Some Common Poultry Diseases During Monsoons and their Treatment
Dr.A.K.Wankar1 and Dr.K.K.Khose2
1Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur
2Assistant Professor, Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur
Rainy season is a favourable time for reproduction of parasites and insects, which serve as potent hosts for different pathogenic, bacteria’s and viruses. Favourable environmental temperatures, high humidity and abundance of water result into quick growth of different pathogens. Contaminated feed, water or faeces which harbour these organisms, are the chief source of infection in commercial poultry. Therefore it becomes, essential to take special care of poultry during rainy seasons, to prevent the outbreaks of different infections, which result in significant economic losses.
- Raniketh Disease/New Castle Disease
It is a viral disease, affecting the respiratory and nervous system of the birds. It is highly infectious disease and both morbidity and mortality rates are high. Some common signs are, coughing, sneezing and respiratory distress. When the virus attacks the central nervous system, wing paralysis, torticollis, difficulty in walking, incoordination and swelling of head region are seen. Persistent chalky white diarrhoea is also commonly present in affected birds.
Infected birds show negligible growth and egg production drops. To reduce the severity, antibiotics should be used for three days and Vitamin E + selenium @ 10 gm/100 birds must be supplemented as immunobooster. The entire shed should be spread with Korsolin TH/ B-904 @ 3-5 ml/lit water. It is better to timely vaccinate the birds, rather than treatment of this disease.
- Infectious Bursal Disease/Gumboro Disease
It is a viral disease, common in growing chicks as well as in adult birds. As it is highly infectious and contagious, it spreads very quickly through entire flock, and can lead to 10-20 % mortality. The virus attacks the immune system, especially the bursa, severely compromising the immune response of the infected birds, making them susceptible to other infections and common diseases. Diseased birds are depressed, show loss of appetite and watery diarrhoea. Birds show incoordination and difficulty in walking, once the nervous system is affected. Infected birds continuously peck at each other’s vents making it red, swollen, and the feathers are ruffled and soiled around the vent due to pecking and diarrhoea.
Like most of the viral diseases, vaccination is the only effective measure. Use of antibiotics is advisable to reduce the symptoms. Administration of Vitamin E + selenium @ 10 gm/100 birds is effective for immunoboosting. Lastly, broiler house should be spread with Korsolin TH/ B-904 @ 3-5 ml/lit water.
- Fowl pox
Fowl pox is a highly contagious disease, affecting birds of any/all ages. The virus is mainly transmitted by blood sucking insects like, mosquitoes and other parasites. That’s why, disease prevalence increases during rainy season, which is the breeding season for mosquitoes. Scabby lesions are commonly found on skin, respiratory system and alimentary tract. Also, the scabs occur on the forehead, comb, and wattle and on legs. These scabby lesions, affect the mouth and windpipe, blocking the throat, sometimes suffocating the bird to death.
Once infected, the recovered birds are immune to the disease, condition they have access to optimum nutrition and drinking water. Vaccination is the only effective measure for prevention of this disease. Supplements like Vit E + selenium @ 10 gm/100 birds are used as immunoboosting agent and administration of antibiotics helps in speedy recovery of the birds. Broiler house should be spread with Korsolin TH/ B-904 @ 3-5 ml/lit water.
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/care-of-commercial-poultry-during-rainy-season/
- coli infection
This bacterial disease, affects birds of all age and is very common in unhygienic broiler sheds and farms. The organism primarily attacks the digestive system and causes severe diarrhoea and loss of appetite. Once infected, birds become dull, depressed and emaciated. Affected birds are seen huddled together, display respiratory distress and production drops significantly.
As this is a water borne disease, disinfecting drinking water is very essential, especially in rainy seasons, when contamination is common. To reduce the symptoms in infected birds, use of antibiotics (doxycycline & neomycin/levofloxacin/enrocin) at standard dosage is recommended. Along with antibiotics supplementation of Vit –AD3EC @ 5 ml/100 birds is effective to ameliorate the stress.
- Coccidiosis
It is a common protozoal disease in poultry, affecting the gastro-intestinal tract. In rainy season, excess environmental water and humidity or wet litter harbour the organism and facilitate completion of protozoas life cycle quickly. This disease is very infectious and if not intervened timely, can lead to 100% mortality, in the flock. Proximal small intestine is the primary site of infection, but it can localize throughout the intestines, severely destroying and damaging the tissue locally.
Some common manifestations in affected birds are, loss of appetite, less water consumption, persistent bloody watery diarrhoea with small blood clots in the faeces. Diarrhoea and blood from faeces makes the birds weak, emaciated and depressed. Another common symptom is dry and ruffled feathers. If not treated, gradually the immune response of the birds lowers, making them more susceptible to other diseases, culminating into significant production losses.
Prevention is the best cure, and it is advised to use coccidiostat regularly in rainy seasons to prevent outbreak. After the outbreak, amprolium powder @ 1 gm/1 lit should be given in water for 7 days, to entire flock. To stop the bloody diarrhoea Vit–AD3EC @ 5 ml/100 birds or Vit K @ 1 gm/ 5 lit should be administered to all birds.
- Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD)
Infected birds serve as the primary carriers for CRD and very soon the infection spreads throughout the flock. This disease affects the respiratory system and bird show, difficulty in breathing, frequent coughing, sneezing, wet exudate near nose and respiratory distress. Loss of appetite and depression are also common, leading to retarded growth and decreased production.
This disease mainly spreads through eggs to chicks and then to other birds. Use of antibiotics for atleast 3 days is advisable to control the spread. Along with antibiotics, tymutin or tylosin tartarate compounds can be administered along with antibacterial and anti-parasitic fumigation of the shed.
- Ascites
This is a very common disease at high altitudes, where the air is thin with low oxygen levels. Other cause include increased ammonia concentration or lack of free air flow in shed, which is very common in monsoons. Lack of oxygen, high ammonia levels coupled with high humidity, gradually stress cardiovascular and respiratory systems and leads to ascites. Accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity and neck region is common, and birds stop feeding and drinking water. Affected birds are dull, depressed, emaciated, have respiratory distress and production and growth drops.
To prevent this disease the ventilation should facilitate free air flow, to avoid build-up of humidity and ammonia in broiler shed. Feed should be balanced, if needed additional ground maize should be added to it, fulfilling adequate protein requirement to prevent ascites. Administration of liver tonic @ 7-10 ml/100 birds with diuretics helps, to reverse the ascetic condition.
- Gout
Ascites also predispose the birds for development of gout. During rainy season, the birds naturally drink less water, which is the common cause of gout. In this disease, the excretory system especially the kidneys are affected and their working efficiency is compromised and small white uric acid crystals start depositing in kidneys, heart, intestines, liver, joints and other organs. Gradually, the working capacity of all organs is reduced due to uric acid deposition. Diseased birds don’t eat, their feathers get ruffled and intestinal functions are disturbed. Thereafter the birds get emaciated, weak, depressed, have watery diarrhoea, which gradually affects the production adversely.
This disease is more common in chicks and growing birds, reared under bad brooding conditions. Balanced diet and nutrition is very important, as hyperprotenemia is one of the main cause for gout. Confirmation of the exact cause of disease is important for the treatment of this disease and giving the birds jiggery @ 5 gm/ lit helps in the speedy recovery of this disease.
