Search

The article reports on the outbreaks of Salmonella infections in the U.S. in 2007. It is noted that the outbreaks that occurred in many states in the country were attributed to live poultry. In Minnesota, 19 of the 23 patients purchased baby chicks. It is asserted that Salmonella infections related to live poultry are monitored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

An Iowa grain processor attempted to alter the typical 12-h preharvest fasting period by giving broilers cornstarch derivative pellets and water for 6 h followed by 6 h of no feed or water. After slaughter, plant food inspectors determined that livers from the treatment group were lighter in color than normal, and consequently a significant number of chicken carcasses were condemned for human consumption. The study reported herein was conducted to determine the effects of fasting or 3 feeding programs applied before processing on liver color, liver lipids, and liver glycogen of broilers. Dietary treatment groups consisted of 1) full-fed control broilers, 2) fasted broilers, 3) maltodextrin-fed broilers, and 4) and chickens given maltodextrin and methionine. Full-fed chickens had lighter liver coloration than chickens without access to feed for 6 or 12 h immediately prior to slaughter (P < 0.05). Lightness values for livers from full-fed control chickens (L&ast; = 54.41) were 38% higher than those for livers from fasted broilers (L&ast; = 39.30). Lighter liver colors in full-fed broilers were associated with higher hepatic lipid concentrations (6.38%) and more total liver lipid (4.96 g/liver) than was found in broilers without feed for 12 h. In contrast, darker livers from fasted broilers had lower levels of lipid (4.42%) and less total lipid (2.68 g/liver) than the full-fed broilers. Feeding maltodextrin pellets resulted in liver colors that were lighter (P < 0.05) than those found in fasted chickens but darker (P < 0.05) than livers from full-fed broilers. If carbohydrate supplements are fed prior to slaughter, producers should notify processing plant officials so that inspectors do not interpret light livers as an abnormal physiological state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention of Salmonella Montevideo infection outbreaks associated with live poultry in the U.S. during June of 2007. Two patterns of outbreaks identified with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) are discussed. Infections were associated with exposure to live chickens obtained from mail order hatcheries or agricultural feed stores. An editorial note from the CDC describes the different features of the outbreaks. It is noted that many of the infections of the pattern 2 outbreaks involved baby poultry purchased as pets during the Easter holiday.

The objectives of this research were to study the effect of several time intervals of turkey blood storage from sampling to centrifugation on plasma K, Na, and Cl concentrations and to study the effect of ambient temperature of turkey blood storage on these same variables. In the first study, 6 consecutive blood samples were obtained from each turkey. The first sample was centrifuged immediately (control), and each of the others was respectively stored for 20, 40, 60, 120, or 360 mm at 22°C before centrifugation and plasma harvest. In the second study, 4 consecutive blood samples were obtained from each turkey. The first sample was centrifuged immediately (control), and each of the others was respectively stored at ambient temperatures of 9, 22, and 30°C for 120 mm before centrifugation and plasma harvest. Plasma K concentration declines and is significant (P < 0.01) for each of the 20, 40, 60, 120, and 360 mm values. Plasma Na concentration increases and Cl decreases were not significant (P < 0.01) until 360 and 120 mm, respectively. Significant (P < 0.01) reductions occurred for plasma K concentration for each of the ambient temperature values but were the least at 9°C and greatest when stored at 30°C. Plasma Na concentration decreased (P < 0.01) when stored at 9°C. Though increased (P <0.01) when stored at 22 and 30°C, the difference was not significant (P < 0.01) between samples stored at either 22 or 30°C. Plasma Cl concentration was decreased (P < 0.01) from control values, but there was no significant difference (P < 0.01) among samples stored at 9, 22, and 30°C. Clot formation and its retraction from serum are unduly delayed after blood is withdrawn from turkeys because birds lack the intrinsic mechanism for blood coagulation. Accordingly, serum is not appropriate for the determination of K concentration in turkeys, and plasma harvested immediately after blood sampling is the fluid of choice for K analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various products and prototypes were added to poultry diets during an aflatoxin challenge on growth and histological parameters. Male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups with 8 replicates/treatment and 3 birds/replicate. Treatments were as follows: 1) negative control containing no aflatoxin (NC); 2) positive control containing aflatoxin (PC); 3) 0.1% glucomannan mycotoxin standard industry ameliorator (STD); 4) 0.1% prototype A, a proprietary mixture of a Saccharornyces cerevisiae product and diatomaceous clay; 5) 0.2% prototype A; 6) 0.15% prototype B, a proprietary mixture of a S. cerevisiae product and diatomaceous clay (PB); 7) 0.0625% XPC (S. cerevisiae fermentation product); and 8) 0.125% XPC (XPC2). All treatments except NC contained 2,280 ± 102 ng/g of aflatoxin and were fed for 28 d. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly. Livers were collected on d 28, weighed, and used for histopathological evaluation. Beginning weights were similar across treatments, but BW were lower (P ≤ 0.05) than NC for all treatments except PB and XPC2. Total feed intake was lower (P ≤ 0.05) only for PC and STD compared with all other groups. Feed efficiency was not significantly (P ≥ 0.05) different among the treatment groups. Liver weights relative to BW were higher (P ≤ 0.05) for all treatments compared with NC. Liver vacuolar lesions were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) than NC for the PC, STD, 0.1% prototype A, and 0.0625% XPC groups. However, vacuolar lesions in the 0.15% prototype B, PB, and XPC2 treatments were not significantly different (P ≥ 0.05) compared with NC. Overall, BW gain in treatment groups PB and XPC2 was not different from NC and that corresponded to protective effects against liver lesions. Benefits observed during an aflatoxin challenge when broilers were supplemented with XPC, a fermentation product that does not contain any adsorbents, may be attributed to something other than adsorption as a primary mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects of thermal panting in domestic turkeys on arterial blood values for the acid-base variables, pH3, bicarbonate concentration ([HCO3¯]a), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and hemoglobin concentration [Hb]. In addition, body temperature and partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) were measured to determine the effectiveness of panting in their control. Nine adult (23 wk) broad-breasted white turkey toms, all from the same hatch and reared contemporaneously in the same facility, were acclimated to room conditions of 19°C and 65% RH. After a 1-wk control period, a 3-wk heat-stress period (32°C, 65% RH) was induced, for a heat-stress group of 9 turkeys. Thermal panting began at this time and continued to its end. A 1-wk recovery period followed (19°C, 65% RH) during which panting ceased. An age-matched group of 8 turkeys was similarly acclimated (19°C, 65% RH) but was continued at this level to the end of the experiment. During the heat-stress period, the bicarbonate concentration increased, whereas pHa and PaCO2 did not change significantly. Body temperature changes were not significant. Parabronchial ventilation was not compromised by panting, as noted by a significant increase in PaO2. Hemoglobin concentration decreases were significant. The only significant change that occurred for the age-matched group was an increase in [Hb]. Domestic turkeys, reared in confinement, have the ability to resist changes in blood pH and prevent the development of respiratory alkalosis while panting in response to thermal stress. Normal body temperature and oxygenation of the blood are also maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of Salmonella in market-age turkeys on-farm and at slaughter (i.e., before and after feed withdrawal, catching, loading, transportation, and preslaughter holding). Thirty birds were randomly selected from each of 6 commercial turkey flocks scheduled to be loaded and shipped to the abattoir during the evening of the same day. Selected birds were euthanized on the farm, and the cloacal contents, large intestine, crop, ceca, liver and gallbladder, and spleen were aseptically collected. At the abattoir, 30 birds from the same flock were randomly selected from the slaughter line, and the crop, ceca, liver and gallbladder, and spleen were collected for subsequent culture at the laboratory. All flocks studied were positive for Salmonella at slaughter. No statistical difference was found between the overall prevalence on-farm and at slaughter. At both sampling points, the overall prevalence found was 33.3%. Diverging prevalence estimates were obtained based on the different sample types collected on-farm and at slaughter. In both cases, cecal content samples had the highest relative sensitivity (73.3% on-farm and 68.3% at slaughter). This study demontrates that the preslaughter practices of feed withdrawal, catching, loading, transportation, and holding do not significantly alter the prevalence of Salmonella in market-age turkeys. Therefore, our results suggest that it may be possible to monitor the Salmonella status of turkey production farms based on samples collected at the abattoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shell eggs were irradiated and the physicochemical, and functional properties of egg yolk and white were determined. The color of egg yolk was not affected, but the viscosity of egg white was dramatically lowered and became watery by irradiation. The foam capacity and foam stability of egg white were significantly decreased due to protein oxidation by irradiation. However, the texture characteristics of egg white were not changed by irradiation, indicating that irradiation may not alter the thermal characteristics of egg white proteins. Sulfur volatiles were generated by irradiation but disappeared during storage under aerobic conditions. Because egg white became watery, irradiation may not be advisable for table eggs but may be useful for pasteurizing liquid egg white or liquid whole egg without significant deterioration of their quality and functionality. In particular, the dramatic decrease in the viscosity of egg white by irradiation will improve flow of liquid egg white or liquid whole egg, which could be highly useful for egg processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Evaluation of XPC™ and prototypes on aflatoxin challenged broilers," by G.D. Osweiler and colleagues.

The objectives of this research were to observe the effects of increased K in the diets of growing tom turkeys from 6 to 18 wk of age on body weight, feed-to-gain ratio, and leg weakness; to study the effects of time and temperature of blood storage after sampling and before centrifugation on plasma K concentration; and to evaluate plasma creatine kinase activity as an indicator of leg weakness. Male Nicholas White turkeys were fed corn-soybean meal based starter and grower diets from 1 d to 6 wk of age. At this time, each of three dietary treatments was assigned randomly to three pens of toms, 30 toms per pen. The dietary treatments consisted of 1) corn-soybean meal control (control) diets, 2) corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with 25% more K than the control diets contained (Mod K), and 3) corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with 50% more K than the control diets (High K). Potassium carbonate was used as the source of supplemental K for the Mod K and High K diets. Calculated K concentrations of the control diets fed from 6 to 9, 9 to 12, 12 to 15, and 15 to 18 wk were 0.84, 0.74, 0.57, and 0.54%, respectively. Results of laboratory analysis of the diets agreed closely with the calculated values. By 12 wk, toms fed the High K diets weighed less (P = 0.018) than toms fed the control diets, and this difference was still evident at 18 wk (P = 0.013), even though the High K groups were changed to the control diets at 12 wk. Toms fed the Mod K diets also tended to weigh less at 16 and 18 wk than those fed the control diets, however, the diet effect at the latter time was not significant (P > 0.05). There were no consistent effects of dietary K on feed efficiency. Total incidence of leg weakness at 12 wk was greater (P = 0.015) among toms fed Mod K and High K diets than for those toms fed the control diets. These results show that dietary K concentrations greater than those usually present in corn-soybean meal based diets for growing turkeys should be avoided. Increases in dietary K concentrations were associated with increases in plasma K concentration. Storage of blood after sampling and before centrifugation decreases the plasma concentration of K. The decrease is minimized when ambient temperature of storage is decreased. Accordingly, blood should be centrifuged immediately after sampling for accurate measurement of plasma K concentration. Plasma creatine kinase activity is not a good indicator of associated leg weakness unless physical activity and stress can be controlled before blood sampling.

Septicemia is an unwholesome condition diagnosed during postmortem inspection in poultry slaughter establishments on the basis of macroscopic lesions. Early identification of septicemia has important public health implications. In this study, Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus septicemia were induced in broilers in order to determine if lesions of acute septicemia can be grossly detected in the visceral organs of broiler carcasses prior to the development of changes in the skeletal muscle. Increased spleen and liver weights were observed during the acute phase of septicemia. Airsacculitis, pericarditis, and perihepatitis were observed during the acute phase of P. multocida- and E. coli-induced septicemia; and arthritis was the earliest indicator of S. aureus-induced septicemia. These macroscopic lesions were sufficient to identify unwholesome septicemic broiler carcasses prior to the development of changes in the skeletal muscle of the carcass.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of dietary vitamin E on the response of young male turkeys to Escherichia coli infection. A complete factorial arrangement of two concentrations of supplemental dietary vitamin E (12 or 300 IU/kg as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and infection or no infection of turkeys with E. coli was used in both experiments. In Experiment 1, each dietary treatment was fed to four pens of turkeys from 1 to 28 d of age. At 28 d, turkeys in two pens per dietary treatment received an injection of 3.0 x 10(7) E. coli cells into the left and right thoracic air sacs. All turkeys were necropsied 7 d after E. coli injection and the incidence and severity of lesions in air sacs, lungs, pericardium, and liver were determined. The same dietary vitamin E treatments were used in Experiment 2. Each diet was fed to eight pens of turkeys from 1 to 47 d of age. At 47 d, turkeys in four pens per dietary treatment received an injection of 3.0 x 10(7) cells of the same E. coli used in Experiment 1 into the left and right thoracic air sacs. All turkeys were necropsied as in Experiment 1 at 54 d of age. Weight gain and efficiency of feed utilization were impaired markedly by E. coli infection during the 7 d after injection. Livability also was decreased by E. coli infection in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. Adverse effects of E. coli on performance and livability were not affected by dietary vitamin E concentration. Lesions observed in turkeys that received E. coli injection ranged from mild to severe, with the most severe lesions observed in air sacs. Lung lesions were observed frequently but were less severe than in air sacs. Dietary concentration of vitamin E had no effect on incidence or severity of lesions in air sacs or lungs. Overall, the results of these experiments show that adding 300 IU of vitamin E/kg of diet did not alleviate the adverse effects of E. coli infection in young turkeys.

Aluminium hydroxide-adjuvanted Escherichia coli bacterins were evaluated for efficacy in protecting turkeys against homologous challenge. In each of six trials involving four different E. coli serotypes, poults in one group received a single subcutaneous injection at 1 day of age, poults in a second group were vaccinated twice at 1 and 14 days of age, and those in a third nonvaccinated group served as controls. Vaccinated and control turkeys were challenged at 4 wk of age and survivors were necropsied 1 wk later. Mortality and gross lesion scores of both vaccinated groups were compared with those of the nonvaccinated group. Poults vaccinated twice had significantly lower mortality and less severe gross lesions than poults receiving no vaccine prior to challenge. Immunization with one or two injections of aluminum hydroxide-adjuvanted E. coli bacterin did not impair weight gain of poults.

Environmental conditions and airborne mycoflora were measured concurrently in 10 turkey confinement houses during warm and cold weather. The following variables in the environment were measured: numbers of feed- and litter-associated yeast and mold fungi, temperature, relative humidity, airspeed, carbon dioxide and ammonia concentration, airborne bacteria, and airborne particulate mass, particle number, and particle size distribution. Winter air in turkey confinement houses contained significantly higher concentrations of Aspergillus, Scopulariopsis, and Mucor sp. and significantly lower concentrations of Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Alternaria sp. when compared with summer air. Significantly greater numbers of Mucor sp. were recovered per cubic meter of air where the current turkey flock was present less than 100 d when compared to houses where the current flock resided 100 d or more. Management decisions regarding control of the internal environment of turkey confinement houses apparently influence airborne mycoflora composition.

Cecal spirochetosis in chickens has been associated with enteric disease and reduced egg production in the United States and Europe. This report describes spirochete overgrowth of cecal mucosa in chickens from a flock of 100,000 commercial layers experiencing diarrhea and a 5% drop in egg production. Spirochetes were demonstrated in the ceca by darkfield and light microscopy. Apical surfaces of cecal enterocytes were covered by a dense layer of spirochetes aligned parallel to each other and perpendicular to the mucosal surface. Weakly beta-hemolytic, indole-negative spirochetes were isolated from the ceca on BJ media under anaerobic conditions at 42 C. Chicken cecal spirochetosis may represent an economically significant enteric disease of laying hens which has heretofore been infrequently recognized.

In September 1989, 17-day-old turkey poults were submitted to Iowa State University because of leg weakness and dehydration. These birds were commercial large white toms from a flock of 23,214. Lesions observed at necropsy included chondrodystrophy of the hock joints, clear fluid in hock joint spaces, valgus deformities and shortening of the tarsometatarsal bones, and curled toes. Mycoplasma iowae was isolated and identified from swabs of the air sac, cloaca, hock joint, and large intestine. Approximately 1.4% of the flock was culled between 2 and 8 weeks of age because of leg problems. M. iowae infection did not severely affect overall flock performance. Eighty-seven percent of the flock was marketed at 18 weeks of age with an average per turkey weight of 29.5 pounds.

This study included a complete factorial arrangement of three dietary levels of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) (0, 50, and 200 g/ton) and two health conditions (none and stunting syndrome [SS]). One-day-old turkeys were dosed per os with tryptose phosphate broth or a supernatant derived from gastrointestinal tracts of poults with SS. Body weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, water intake, and hydration efficiency were determined at 5, 9, 13, 21, and 27 days of age. BMD at 200 g/ton in the feed significantly improved body weight (P < 0.005) of poults with SS at all ages, and it improved feed efficiency (P < 0.05) from 1 to 9 days of age. BMD at 50 and 200 g/ton improved hydration efficiency (P < 0.05) of poults with SS during the first 9 days of life.

Commercial turkeys from four Iowa flocks, two Illinois flocks, and three California flocks were submitted to state diagnostic laboratories because of a variety of health problems. The turkeys ranged in age from 5 to 12 weeks, included both hens and toms, and were owned by five different companies. Some flocks had previously been immunized with live hemorrhagic enteritis vaccine, and other flocks were unvaccinated. In all accessions, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in renal tubular epithelium by light microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the inclusions consisted of densely packed virus particles. The virions were identified as adenoviruses based upon the icosahedral morphology and average particle diameters of 72 nm. Avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded kidneys was used to identify this adenovirus as hemorrhagic enteritis virus.

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of an induced enteric disorder, stunting syndrome (SS), on young turkeys. One-day-old poults were dosed per os with tryptose-phosphate broth (control) or inoculum (inoc) prepared from intestines of SS-affected poults. Inoculation depressed gain (P less than .001) and feed consumption (P less than .001) and impaired (P less than .001) the utilization of feed for gain up to 9 days of age (utilization was 2.02, 2.62 in inoc and 1.27, 1.61 in control poults at 5 and 9 days of age, respectively). Inoculation impaired (P less than .05) retention of nutrients at 8 days of age (dry matter, fat, protein, and ash retentions were 82.5, 88.8, 81.3, and 77.8% in controls and 79.3, 85.6, 74.5, and 74.1% in inoc poults, respectively). Small intestinal weight per 100 g of body weight was greater (P less than .001) in inoc poults, but empty weights per length of jejunum and ileum were less (P less than .05). The jejunal mucosa in inoc poults was thinner, exhibited extensive erosion of villi tips, and had microvilli that seemed to be fused when observed by using scanning electron microscopy. Activities of disaccharidases in the jejunum and ileum of inoc poults were less (P less than .05) than in control poults. In a second experiment, two additional treatments were included, a pair-fed control and a negative control. Control poults pair-fed with the inoc poults grew more rapidly (P less than .01) than inoc poults. The depression in feed consumption due to inoculation accounted for only 54% of the growth depression. Poults inoculated with a suspension prepared from intestines obtained from healthy poults (negative control) performed similarly to controls. Thus, the adverse effects of the SS-inoculum were due to an agent(s) that was present int he intestines of SS-affected poults but not in intestines of healthy poults.

One-day-old turkeys were inoculated per os with material shown previously to induce stunting syndrome (SS). Weight gain and feed efficiency of inoculated poults from 1 to 13 days of age were impaired (P less than 0.01) compared with uninoculated poults. Examination of the jejunal mucosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of long-segmented filamentous organisms (LSFOs) in poults that had been inoculated with SS. These organisms were not seen in jejuna of uninoculated poults. Further research is needed to characterize LSFOs and to determine their involvement, if any, in the adverse effects associated with SS.

Experiments were conducted to establish a stunting syndrome (SS) model to facilitate research on nutritional aspects of enteric disorders of poults. One-day-old turkeys were dosed per os with tryptose phosphate broth (TPB) (controls) or inoculum (inoculated). The inoculum was prepared by homogenizing intestines from 11-day-old commercial poults diagnosed to have SS in TPB (1:0.5 [wt:wt]). Subsequently, intestines from 8-day-old inoculated poults from the previous experiment were used. Inoculation reduced growth (P less than 0.001) and feed consumption (P less than 0.001) at 8 and 14 days of age. In Expts. 1, 2, and 3, gain of inoculated poults was 60.9%, 58.8%, and 52.6% that of controls up to 8 days of age and 77.9%, 76.6%, and 80.9% that of controls from 8 to 15 days of age, respectively. Feed conversion was impaired (P less than 0.001) up to 8 days of age. The activity of maltase and sucrase in the jejunum and of pancreatic enzymes was determined every 2 days up to 13 days of age. Inoculation decreased (P less than 0.001) maltase and sucrase starting at 3 days of age (i.e., maltase activity was 17.45 and 1.70 mumols maltose hydrolyzed/hr.mg protein in control and inoculated poults, respectively). Inoculation had no effect on pancreatic lipase, amylase, or trypsin.

Effects of aflatoxin on bovine rumen motility were determined by radiotelemetric techniques. Aflatoxin altered amplitude and/or frequency of rumen contractions in steers given dosages of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, or 0.8 mg of aflatoxin/kg of body weight. Effects of aflatoxin on rumen motility were dose dependent. An increase in elimination time of aflatoxin from rumen contents was observed in steers given the aflatoxin dosages of 0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg. The increase in elimination time of this toxin facilitates diagnostic capabilities for detecting bovine aflatoxicosis by obtaining rumen contents for analysis for aflatoxin. Aflatoxin M1 was detected in rumen contents from steers at 2 hours after aflatoxin was administered. Thus, intraruminal metabolism of aflatoxin B1 to M1 may occur.

Aflatoxicosis was diagnosed in lightweight feedlot cattle fed aflatoxin-contaminated cottonseed or gin trash. Clinical signs of hepatic damage and death were recorded for more than 200 of the 14,000 animals in a feedlot. Aflatoxin concentration in feedlot products fed to these cattle ranged from 96 to 1,700 ng/g. Diagnosis was based on the correlation of characteristic microscopic liver lesions, high concentration of aflatoxin in cottonseed feed products, and isolation and detection of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 in urine and liver from affected calves. This report describes a large-scale outbreak of aflatoxicosis and demonstrates the need for careful quality control of feed products susceptible to aflatoxin contamination.

Histologic features of chicken air-sac membranes harvested with rings were compared with those of membranes collected on cards. Ring stabilization of the tissues throughout fixation, dehydration, and embedment was found to reduce markedly the artifacts and the loss of normal tissue architecture observed within the wall of card-collected air sacs.

An adult European eider (Somateria mollissima mollissima) died at the St Louis Zoo and was found to be infected with numerous blood and tissue stages of Leucocytozoon simondi. Necropsy revealed massive air sac aspergillosis, but histologic examination revealed a diffusely distributed protozoon organism that was identified as L simondi. Examination of tissues from a previously necropsied European eider and from 2 American eiders (Somateria mollissima dresseri) that later died also revealed evidence of L simondi infection.