Omphalitis In Poultry
Dr Surinder Khanna, International poultry consultant, Chandigarh.
Omphalitis, also known as yolk_sac_infection, Nevel ill and “‘ Mushy Chicks Disease”. It is the main infectious cause of death in newly hatched chicks, during their first week of life. It is most commonly caused by infection with Escherichia coli bacteria (approximately 70% of cases). however other bacterial infections like salmonella can also be the causes of early chick mortality.
Chicks Yolk Sac infection Or Disease Is Also Root Cause Of CRD & Gumboro Disease
Please never think presence of yolk is a disease rather it is a sign of healthy chicks. Still we get more morality in some Hatchries than others.
Symtoms:-
1. Empty Crop
2. Enlarged Gall Bladder
3. Black button on Belly
4. Abdomen is swollen & yolk is seen after removing skin.
5. Sometimes Lungs are also congested (Lung kale parajate hain) as bird get chilled (chicks thand mehsoos karte hain)
Reason:
1. Generally seen in old hatcheries where Load of infection has increased.
2. Hatcheries do not clean their hatchers/Inculators during the inculation or between the flocks.
3. Long storage of chicks in Hatchery if sale problem, Pullet Eggs(small eggs) show more yolk sac than desired weight(38gm-40gm)weighting chicks.
4. Chicks produced at High Humidity more than 99.5% RH or high temperature such chicks will be sticky, Malnourished feel chilled(More Cold)
5. When dirty eggs are set in inculator or eggs are not frequently collected in the shed 4-5 times.
6. When egg Blasts takes in Hatchery because of faecal contaminated eggs.
7. Fumigation is improper in Hatchery.
8. Fluctuation in cold storage temperature or long storage of egg in cold storage.
9. When inculators do not get rest for years together & there is level up of load of bacteria.
Farm Level:-
Generally problem comes from Hatchery due to various unhygienic & stress reasons. However, improper temperature in Brooder House with overcrowding. Placing chicks on used litter improper number of Drinkers& waterers. Will also promote this disease.
Common Causes for Omphalitis
Chicks can become infected during incubation, while hatching, or when in the brooder.
If clean eggs are incubated and hatched together with contaminated eggs, if eggs from one source are put together with eggs from a different source….all these can lead to a disease outbreak.
If the brooder is not well cleaned and disinfected,
If the temperature is not sufficient to help in closure of the navel
Clinical Symptoms
The most common clinical symptoms of the omphalitis of poultry depend on birds. In some cases, symptoms arise early just after hatch chicks due to incomplete hatching period.
However, Initial clinical symptoms after 3 days in the filed.
Signs of yolk sac infectionClosed eyes. Some eyes may have mucus and red in colorDejectionLoss of appetiteDiarrheaWatery diarrhea sometimes confusing enteric coccidiosis
Vent pasting ,Swollen abdomenNavel oozing out waterSome chicks may fail to walk and just lie downPost-mortem finding
Despite all clinical symptoms, It is easily diagnosed by the naked eye after postmortem findings.
Look at the picture, Nevel is surrounded by the white layer skin which is indicated, chicks are suffering from the omphalitis in poultry
Treatment:-
There is no concrete treatment. However Multivitamins @ 150ml/100 chicks for 5 days. Soda Bicarb @ 40 gm plus Ammonium Chloride @ 30 gm/100 chicks for 2-3 days help in giving some relief. Please check ventilation of shed is totally packed it will also load to yolk sac infection. Night temperature especially between 3 Am-6Am Faus it also prolong the absorption of yolk with attract E.coli, compylobactor & staphylococcus chicks given Amoxysol @ 10gm for 1500 chicks for 3 days or Neodex @ 1gm/3lit for 3 days is also recommended. Always receive chicks during noon time in winter. Wet saw dust or wood produces more smoke than Heat & production of corbonmonooxide puts stress on tracher& finally E.coli makes entry causing Greenish yolks Turbid yolk on curdling of yolk(All Yolk Are Infected) Even yolk giving foul smell is also a cause of yolk sac infection. Please do not give Antibiotic injection to control this disease rather it will increase the morality. Give Jaggery @1.5kg/1000chicks or Elctrolyte powder. All the medicines may not be given together. Consult some Veterinarian. If this disease continue for more than 5 days than chicks is Severaly affected with E.coli & CRD such chicks later on do not achieve proper weight & if morality is more than 5% in first weak & desired Body weight is less than 180 gm in first weak such Bird may get CRD & Gumboro also & never attain more than 1.700kg Body weight at 35 days. So please chick this problem which is root cause of many disease. Increase temperature as Huddling(Ekatha Hona) also promotes the problem.there is no antibiotic which penetrates yolk . yolk should daily loose 2.5 gms wt larger yolk is indication of poor brooding medicines given ma check secondar problem not the real yolk sac prblem
For CRD;:
ENROCIN10%@1 GM/ LIT OF WATER
RESPO P @5 ML/1000 BIRDS
FOR 5 DAYS
FOR OMPHALITIS:
RESTRICT L@1GM/LÌT OF WATER in morning
ACIPRO WS@10 GM/100 birds in morning
Gipromin@10 ML/100 BIRDS in evening
For 5 days
An open wound on the navel leads to the entry of bacteria, and in most cases Escherichia coli leading to colibacillosis infection. It’s of great importance to notice this at either arrival of the chicks or after 6 to 12 hours and start treatment with a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics available in the market. The common drugs for treating omphalitis in poultry are- Florfenicol, Neomycin sulfate, Enrofloxacin, Levofloxacin, etc. In severe cases, when mortality reaches up to 20%, drugs may use in two or three combinations for water medication. According to field response, florfenicol and Neomycin salt has a tremendous spectrum on omphalitis infection which is commonly caused by the gram-negative bacteria according to the pharmaceutical direction.
Prevention
The disease is prevented by careful control of temperature, humidity, and sanitation in the incubator. Only clean, uncracked eggs should be set in the incubator. If it is necessary not to set dirty eggs, they should be segregated from clean eggs.
Sanitizing detergents must be used according to directions if eggs are washed. Time, temperature, and frequent changes of water are as critical as the concentration of sanitizer in both wash and rinse water. The rinse should be warmer than the wash water (which should be warmer than the internal temperature of the egg) but should not be >60°C.
Precautionary Measures
Farmers are supposed to carry out proper cleaning and disinfection of their poultry brooders before receiving chicks. the farmer must start the brooder with clean and treated water, free from bacteria. All the equipment used in the brooder should be disinfected before putting them in the brooder. The non-contaminated feed should be used for the first 7 days of a chick’s life, which gives better growth and a better life to chicksControl brooder temperatures using behavioral changes that chicks show you or using thermometers in the brooder.
Omphalitis Also known as Mushy Chick Disease or Yolk Sack infection in poultry
