = 0.01, p = 0.001) samples. However, specific bacterial taxa were found to be associated with high and low performance in both dust and excreta. The bacteria taxa associated with high-performing farms in dust or excreta found in this study were Enterococcus and Candidatus Arthromitus whereas bacterial taxa associated with low-performing farms included Nocardia, Lapillococcus, Brachybacterium, Ruania, Dietzia, Brevibacterium, Jeotgalicoccus, Corynebacterium and Aerococcus. Conclusions Dust and excreta could be useful for investigating bacterial signatures associated with high and low performance in commercial poultry farms. Further studies on a larger number of farms are needed to determine if the bacterial signatures found in this study are reproducible.

Background and Aim: Necrotic enteritis (NE) is one of the most prevalent diseases in broiler poultry caused by Clostridium perfringens connected with significant economic losses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh to assess the prevalence of C. perfringens through toxinotyping molecular assay and confirm the risk factors for NE, including antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) status of the isolates. Materials and Methods: We included 40 small-scale commercial broiler farms randomly selected from two subdistricts of Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. As an individual sample, 240 cloacal swabs, and as a pooled sample, 40 drinking water, 40 workers' hand washing, 40 litter swab, and 40 feed samples were collected and evaluated by culture, biochemical, and molecular assays. A pretested semi-structured interview questionnaire was employed to capture flock-level data on risk factors from the farm owners. The flock-level data on risk factors were assessed through univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses with p

A respiratory disease epizootic at the National Bison Range (NBR) in Montana in 2016–2017 caused an 85% decline in the bighorn sheep population, documented by observations of its unmarked but individually identifiable members, the subjects of an ongoing long‐term study. The index case was likely one of a small group of young bighorn sheep on a short‐term exploratory foray in early summer of 2016. Disease subsequently spread through the population, with peak mortality in September and October and continuing signs of respiratory disease and sporadic mortality of all age classes through early July 2017. Body condition scores and clinical signs suggested that the disease affected ewe groups before rams, although by the end of the epizootic, ram mortality (90% of 71) exceeded ewe mortality (79% of 84). Microbiological sampling 10 years to 3 months prior to the epizootic had documented no evidence of infection or exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae at NBR, but during the epizootic, a single genetic strain of M. ovipneumoniae was detected in affected animals. Retrospective screening of domestic sheep flocks near the NBR identified the same genetic strain in one flock, presumptively the source of the epizootic infection. Evidence of fatal lamb pneumonia was observed during the first two lambing seasons following the epizootic but was absent during the third season following the death of the last identified M. ovipneumoniae carrier ewe. Monitoring of life‐history traits prior to the epizootic provided no evidence that environmentally and/or demographically induced nutritional or other stress contributed to the epizootic. Furthermore, the epizootic occurred despite proactive management actions undertaken to reduce risk of disease and increase resilience in this population. This closely observed bighorn sheep epizootic uniquely illustrates the natural history of the disease including the (presumptive) source of spillover, course, severity, and eventual pathogen clearance., This case report provides unprecedentedly detailed animal observations before, during, and after a severe bighorn sheep pneumonia outbreak and includes molecular detection of the causative primary pathogen, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, in its putative source, a nearby domestic sheep operation. As a result, this case report serves to advance our understanding of critical aspects of this important disease.

Worldwide, foodborne illness is a significant public health issue in both developed and developing countries. Salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and shigellosis are common foodborne gastrointestinal illnesses caused by the bacteria Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and Shigella spp. respectively. These zoonotic diseases are frequently linked to eggs and poultry products. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of these pathogens in Australian backyard poultry flocks and to determine risk factors for these pathogens. Poultry faeces samples were collected from 82 backyards and screened for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and Shigella spp. using qPCR. A questionnaire was administered to the backyard poultry owners to assess their knowledge regarding management of poultry and eggs and to identify potential risk factors that may contribute to the presence of zoonotic pathogens in the flocks. One composite faecal sample was collected from each backyard (82 samples). Composite sampling here means taking one or more grab samples from a backyard to make up approximately 10 grams. Four per cent of samples, that is 4% backyards tested, were positive for Salmonella spp., 10% were positive for Campylobacter spp. and none were positive for Shigella spp. A higher infection rate was seen in multi-aged flocks (24%) compared with the single-aged flocks (3%). The survey found that many participants were engaging in risky food safety behaviours with 46% of participants responding that they washed their eggs with running water or still water instead of wiping the dirt off with a damp cloth to clean the eggs and 19% stored their eggs at room temperature. This study demonstrated that backyard poultry may pose a potential risk for salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. Additionally, Australian public health and food safety regulations should be modified and effectively implemented to address the risks associated with backyard poultry husbandry.

The survey to measure the impact of antistress pharmacologic agents, particularly the SPAO-complex product along with the SPAO-KD feed additive, on the immune status of chickens to prevent tenosynovitis was carried out. In order to conduct the surveys, the chickens were allocated into three groups of 32 000 heads each to build the parent flock. Chickens in the first group served as the control. The specimens in the second test group were provided with the SPAO-KD feed additive in the mixed fodder. The poultry in the third test group were provided with the SPAO-complex pharmocological-composition product with water. The dietary preventive agents were used at a dose of 185 mg/kg body weight for 5 days in the reference live vaccine used for vaccination: 3 days before vaccinations, on the day of vaccination, and 1 day after vaccination. Poultry immunization against reovirus tenosynovitis was carried out according to the technology for population vaccination. A dried live vaccine against avian reovirus tenosynovitis was used to vaccinate the chickens at the age of 1 and 4 weeks. It was produced from an attenuated strain 1133 of avian reovirus isolated from tenosynovitis. The seroconversion rates in quantitative and qualitative manners in the reference test agents were assessed 7 and 14 days after the first vaccination and 14 and 21 days after the second vaccination. The dietary SPAO-KD feed additive and the water-soluble SPAO-complex pharmacological product contributed to an increase in the levels of postvaccination antibodies 1.6- and 2.6-fold, respectively, and the vaccination indices 1.6- and 3.5-fold, respectively. The SPAO complex product contributed to reducing the coefficient of variation of postvaccination antibodies by 25.7%. Taking antistress therapies under the effects of immunologic load factors provided the poultry welfare benefit and improved the production of day-old chicks and the poultry live weight gain by 0.79–3.5, 0.55–4.22, and 0.88–6.44%, respectively.

Cryptosporidiosis is an extensively contagious zoonotic waterborne disease caused by the genus Cryptosporidium and poses to be a danger to public health. Sheep and goats are an intermediate host of Cryptosporidium. Consequently, a first systematic review and meta-analysis are performed to assess the burden of the infection relative to the Cryptosporidium in sheep and goat flocks in China. Five databases were searched for relevant literature in accordance with the inclusion criteria until January 30, 2020. At last, a total of 33 qualified documents were included. We calculate the overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium (4.9%) in sheep and goats in China with the random-effects model. The prevalence after 2014 (4.6%) was higher than that before or in 2014 (2.8%). The pooled prevalence of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats from Northern China (12.3%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than other regions. The infection rate of modified acid-fast staining (14.3%) was the highest among the detection methods. In age subgroups, the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats in 3 months or before was the highest (20.8%). Goats had a higher infection rate (5.9%) in species. The prevalence of large-scale farms (2.8%) was lower than free-ranging farms (4.4%). The medium quality level (6.4%) was the highest. Besides, geographical factors (such as latitude, longitude, height, precipitation, humidity, mean temperature, etc.) were further analyzed as potential risk factors of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats. This meta-analysis indicates that the Cryptosporidium infection of Chinese sheep and goat flocks is general. Thus, it is necessary to further monitor the prevalence of Cryptosporidium, and the reasonable preventive strategy should be formulated on the basis of the geographical factors of different regions and the differences in sheep and goats' growth stages to reduce the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats.

Background and Aim: The swollen head syndrome (SHS) makes up complex diseases that infect the upper respiratory tract in poultry and causes several economic losses. Furthermore, this syndrome is considered one of the multifactorial etiological agents. Therefore, this study isolated and molecularly detected Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) in poultry. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at 67 broiler farms that had birds observed to be infected with the SHS from September 2018 until August 2019. Subsequently, swabs were collected from their trachea, infraorbital sinuses, and lungs, after which obtained samples were treated through two methods: (a) The direct method, by uploading samples on FTA cards, and the indirect method using a transport media. Afterward, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze the directly treated samples; howeverAQ1, the culture method, followed by PCR, was used to analyze the indirectly treated samples. Next, a partial 16S RNA gene was isolated using four positive PCR products, after which the effect of 16 antibiotics was studied on the seven local ORT strains isolated. Results: The quantity of ORT isolated using the direct method was 28 (41.7%) samples, which were all positive for the strain. Identification was by direct molecular identification (RT-PCR) from samples loaded on FTA cards. Alternatively, 7 (10.4%) ORTs were detected from the indirect method, as obtained using the culture method and biochemical tests. Then, PCR was subsequently used to confirm the results. As observed, 784 bp bands were shown for all seven ORT isolates. Furthermore, results revealed a significant difference in the detection of ORT strains between direct and indirect methods, with p-value (

Worldwide, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and M. synoviae (MS) are the main agents responsible for chronic respiratory disease in poultry. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate their occurrence. We searched electronic databases to find peer-reviewed publications reporting the molecular detection of MG and MS in poultry and used meta-analysis to estimate their pooled occurrence (combined flock and individual), aggregating results at the regional and national levels. We performed a subgroup meta-analysis for subpopulations (broilers, layers, breeders, and diverse poultry including turkeys, ducks, and ostriches) and used meta-regression with categorical modifiers. We retrieved 2,294 publications from six electronic databases and included 85 publications from 33 countries that reported 62 studies with 22,162 samples for MG and 48 studies with 26,413 samples for MS. The pooled occurrence was 38.4% (95% CI: 23.5-54.5) for MS and 27.0% (20.4-34.2) for MG. Among regions, Europe and Central Asia had the lowest occurrence for both pathogens, while MG and MS were highly prevalent in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, respectively. MG occurrence was higher in Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, whereas China, Egypt, and Ethiopia reported a higher occurrence of MS. MS and MG were more prevalent in the breeders and layers (62.6% and 31.2%, respectively) than in diverse poultry. The year of publication, the sample size, and the level of ambient air pollution (measured indirectly by PM2.5) were associated with the occurrence of both mycoplasmas. Our study revealed a high and heterogeneous occurrence of MG and MS and justifies the need for an early detection and improved control measures to reduce the spread of these pathogens.

Background and Aim: Mannheimia haemolytica (Mha) is a common agent of pneumonia in ruminants globally, causing economic losses by morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. Infection by Mha is often associated with or promoted by respiratory viral pathogens and environmental conditions. Infections due to Mha have rarely been described in small ruminants. This study reports the biological and molecular characteristics of a new Moroccan Mha isolate from small ruminants presenting typical respiratory symptoms. We also studied the cultural parameters, growth kinetics, and Lkt excretion of the isolate and its pathogenicity on laboratory animals and small ruminants. Materials and Methods: Suspected pasteurellosis cases in sheep and goat flocks in Morocco were investigated. A local strain of Mha was isolated and identified using biochemical and molecular methods. Polymerase chain reaction-targeting specific genes were used for serotyping and phylogenetic analyses; further, leukotoxin production, cytotoxicity, and pathogenicity of the isolate in mice, goats, and sheep were investigated. Results: Phylogeny analysis revealed 98.76% sequence identity with the USA isolate of 2013; the strain growth with a cycle of 9-10 h with leukotoxin secretion was detected by NETosis and quantified by cytotoxicity and mortality of mice. Goat and sheep infections cause hyperthermia, with characteristic postmortem lesions in the trachea and lung. Conclusion: A local isolate of Mha from sheep that died of pneumonia was characterized for the 1st time in North Africa using biological and molecular methods. Although growth on appropriate culture media is accompanied by intense leukotoxin secretion, experimental infections of sheep and goats cause hyperthermia and typical lesions of pneumonia.

Background Contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) is considered widespread in the United Kingdom but was only recently reported in mainland Europe, as one outbreak in Germany. The disease can cause severe lameness in sheep and, if left untreated, can lead to total avulsion of the hoof capsule. CODD is considered to have multifactorial and polymicrobial aetiology, in which Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii phylogroup, Treponema phagedenis phylogroup and Treponema pedis are believed to play a significant role. Footrot and CODD have a close connection and footrot is considered an important risk factor for CODD. Case Lameness, mainly in lambs aged 1.5 months, was reported on a farm in Sweden in spring 2018. The animals showed no signs of footrot and the causative agent, Dichelobacter nodosus, was not found. CODD was suspected but not confirmed, and the clinical signs subsided when the animals were turned out to pasture. In February 2019, young lambs and ewes were lame again and this time CODD was diagnosed. After treatment, the whole flock was slaughtered later in 2019 due to CODD. In autumn 2020, CODD was diagnosed on another Swedish farm, this time as part of a mixed infection with D. nodosus. The animals were treated with footbaths in zinc sulphate 10% by the farmer, but lameness recurred soon afterwards. The animals were treated, but ultimately the whole flock was slaughtered. No connection was found between the two farms. Conclusion The first two outbreaks of CODD in Sweden have been diagnosed and are described in this case report. If it spreads, CODD could have a negative impact on the Swedish sheep industry in terms of animal welfare, production and antibiotic use.

Following the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) in France in early December 2020, we used duck mortality data from the index farm to investigate within-flock transmission dynamics. A stochastic epidemic model was fitted to the daily mortality data and model parameters were estimated using an approximate Bayesian computation sequential Monte Carlo (ABC-SMC) algorithm. The model predicted that the first bird in the flock was infected 5 days (95% credible interval, CI: 3–6) prior to the day of suspicion and that the transmission rate was 4.1 new infections per day (95% CI: 2.8–5.8). On average, ducks became infectious 4.1 h (95% CI: 0.7–9.1) after infection and remained infectious for 4.3 days (95% CI: 2.8–5.7). The model also predicted that 34% (50% prediction interval: 8%–76%) of birds would already be infectious by the day of suspicion, emphasizing the substantial latent threat this virus could pose to other poultry farms and to neighbouring wild birds. This study illustrates how mechanistic models can help provide rapid relevant insights that contribute to the management of infectious disease outbreaks of farmed animals. These methods can be applied to future outbreaks and the resulting parameter estimates made available to veterinary services within a few hours. ISSN:1865-1674 ISSN:1865-1682

Context Breech strike is a serious disease for wool sheep. Skin wrinkle and dags are known predisposing factors for breech strike; however, a large part of the variation among sheep is unknown. Aims We studied the natural diversity and difference in microbial populations in the skin around the breech area in Merino sheep genetically resistant and susceptible to breech strike, by using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Methods The sheep were from the breech strike flocks at the Mount Barker research station in Western Australia and from the CSIRO research station near Armidale in New South Wales. Skin samples were collected from the breech of all 2013-born progeny in both flocks before they were struck. Yearling ewes and rams were then naturally exposed to challenge by Lucilia cuprina blowflies. Breeding values for breech strike were estimated and used with phenotypic data to identify breech strike-resistant and -susceptible sheep. Skin samples of 78 unstruck and 73 struck sheep were selected, their microbiomes were analysed using 16S rRNA meta-barcoding, and operational taxonomic unit counts were analysed. Results The diversity analyses showed that the two flocks in the different environments had different microbiome profiles, but no difference was found between sexes or between breech strike-resistant and -susceptible sheep in either flock. Conclusions The results indicated that microbial differences on the skin of sheep are not associated with differences in susceptibility to breech strike. Implications Microbial differences do not offer opportunities to manage breech strike in Merino sheep.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is one of the major viral diseases still causing great economic losses among breeding flocks of Egypt. This study was designed to focus light on non-cutaneous lesions (prevalence, intensity, and impacts) among necropsied LSD infected cattle. We selected some dairy and beef flocks (Frisian breed) located in 3 governorates (Sharkia, Dakahlia, and Kaloubia) in Nile delta, Egypt, in the period from January 2019 to January 2020 for our survey study. The case history of farms declared no previous vaccination of examined farms. The clinical signs, morbidity, and mortality rates were recorded. Average morbidity and mortality percentage were 22.28% and 6.59%, respectively. PCR for specimens from liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, testis, udder, trachea, and lymph node indicates presence of amplicon capripoxvirus gene product at molecular weight size 192 bp. Postmortem lesions of necropsied and emergency slaughtered were recorded. The main detectable histopathology lesions among the infected animals were orchitis (75%), mastitis in immature and lactating udder (66.66%), and necrotic hepatitis (77.77%), disseminated vasculitis (61.11), glomerulonephritis (55.55), myocardial degeneration (50%), and serous atrophy of coronary fats (38.88%), lymphadenitis (88.88%), necrosis and depleted lymphoid tissue of spleen (38.88%), necrotic myositis (77.77%), tracheitis (16.66%), and pneumonia (interstitial bronchopneumonia) (44.44%) besides intra-cytoplasmic inclusions bodies in skin (33.33%). It could be concluded that higher mortalities of LSD may be due to systemic infection of infected animals which had great impact on economic losses among breeding flocks.

Maedi-Visna (MV) is a viral disease that has no treatment and vaccination in sheep which causes chronic respiratory problems, nervous disorders, and yield losses. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of MV infection in sheep in Kars province. A total of 200 sheep blood sera taken from 4 local areas (Ortaköy, Boğatepe, Halefoğlu, Borluk) in Kars center were the material of the study. A Commercial ELISA antibody test was used to investigate MV antibodies. At the end of the analysis, 32 of 200 (16%) animals were positive against Maedi-Visna spesific antibodies. At the end of this study, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of breed, location and gender. Only the difference between ages was determined. In conclusion, this study shows that MV disease occurs in sheep in Kars province.

Chicken Anemia Virus (CAV) is an extremely contagious immunosuppressive disease causing high economic losses in poultry production. In the present study, tissue samples (bone marrow, thymus, and spleen) were collected from 86 different broiler chicken farms located in fourteen governorates in Egypt during 2020. They suffered from retard growth, weakness, and a drop in egg production with an observed mortality rate ranged 5-15%. A total of 26 samples were positive for CAV using PCR in six governorates in Lower Egypt with a 30% incidence rate, especially in Sharkia (78%), Ismailia (62.5%), and Alexandria (60%). The viral protein1 (VP1) gene of CAV was genetically characterized by sequencing of 10 selected viruses in six governorates. revealing that all Egyptian strains were clustered into two groups (A, B) that was distinct from vaccine strains (Del-Ros, Cux-1, and 26PA) which were clustered in group C. The seven Egyptian viruses in this study (A-Egypt-AN1-2020 to A-Egypt-AN7-2020) were clustered with the viruses from Japan, Argentina, and Malaysia in group A, and the other three viruses (A-Egypt-AN8-2020, A-Egypt-AN9-2020, A-Egypt-AN10-2020) were clustered with the viruses from Nigeria, and India in group B. The Egyptian viruses in the current study acquired new specific mutations clustering them into new subgroups (2A, 2B). By mutation analysis comparing with Del-Rose reference strains, V75I, M97L, and K139Q, E144Q were recorded in all viruses in the group A and B. All Egyptian viruses in the current study had specific new mutations at Y13N, H22N. Moreover, mutation at G74E in Egyptian viruses recorded in the current study was related to sub group 2A, I83V in three strains (A/Egypt/AN1/2020, A/Egypt/AN2/2020, A/Egypt/AN4/2020), and S140A in the hypervariable region was found in four strains (A/Egypt/AN1/2020, A/Egypt/AN2/2020, A/Egypt/AN4/2020 and A/Egypt/AN5/2020) in subgroup 2A. Furthermore, Q139 and Q144 amino acid substitutions, which are important in viral replication, were observed in all viruses. The field viruses in the study were distinct from the vaccinal strains by phylogenetic analysis and A.A. identity. In conclusion, the CAV was continuously circulating in Egypt from different genotypes. It acquired new specific mutations clustering them in a new subgroup, and it was distinct from vaccinal strains. Therefore, it is important to conduct continuous monitoring on the genetic evolution of CAV and further studies on the pathogenicity of the virus and the vaccine efficacy.

El objetivo fue caracterizar genéticamente 23 subpoblaciones de oveja Pelibuey de México y un rebaño cubano mediante nueve marcadores microsatélites. En el análisis por iniciadores, se observaron 99 alelos y un contenido de información polimórfica (PIC) de 0.84. El FIS, FST y FIT tuvieron valores de 0.007, 0.151 y 0.158, respectivamente. Tres iniciadores (OarFCB304, OarJMP29 e ILSTS5) mostraron desviaciones en el equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg (HWE; P0.05). El análisis de estructura poblacional determinó que el número de poblaciones ancestrales (K) fue igual a 2, mostrando consistencia con el PCA. Se concluye que la oveja Pelibuey de México tiene una alta diversidad genética y que sus subpoblaciones se agrupan en dos grupos, uno de los cuales muestra el material genético más preservado.

Free-range backyard chicken breeding is gaining popularity in Algerian rural regions. Due to the natural rearing conditions, chickens are exposed a wide range of microbes and ectoparasites. Currently, little is known about the variety of ectoparasites infesting free-range chickens in Algeria. The present study was conducted over a two year period on 169 backyard chicken, with the aim of identifying and estimating the prevalence of ectoparasites on different body parts of the chickens, and their immediate environments in northeast Algeria. In total, 9943 ectoparasites were identified, and the seven most dominant species were: Menopon gallinae (82.84%), Goniodes dissimilis (15.97%), Menacanthus stramineus (13.60%), Goniocotes gallinae (6.50%), Lipeurus caponis (5.23%), Argas persicus (9.46%) and Dermanyssus gallinae (1.18%). Menopon gallinae was the most frequent isolated ectoparasite throughout the year. Soft ticks Argas persicus were isolated during spring and summer, mainly from crevices and cracks, while the chicken red mite Dermanyssus gallinae was detected in autumn with a low load on bird body parts and a high abundance in nests. These results list the most abundant ectoparasites in backyard chickens, which could facilitate the improvement of rearing management., Slobodni uzgoj dvorišnih pilića u ruralnim predjelima Alžira sve je popularniji. Zbog prirodnih uvjeta uzgoja, pilići su izloženi brojnim vrstama mikroba i ektoparazita. Međutim, manje je saznanja o raznolikosti ektoparazita koji napadaju piliće iz slobodnog uzgoja u Alžiru. Ova studija se provodila tijekom dvije godine na 169 dvorišnih pilića, s ciljem identifikacije i procjene prevalencije ektoparazita na različitim anatomskim dijelovima i u neposrednom okruženju uzorkovanih pilića u sjeveroistočnim predjelima Alžira. Ukupno je identificirano 9943 ektoparazita različitih vrsta, među kojima je pronađeno sedam glavnih vrsta ektoparazita; Menopon gallinae (82,84 %), Goniodes dissimilis (15,97 %), Menacanthus stramineus (13,60 %), Goniocotes gallinae (6,50 %), Lipeurus caponis (5,23 %), Argas persicus (9,46 %) i Dermanyssus gallinae (1,18 %). M. gallinae bio je najčešće izolirani ektoparazit tijekom godine. Mekani krpelji A. persicus izolirani su tijekom proljeća i ljeta, uglavnom iz procjepa i pukotina, dok su crvene grinje D. gallinae otkrivene u jesen uz niski broj na dijelovima pilića i veliko obilje u gnijezdima. Ovi rezultati navode najraširenije ektoparazite u dvorišnih pilića, što bi moglo pomoći boljem upravljanju uzgojem.

Lamb survival is an important welfare and productivity issue for sheep industries worldwide. Lower lamb survival has been reported for primiparous ewes, but the causes of this are not well studied. The aim of this study was to determine causes of perinatal deaths for lambs born to primiparous ewes in Western Australia, and identify if infectious diseases are implicated. Lamb mortality from birth to marking were determined for 11 primiparous ewe flocks on 10 farms in Western Australia. Lamb mortality from birth to marking averaged 14% for single-born and 26% for multiple-born lambs. Lamb necropsies (n = 298) identified starvation–mismosthering–exposure (34%), dystocia (24%) and stillbirth (15%) as the most common causes of perinatal lamb death. There was no evidence of exotic abortigenic pathogens in aborted and stillborn lambs (n = 35). Chlamydia pecorum was detected by qPCR in 15/35 aborted and stillborn lambs on 5/6 farms. Preliminary molecular characterisation of C. pecorum detected in samples from aborted and stillborn lambs (n = 8) using both Multilocus Sequence Typing and ompA genotyping indicated all strains were genetically identical to previously described pathogenic livestock strains, denoted ST23, and dissimilar to gastrointestinal strains. High frequency of detection of a pathogenic C. pecorum strains ST23 associated with ovine abortion and stillbirth on multiple farms located across a wide geographic area has not been previously reported. Chlamydia pecorum may contribute to reproductive wastage for primiparous sheep in Western Australia. Further investigation to understand C. pecorum epidemiology and impact on sheep reproduction is warranted.

The Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) has been involved in respiratory disease complex in poultry. In a trial to investigate the inclusion of ORT in broiler chickens suffering from respiratory troubles two hundred and fifty birds ( 30 flocks) were subjected to clinical, PM and serological examination . The clinical findings of the examined birds were nasal discharges, rales, swollen eyes accompanied by diarrhea in some cases. Fibrinous pericarditis, perihepatitis and air sacculitis as well as caseated materials in trachea and bronchi were the frequently associated gross lesions beside foamy yoghurt like exudates. Enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was applied on Sera samples (N= 250) to detect antibodies against ORT. ELISA results were positive among 80% of the tested flocks .A selected 49 sera samples were submitted for both ELISA and Slide agglutination test (SAT). Their outcomes revealed 93.9% positive for ELISA and 89.8% and 69.38% against ORT-I and ORT-II antigens respectively. The comparable findings proved that in case of unavailability of ELISA assay the SAT could be helpful alternative in ORT antibody monitoring.

Mycoplasma is an important avian pathogen that can cause both respiratory disease and synovitis in birds, resulting in considerable economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. This study aimed to determine the incidence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae in broiler flocks at the Federal District and its surrounding regions using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All slaughtered lots (57 flocks) were analyzed from July to November in one of the two slaughterhouses at the Federal District with Federal inspection services. Approximately 10 samples of broiler tracheae per slaughtered batch were collected from the evisceration line. The results obtained from the accumulated incidence over the study period were 7.02% and 35.09% for M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae, respectively. A greater concentration of flocks affected by M. synoviae was observed during October. The sample design as well as the PCR technique assisted in detecting both agents in the broiler batches in the first epidemiological study of these two agents in the region. Os micoplasmas são importantes patógenos aviários, que podem causar doenças respiratórias e sinovites em aves, resultando em consideráveis perdas econômicas para a indústria avícola em todo o mundo. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a incidência de Mycoplasma gallisepticum e Mycoplasma synoviae em lotes de frangos na região do Distrito Federal e Entorno, por meio da reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR). Todos os lotes abatidos (57 lotes) foram analisados durante os meses de julho a novembro, em um dos dois abatedouros frigoríficos do Distrito Federal com Serviço de Inspeção Federal. Na linha de evisceração foram coletadas cerca de 10 amostras de traqueia de frangos de corte por lote abatido. Os resultados obtidos da incidência acumulada no período de estudo foram de 7.02% para M. gallisepticum e 35,09% M. synoviae. Uma maior concentração do número de lotes afetados por M. synoviae foi observada durante o mês de outubro. O. desenho amostral, assim como a técnica de PCR, permitiu a detecção de ambos os agentes nos lotes de frangos de corte analisados, sendo este o primeiro estudo epidemiológico desses dois agentes na região de estudo.

Background and Aim: The Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a neoplastic disease causing serious economic losses in poultry production. This study aimed to investigate MDV occurrence in poultry flocks in the Lower Egypt during the 2020 breakout and genetically characterized Meq, gL, and ICP4 genes in field strains of MDV. Materials and Methods: Forty samples were collected from different breeds from eight Egyptian governorates in 2020. All flocks had received a bivalent vaccine (herpesvirus of turkey FC-126 + Rispens CVI988). However, weight loss, emaciation, reduced egg production, paralysis, and rough/raised feather follicles occurred. Samples were collected from feather follicles, liver, spleen, and nerve tissue for diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction. MDV genetic characterization was then performed by sequencing the Meq, gL, and ICP4 genes of five positive samples representing different governorates and breeds. Results: A total of 28 samples were positive for MDV field strains, while two were related to MDV vaccinal strains. All samples tested negative for ALV (A, B, C, D, and J) and REV. Phylogenetic analysis of the Meq gene of sequenced samples revealed that all MDVs were related to the highly virulent European viruses (Gallid herpesvirus 2 ATE and PC12/30) with high amino acid (A.A.) identity 99.2-100%. Alternatively, there was low A.A. identity with the vaccine strains CVI988 and 3004 (up to 82.5%). These results indicate that further investigation of the efficacy of current Egyptian vaccines is required. The Egyptian strains also harbor a specific mutation, allowing clustering into two subgroups (A and B). By mutation analysis of the Meq gene, the Egyptian viruses in our study had R101K, P217A, and E263D mutations present in all Egyptian viruses. Furthermore, R176A and T180A mutations specific to our strains contributed to the high virulence of highly virulent strains. There were no mutations of the gL or ICP4 genes. Conclusion: Further studies should evaluate the protection contributed by current vaccines used in Egypt.

1. The following trial compared broiler chicken welfare in closed-sided (CS) versus open-sided (OS) industrial house types during the winter season in the South of Brazil.2. Ten flocks in each hous...

The intermixing of pure breeds of commercial chickens with Nepalese indigenous flock of chickens has not been explored yet genetically. The study aims to investigate the status of interbreeding of Nepalese indigenous chickens with exotic breeds. Thirty three samples of indigenous chicken, Sakini, from three different ecological regions, Terai, mid-hill and high hill, were taken for the study. The 522 bp hyper-variable region of D loop mtDNA of each sampled population was PCR amplified and sequenced. The Neighbor joining tree revealed that most of Nepalese Sakini and commercial chickens such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, White Plymouth Rock and Barred Plymouth Rock lied in same clade. Our study provides first direct evidence that the Sakini was already bred with commercial breeds for the sake of enhancing production performance and also alarms the government to introduce proper strategies and policies to avoid such genetic erosion.

Marek's disease (MD) continues to threaten the sustainability of the world poultry industry. In this study, the sequences of the meq gene of 220 MDV strains isolated during the years 1964-2020 were analysed, including 50 from our group plus 170 isolates from the GenBank. Analyses, using phylogenetic trees, amino acid (aa)-mutation screening, evolutionary studies and transmission dynamics were all performed. All strains were divided into two clusters (Clusters 1 and 2), and Cluster 1 includes the mild strains, the vaccine strains and the foreign virulent strains, while Cluster 2 was dominated by the Chinese field strains. Our study identified that the Chinese field strains in Cluster 2 during the years 1995-2020 likely originated in the 1980s from abroad, and the estimated genetic diversity of these strains experienced two growth phases in the years 2005-2007.5 and 2015-2017. Viral phylogeography identified 3 major geographic provincial regions for the Chinese field strains of Cluster 2: the Northeastern Region (Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang), the East-central Region (Henan, Shandong and Jiangsu) and the Southern Region (Guangxi, Guangdong and Yunnan). The spread of Northeastern strains to East-central chicken flocks and the further spread from Guangxi to Guangdong are strongly indicated. The emergence of the mutations A88T and Q93R together in the Southern strains during the years 2017-2020 with molecular characteristics of vv+ MDV were also found later than those in the Northern strains. Overall, the Chinese field strains in Cluster 2 in southern China in recent years have been rapidly evolving. Guangxi Province has become an epicentre for these viruses and the chicken flocks in the Southern region have been facing the adverse effects of the emerging vv+ MDV.

A cross-sectional study was carried out on randomly sampled 384 animals to assess the occurrence of small ruminant brucellosis and risk factors contributing for the zoonotic potential of the disease at Dallo-Manna and HarannaBulluk districts of Bale Zone. Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and complement fixation test (CFT) were used serially. All collected serum samples were subjected to RBPT first and then positive sera with RBPT were further tested for confirmation using CFT. Animal level prevalence of 6.5% and 2.9%, and flock level prevalence of 50% and 22% were recorded by RBPT and CFT respectively. Flock level prevalence at Dallo-Manna is 3.8-fold (95% OR CI = 1.17-12.19) than at Haranna-Bulluk (95% OR CI = 0.32-3.31) but no statistical significant difference (p>0.05). The Chi-square (χ2) statistical analysis indicated that age (χ2=6.18; p

Aspergillosis is an infectious mycotic disease which mainly affects chicks at 1 to 3 weeks of age. This report describes an outbreak of aspergillosis in 13-day-old broiler chicks reared in an open-sided poultry house on deep litter system. The total number of birds kept in the affected house was 4000 with the mortality rate of 5%. The farmer noticed signs of weakness since the arrival of day-old chicks, and eventually, 200 chicks died within 13 days. Clinical signs observed were stunted growth, dyspnoea, torticollis, incoordination, swollen hock joint, and crooked toes. Postmortem findings revealed yellow to white caseous nodular lesion at the air sacs and lung with granular appearance upon cross section. The feed and organs samples were collected for microbiological and histopathological evaluation. Aspergillus spp. were isolated on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) with whitish to grey-green appearance and stained using lactophenol cotton blue. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining in the brain tissue revealed the presence of fungal hyphae and vesicle. Histopathological findings revealed alveolar emphysema, atelectasis, thrombosis, and pneumonic lung with granulomatous tissue and granulomatous encephalitis. Culling of the affected birds and removal of the contaminated bedding and feed in the house are essential measures to control and prevent the disease occurrence. Treatment using fungicide such as copper sulphate is recommended to prevent further spread of the disease in the flock.

Avian mycoplasmosis mainly caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae is an economically important disease of poultry industry. It causes huge economic losses in terms of decrease in weight gain, feed conversion efficiency, egg production, hatchability; increase in embryo mortality, carcass condemnation, prophylaxis and treatment cost in broiler, layer and breeder flocks. The disease is caused by four major pathogenic mycoplasmas viz., M. gallisepticum (MG), M. synoviae (MS), M. meleagradis (MM) and M. iowae (MI). The MG and MS are World Organization for Animal Health listed respiratory pathogens. MG causes chronic respiratory disease in chicken and infectious sinusitis in turkey; however, MS causes synovitis and airsacculitis in birds. The infection is transmitted both horizontally and vertically. Prevention and control measures of avian mycoplasmosis mainly comprises of biosecurity, treatment and vaccination. For vaccination of birds, inactivated bacterins, live attenuated and/or recombinant live poxvirus vaccines are commercially available against MG and MS infection. The present systematic review summarizes the different epidemiological studies carried out on MG and MS infection in poultry in different geographical locations of India and abroad over the last decade (2010-2020), economic impact, diagnosis and prevention and control.

The results of studies on the effect of synthetic tryptophan supplements to goose feed during the reproductive period on the incubation qualities of eggs, the level of total protein, albumin and α-, β- and γ-globulins in the blood of embryos and newborn goslings are presented. The study was conducted on four groups of geese-analogues of the Obroshyn gray breed group during the 3-month period (January ‒ March). The control group did not receive synthetic tryptophan supplements. The level of this amino acid in this group of geese in accordance with current regulations in Ukraine was 0.16 g per 100 g of feed. To the diet of birds 2, 3 and 4 experimental groups were additionally administered, respectively, 0.04; 0.09 and 0.14 g of synthetic tryptophan per 100 g of feed. As a result of research it was found that increasing the level of tryptophan from 0.16 g to 0.30 g per 100 g of feed due to its synthetic analogue in the diet of geese during egg-laying significantly improves the incubation quality of eggs and has a positive effect on protein levels. daily embryos and 5-day-old goslings. It is shown that the most pronounced effect on improving the quality of hatching eggs and optimizing the effect on the level of protein in the blood of embryos and goslings reveals the content of tryptophan in feed during intensive laying of geese in the amount of 0.25 g per 100 g of feed. Studies have shown that the quality of hatching eggs and the content of total protein, albumin and α-, β- and γ-globulins in the blood of embryos and newborn goslings has a pronounced positive effect on the level of tryptophan in the diet of geese during intensive laying. In particular, increasing the amount of this essential amino acid in goose feed during the reproductive period from 0.16 to 0.30 g due to its synthetic analogue improves such incubation qualities of eggs as: egg-laying, weight, length, width, egg shape index, strength and thickness eggshells, and increases in the serum of 25-day-old embryos and 5-day-old goslings contents of total protein, albumin and α-, β- and γ-globulins (P < 0.05). It is shown that the most pronounced positive effect on the optimization of protein ingredients in the serum of both embryos and goslings was found for the content of tryptophan in the feed of geese of the parent flock in the amount of 0.25 g per 100 g of feed. The results show that increasing the level of such essential amino acids as tryptophan in goose feed during intensive egg-laying from 0.16 to 0.25 g per 100 g of feed activates the synthesis of egg components in the ovary of birds, improves their quality and has a stimulating effect on the biosynthesis in hepatocytes of embryos and newborn goslings of total protein, its albumin, α-, β-globulin fractions and immune γ-globulins.

Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported foodborne illness in Europe and many other parts of the world. Campylobacter can colonize the intestines of broilers, mostly in large amounts. Broilers are usually slaughtered in a high-speed automated system that could cause rupture of the intestines during evisceration, resulting in contamination of carcasses with intestinal bacteria like Campylobacter. This study evaluated the combined effects of ultrasound and steam (SonoSteam) on naturally contaminated chicken carcasses at a large-scale abattoir in Sweden. Ultrasound at 30 to 40 kHz and steam at 84 to 85°C or 87 to 88°C were used at slaughter, with a line speed of 18,000 birds per hour. The amounts of Campylobacter spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and total aerobic bacteria on neck skins from 103 chicken carcasses, sampled before and after treatment by ultrasound-steam, were analyzed. Campylobacter spp. were quantified in 58 (56%) of the neck skins, from birds belonging to four of the seven flocks represented. All 58 isolates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni. After the ultrasound-steam treatment, the mean reductions in C. jejuni, Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli and total aerobic bacteria were 0.5 ± 0.8, 0.6 ± 0.6, 0.5 ± 0.6, and 0.4 ± 0.7 log CFU/g, respectively. No significant differences in reduction between the two different treatment temperatures were observed for any of the bacteria. Although the bacterial reductions were significant, large amounts of bacteria remained on the carcasses after treatment. Further studies are needed to identify optimal measures at slaughter to reduce food spoilage bacteria and pathogenic bacteria, which should be considered in a One Health perspective. HIGHLIGHTS

For the identification of microfilariae in buffaloes, seventy one blood samples were collected from a total of 10 local flocks located at different parts of Nineveh governorate /Iraq. Blood samples were tested with Modified Knott’s technique. Results showed (100%) infectivity for all examined samples and belongs to genus Seteria. Detected microfilaria was sheathed with rounded front end and pointed posterior one with the lengths ranging from 200-625 µm. The number/intensity of Microfilaria infection of all examined Nineveh districts were as follows, Al-Quba (93/28.7%) with a mean length of 375 μ , Al-Shalalate (60/18.5%) with a mean length of 417 μ, Al-Rahmania (57/17.6 %) with a mean length of 383 μ, Badush flocks (A, B and C) and were (24 /7.4%), (8 /2.5%), and (46 /14.2 %) with mean lengths of 435, 375 and 427 μ respectively , Bab Shams (14/ 4.3%) with a mean length of 443 μ, Al-Slamia (10 /3.1%) with a mean length of 370 μ, and with the same number and intensity both Hawy Al-Kanisa and Mafraq Telkief (6 /1.9%) with a mean length of 388 and 442 μ respectively. For identification the possible carriers of microfilaria , different flies in the same buffaloes barns were collected, and four species of flies were reviled: Musca domestica, Luciliasericata, Tabanusspp and Simulium spp . The importance of Microfilariae and the role of black flies as a vector were discussed.

Background and Aim: Green food is the natural diet for livestock and poultry. Therefore, production of green food in sufficient quantities to meet the current demand has emerged as an urgent problem today. The use of natural laylands results in green food shortage, which, in turn, necessitates the application of various methods of artificial production of green herbage. One of these methods is hydroponic cultivation of green grass as animal feed. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the productive and reproductive qualities of geese of the parent herd. Materials and Methods: Complex scientific analysis was conducted to explore the effect of hydroponic green herbage used at various dosages (20%, 25%, 30%, and 35% of total diet weight) on the realization of the reproductive qualities of parent flock geese. The methodological framework of this research is the efforts of various foreign and domestic scientists on the topic under study. This research was conducted using generally accepted methods (i.e., experiment, comparison, analysis, and generalization), along with special methods (zootechnical, physiological, biological, hematological, morphological, statistical, and economic). Results: The optimal dosage of hydroponic green herbage for geese diet was established, which constituted 25-30% of the total diet weight and increased the poultry population survival rate by 2.0%, egg production rate by 3.8%, and the hatching egg yield by 4.9%. The carotenoid content in egg yolk ranged from 1.62 to 3.50 μg. The content of Vitamins A and B2 was higher by 3.19 and 2.32 μg, respectively, compared to that in the control. The production profitability level increased by 9.6%. Conclusion: By introducing 25-30% of hydroponic greens from the weight of the diet, it is possible to increase the safety of livestock by 2%, the yield of hatching eggs by 4.9%, egg production by 1.46-1.11 μg.

Salmonella infections are a major human health concern. In the elderly and immunocompromised, infections can be life-threatening and may require antibiotic therapy. Where antibiotic therapy is required, antimicrobials of choice include fluoroquinolones and extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC). The aim of this study is to utilize data from the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) to compare the prevalence of Salmonella serovars between broiler chicken and turkey flocks across Canada, and to gain an understanding of the prevalence of resistance to antimicrobials categorized as important to human health. There were 1,596 Salmonella isolates obtained from 514 broiler chicken flocks, and 659 Salmonella isolates obtained from 217 turkey flocks (2013-2018). All isolates were obtained from pooled faecal samples. Among broiler chicken flocks, the top three serovars were Kentucky (n = 573, 36%), Enteritidis (n = 314, 20%) and Heidelberg (n = 127, 8%). Resistance to ceftriaxone among Salmonella ser. Kentucky decreased from 27% in 2013 to 22% in 2018. There was no resistance among Salmonella ser. Enteritidis reported until 2018 when one isolate from British Columbia was resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphisoxazole and tetracycline. Salmonella ser. Heidelberg resistance to ceftriaxone decreased from 19% in 2013 to 14% in 2018. Among turkey flocks the top three serovars were Uganda (n = 109, 16.5%), Hadar (n = 85, 12%) and Muenchen (n = 66, 10%). No isolates of Salmonella ser. Uganda or Salmonella ser. Muenchen were resistant to any β-lactams. Salmonella ser. Hadar (34/81, 42%) exhibited resistance to ampicillin. There was no resistance to quinolones among turkey isolates. Emerging resistance among Salmonella ser. Enteritidis, and resistance to β-lactams and fluoroquinolones among Salmonella ser. Kentucky from broilers are cause for concern as these classes of antimicrobials are important for treatment of salmonellosis.

Green Munia (Amandava formosa) is an endemic Indian species threatened by pet trading and reduction in the area of its distribution. However, the present paper reports breeding populations of this vulnerable species in two locations (Amtiguda and Central University of Odisha Campus, Sunabeda) of Koraput district of Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha from January 2017 to July 2018. Over 37 sightings, large flocks of Green Munias were observed foraging together from January to July in scrublands and area close to agricultural fields. The juveniles were found foraging with adult birds (male and female) from January to April and after that only adults were found up to the second week of July. Out of total 541 number of birds observed, 45% (n = 244) were females, 32% (n = 173) were males, and 23% (n = 124) were juveniles indicating a higher proportion of female birds. It was also found that the number of males and females differed significantly between the two locations (one-way ANOVA; p

A cross-sectional study design was employed on collected sera samples to investigate brucellosis in small ruminants from December 2018 to November 2019 with the objectives of estimating the seroprevalence and potential risk factors for the occurrence of brucellosis in small ruminants in selected districts of West Hararghe: Chiro, Hirna, and Mieso. A total of 2070 collected sera samples from small ruminants were tested using serological tests and screened by RBPT and confirmatory test (CFT). The overall seroprevalence of the present study was 0.24% in small ruminants (Chiro 0.2%, Hirna 0%, and Mieso 0.3%). The chi-square test (Stat 14.0) was used to determine the strength of potential risk factors associated with the occurrence of brucellosis by using univariable logistic regression. Mixed flock (OR = 2.11 (1.33–3.36 CI; P = 0.002 )), agropastoral (OR = 4.01 (2.35–6.84 CI; P = 0.0001 )) and pastoral (OR = 2.59 (1.37–4.90 CI; P = 0004 )) production system, and larger flock size (OR = 1.68 (1.08–2.60 CI; P = 0.021 ) were factors significantly affecting the prevalence of small ruminant brucellosis. Univariable analysis was used, and independent predictors of small ruminant brucellosis were further analyzed using multilogistic regression. This disease was presented in the current study area; therefore, the careful separation of positive animals would help to prevent and control further distribution of the disease.

Objective: Indonesia is one of the Newcastle disease (ND) endemic countries in the world. An outbreak of the ND virus(NDV) was first reported in Indonesia in 1926. This study aimed to detect, isolate, and classify the NDV by molecular approaches from poultry farms in South Sulawesi Province of Indonesia in 2019. Materials and Methods: As many as 36 pooling samples from the cloacal swab, trachea swab, proventriculus, and spleen tissues obtained from ND-suspected chickens were isolated in 11-day old embryonated chicken eggs type-specific antibody-negative. The viruses were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), followed by sequencing. Results: The results showed that 18 out of 36 pooling samples were NDV-positive based on the isolation result and RT-PCR test. The sequencing results showed that 10 NDV isolates had a motif 112R-R-Q-K-R-F117 in the fusion protein cleavage site region, which suggested that the NDV isolates were of virulent pathotype. The phylogenetic studies based on the F genes partial nucleotide sequence classified the study isolates into NDV virus genotype/subgenotype VII.2. Conclusion: These findings are expected to help provide the latest characteristic information of NDV in South Sulawesi Province to determine the seed vaccine for control strategies of ND. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2021; 8(1.000): 129-137]

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a main health problem causing considerable economic losses in poultry flocks in Egypt. Throughout 2018-2019, bursae samples were assembled from different chicken's farms localized in four Egyptian governorates (Giza, Bani-Suif, Fayoum and Qalubia). The samples collected from farms recorded history of Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) signs such as: sudden mortalities; depression; diarrhea; and hemorrhages on bursal tissues, leg and breast muscles. For virus isolation, the collected samples were cultivated in Specific Pathogen Free Embryonated Chickens Eggs (SPF–ECEs) via Chorio-Allantoic-Membrane (CAM).To confirm obtained data of virus isolation, both Agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) and the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) were applied. In AGPT results, the four IBDV isolates gave positive reaction by reference IBDV antisera. RT-PCR was done for amplification of VP2 gene of IBDV isolates. The four viral isolates introduced specific band at size of 620 bp. Pathogenicity test for isolates of IBDV represented that the IBDV isolate no. 1, 2, 4 belong to classical virulent IBDV (cvIBDV) serotype, while IBDV isolate no. 3 belong to very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) serotype that caused high mortality rates than cvIBDV isolates. The presented results emphasize the determined screened of the IBD field state, as well as apply of supplementary studies to found successful policies to obstruct the viral infection in chicken flocks in Egypt.

Globally, infectious bronchitis (IB) is an important respiratory viral disease responsible for enormous economic losses to poultry farmers. In Nigeria, limited reports on the prevalence and serotypes of the IB virus are available. Here, we investigated the prevalence and serotypes of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in chicken in Plateau State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out involving 440 apparently healthy free-range local chickens sampled from eleven villages in four Local Government Areas (LGA) of Plateau State. Sera collected from the birds were screened for the presence of four IBV serotypes namely; Massachusetts (Mass), Arkansas (Ark), Connecticut (Con) and Delaware (De-072) using haemagglutinationinhibition (HI) test. In all, a prevalence of 82.95% (n = 365) was recorded. At LGAlevel, prevalence of 79.50%, 47.37%, 95.45% and 100% were recorded in Kanam, Mangu, Qua’an pan and Bassa LGAs, respectively. Based on serotype prevalence, Mass had 89.30% (n = 326); Ark 79.70% (n = 291); Con 88.20% (n = 322) while De-072 was 42.70% (n = 156). There were statistically significant associations between dominant serotype and the LGAs (p≤0.001). This study shows high prevalence of IBwith at least four strains of IBV present in free-range chicken flocks in Plateau State requiring attention for control measures. Keywords: Free-range chicken; Infectious bronchitis virus; Plateau state, Serosurvey, Serotype

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T11:11:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) is an avian-restricted pathogen that causes fowl typhoid in poultry. Although it has been reported frequently over many decades in poultry flocks worldwide, the microorganism is more commonly associated with poultry in developing countries, particularly those with high ambient temperatures, where the acute form of the disease results in considerable economic losses. A more detailed investigation of environmental factors that affect the course of disease may assist in identifying effective prevention and control measures. Heat stress is known to impair the immunological response to a variety of pathogens and clearly may be an important contributory factor in the prevalence of disease in countries with warm or hot climates. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of heat stress on chickens infected with SG. For this, light and semi-heavy commercial laying hens were distributed randomly within four groups as follows: infected and non-infected groups in rooms held at ambient temperature, and infected and non-infected groups under heat stress. Clinical signs, egg production, and mortality were recorded daily. Bacteriological counts in liver and spleen samples were estimated at 2, 5, 7, and 14 days post-infection. The results showed that both SG infection and heat stress had similar effects on egg production and a synergistic effect of the two stressors was observed. The data show an interaction between disease and heat stress which could point towards environmental and biosecurity approaches to resolving the possible 30% fall in production observed in such countries. School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Post Graduate Program in Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural and Livestock Microbiology Sao Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP) School of Veterinary Medicine and Science University of Nottingham School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Post Graduate Program in Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural and Livestock Microbiology Sao Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP)

Poultry is seen as the main reservoir for Campylobacter. Control of this zoonotic pathogen in primary production could potentially reduce the colonization in broiler flocks and consequently reduce the number of human infections. In the present study, 20 broiler flocks from 10 farms, were sampled immediately before and 5 to 7 d after partial depopulation (thinning) for the presence of Campylobacter using cecal droppings and overshoes. At the time of thinning, the catching crew, transportation vehicles, forklift, and transport containers were sampled for the presence of Campylobacter. Samples were cultivated; presumed positive isolates were confirmed by PCR. The isolates were molecularly typed by flaA restriction analysis and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Results show that all flocks were thinned using Campylobacter-contaminated equipment and materials. One-third of the broiler flocks became colonized after thinning. In 67% of the colonization cases, identical strains were found matching those of container systems, transport trucks, and/or forklifts. This identifies thinning as an important risk factor for Campylobacter introduction into broiler houses. Setup and compliance with biosecurity practices during thinning is essential to prevent Campylobacter colonization of broiler flocks.

Background With the increasing number of free-range domestic chickens, helminth parasites have potentially become more of a threat to commercial flocks in recent years, and routine poultry deworming is needed to improve the efficiency of chicken production. The present study deals with a field trial to study the efficacy of two generally used anthelmintics, fenbendazole and levamisole, against gastrointestinal nematodes of domestic chickens in northern Iran. Methods Of 45 domestic chicken flocks involved in the study, 20 flocks were selected to participate in fecal egg count reduction testing based on flock size from April 2017 to September 2018. The infected chickens were randomly divided into three equal groups of 30 each. Ninety chickens in the infected groups received one of the following treatments (d 0 of treatment): Group 1: 5 mg kg−1 body weight (BW) fenbendazole for 3 consecutive days; Group 2: 16 mg kg−1 BW levamisole; Group 3 control: placebo, water + DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). The efficacy of the treatments was evaluated by comparing fecal egg counts in the treated and control groups. Results Examination of three flocks of chickens from the control group showed that 95.0% of the animals were infected with gastrointestinal nematodes with an average geometric value of 361 eggs per gram of feces. Fenbendazole at a dose of 5 mg kg−1 BW for 3 days showed an efficacy of 83.7% (P ≥ 0.05), and levamisole at a dose of 16 mg kg−1 BW showed 71.8% efficacy (P ≥ 0.05) with geometric mean eggs in a gram of feces of 100 and 199.6, respectively. In general, fenbendazole and levamisole treatment led to significantly lower activity. The result of this study revealed that fenbendazole was a better and more effective dewormer than levamisole on the three Iranian domestic chicken flocks, but the difference was not significant. Capillaria spp. were the most generally resistant nematodes followed by Trichostrongylus spp. and Amidostomum anseris. Conclusion Our results indicated that fenbendazole and levamisole effectively reduced the number of nemathodes in three Iranian domestic chicken flocks. Given the results of our study, resistance can be expected in the parasitic helminths of poultry. Additional larger scale studies are required to determine the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in the poultry industry. Graphical Abstract

To monitor animal welfare on a commercial scale, systematic collection and evaluation of slaughterhouse data is the most feasible method. However, we need to know whether slaughterhouse data retrospectively and reliably reflect information about the birds' welfare on-farm. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate associations between animal-based welfare measures in flocks of turkey toms at 11 wk of age recorded with the transect walk and slaughter data at 20 wk of age. A total of 20 commercial flocks of turkey toms were visited, where an observer walked the transects in a random order and recorded the total number of birds per transect that were immobile, lame, with visible head, tail, or wing wounds, small, featherless, dirty, sick, terminal, or dead. Slaughterhouse data were provided for each flock. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to investigate the associations between on-farm and slaughterhouse measures. Increased prevalence of immobile toms at week 11 resulted in more birds rejected at slaughter owing to leg issues (P = 0.02) and airsacculitis (P < 0.001). More lame birds on-farm were associated with an overall higher rejection rate at slaughter (P < 0.001). Flocks with more featherless birds had significantly more birds being rejected at slaughter owing to skin issues (P = 0.02). More dirty birds at week 11 resulted in more birds being rejected owing to airsacculitis at slaughter (P < 0.001). A higher mortality on-farm was associated with more birds rejected for being too small (P = 0.04). In conclusion, significant associations between animal-based measures of turkey toms as assessed by the transect walk method on-farm at 11 wk and slaughter data at 20 wk were identified.

Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen commonly associated with poultry products. The aims of this work were to (i) estimate the impact of critical steps of the slaughter process on Salmonella detection from broiler chicken carcasses in two commercial poultry slaughter plants in Quebec, Canada; (ii) investigate the presence of Salmonella in the slaughter plant environment; (iii) describe, using a high-resolution melting (HRM) approach, the HRM Salmonella profiles and serotypes present on carcasses and in the slaughter plant environment; and (iv) evaluate whether the HRM flock status after chilling could be predicted by the flock status at previous steps of the slaughter process, the status of previous flocks, or the status of the processing environment, for the same HRM profile. Eight visits were conducted in each slaughter plant over a 6-month period. In total, 379 carcass rinsates from 79 flocks were collected at five critical steps of the slaughter process. Environmental samples were also collected from seven critical sites in each slaughter plant. The bleeding step was the most contaminated, with >92% positive carcasses. A decrease of the contamination along the slaughtering process was noted, with carcasses sampled after dry-air chilling showing ≤2.5% Salmonella prevalence. The most frequently isolated serotypes were Salmonella Heidelberg, Kentucky, and Schwarzengrund. The detection of the Salmonella Heidelberg 1-1-1 HRM profile on carcasses after chilling was significantly associated with its detection at previous steps of the slaughter process and in previously slaughtered flocks from other farms during a same sampling day. Results highlight the importance of the chilling step in the control of Salmonella on broiler chicken carcasses and the need to further describe and compare the competitive advantage of Salmonella serotypes to survive processing. The current study also illustrates the usefulness of HRM typing in investigating Salmonella contamination along the slaughter process. HIGHLIGHTS

Avian leukosis caused by avian leukosis virus (ALV) is one of the most severe diseases endangering the poultry industry. When the eradication measures performed in commercial broilers and layers have achieved excellent results, ALV in some local chickens has gradually attracted attention. Since late 2018, following the re-outbreak of ALV-J in white feather broilers in China, AL-like symptoms also suddenly broke out in some local flocks, leading to great economic losses. In this study, a systematic epidemiological survey was carried out in eight local chicken flocks in Jiangxi Province, China, and 71 strains were finally isolated from 560 samples, with the env sequences of them being successfully sequenced. All of those new isolates belong to subgroup J but they have different molecular features and were very different from the strains that emerged in white feature broilers recently, with some strains being highly consistent with those previously isolated from commercial broilers, layers and other flocks or even isolated from USA and Russian, suggesting these local chickens have been acted as reservoirs to accumulate various ALV-J strains for a long time. More seriously, phylogenetic analysis shows that there were also many novel strains emerging and in a separate evolutionary branch, indicating several new mutated ALVs are being bred in local chickens. Besides, ALV-J strains isolated in this study can be further divided into ten groups, while there were more or fewer groups in different chickens, revealing that ALV may cross propagate in those flocks. The above analyses explain the complex background and future evolution trend of ALV-J in Chinese local chickens, providing theoretical support for the establishment of corresponding prevention and control measures.

Introduction Turkey histomonosis poses a serious threat to poultry production due to the ban on the use of effective drugs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of a phytoncidal feed supplement on the course of histomonosis. The preparation was also analysed for immunomodulatory properties. Material and Methods Clinical observations and production monitoring were conducted in a flock of turkeys with histomonosis from their 11th to 56th weeks of life which were treated with the adiCoxSOLPF soluble supplement in a dose of 2.5 mL/L water. Later the preparation was used in a preventive dose (1 mL/L). The influence on the immune system was evaluated in broiler turkeys having been given adiCoxSOLPF for 3 days in doses of 1 or 3 mL/L. The T and B lymphocyte percentages in turkey blood and spleen tissue were analysed with flow cytometry. ELISA was implemented to evaluate antibody titres after Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale vaccination, and biochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the supplement’s safety. Results AdiCoxSOLPF was found effective in therapy and prevention of histomonosis. Additionally, adiCoxSOLPF stimulated both humoral and cell-mediated immune mechanisms, without impairing the functions of internal organs. The treated turkeys also yielded better production results (eggs/hen, fertility, and hatchability). Conclusion AdiCoxSOLPF possesses immunomodulatory properties and it can be used successfully in the prevention and therapy of histomonosis in turkeys.