Veterinary Services

Excess mucus in the trachea and purulent airsacculitis were present in two chickens aged ten to 12 weeks. The birds exhibited noisy breathing prior to euthanasia. No significant bacteria were isolated but both birds were seropositive for Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Cannibalism caused the death of two free-range layers from a commercial flock with increased mortality. Heavy red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) infestation was considered to be the cause of death of four caged layers – all carcases were very pale and large numbers of mites were present on the carcases. Multiple pale foci were found in the liver of an ex-battery cage layer, in addition to egg yolk peritonitis. Histopathology showed that the liver lesions were the result of a cholangiocarcinoma.

Waterfowl

Streptococcus gallolyticus septicaemia was diagnosed in a batch of ten-day-old ducklings submitted to investigate losses experienced in a group of 1700 birds.  Affected birds became lethargic, recumbent and then died. At necropsy most birds showed cloudiness of the pericardium and a light fibrinous discharge over the surface of the heart. Tiny pale focal lesions were noted within the liver in three ducklings, while the majority showed enlarged and congested spleens, which appeared friable in some cases. Bacterial cultures of viscera yielded growths of Streptococcus gallolyticus ssp. gallolyticus (formerly Strep. bovis). This organism has been associated with a septicaemic-type condition in ducklings in the UK.

Game birds

Rotavirus infection was confirmed in pheasant chicks aged seven days with frothy caecal contents. Mortality was only slightly elevated and the game keeper subsequently reported that the birds responded favourably to medication of the drinking water with antibiotics. On another site rotavirus infection was confirmed in pheasants aged five days. 300 out of 13,000 birds died. Rotavirus infection was also suspected but not confirmed in red-legged partridge chicks aged three days. Mortality was said to be rising in the flock. In a different flock of red-legged partridges mortality in the first two days reached five per cent with other birds looking ill. Postmortem examination revealed changes typical of non-starters. SAC C VS suspected that the birds were chilled during transit.