EXAMINATION BY ELISA OF SERA OBTAINED FROM CHICKEN BREEDER AND LAYER FLOCKS SHOWING EVIDENCE OF FOWL TYPHOID OR PULLORUM DISEASE

An indirect ELISA using soluble whole cell antigen was used to screen serum samples obtained from breeder and layer flocks some of which had shown clinical or bacteriological evidence of infection with Salmonella Gallinarum or S. Pullorum. There was good correlation between Salmonella infection and the presence of serum samples showing high optical density (OD) values. Sera from seven flocks showing high values were retested using group D (0-1, 9, 12) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and g,m-H flagella as detecting antigens. Sera from six flocks produced high OD values with LPS and low values with flagella confirming infection with a non-flagellate, group D Salmonella while one produced high values with both antigens indicating mixed infection with another group D serotype.

Reduction in incidence of experimental fowl typhoid by incorporation of a commercial formic acid preparation (Bio-Add™) into poultry feed

The experiment described evaluated the effect of a commercial in-feed preparation (Bio-Add™) involving a mixture of formic acid and propionic acid on the incidence of experimental fowl typhoid in groups of 41 and 42 1-wk-old Rhode Island Red chickens. The chickens were infected through contact with 12 identical chickens that had been inoculated orally with 10 8 cfu of Salmonella gallinarum strain 9. The incidence of mortality and morbidity due to fowl typhoid was 31/41 (76%) in birds given untreated feed and 14/42 (33%) in birds given feed treated with Bio-Add™.

Electrolytic treatment of wastewater from a fowl slaughterhouse using cast-iron electrodes

A viability study of an electrolytic process for the transformation of organic matter and free sulphide contained in wastewater from a fowl slaughterhouse in order to minimise odours was carried out Cast iron and aluminium electrodes were tried at 7.09 mA/cm2, under strong agitation, at 297 K. Conductivity, pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), amount of settleable solids, and sulphide content were monitored with electrolysis duration. The cast iron electrodes were found to be viable for the elimination of soluble sulphides in the wastewater, leading to the elimination of its strong odour after short times of electrolysis. A significant decrease in COD was also attained.

Anatomical study on domestical fowl (Gallus domesticus) reproductive system

Lately, researchers have taken into consideration studies on birds since they represent an excellent nutritional source. There are several classical descriptions of the male reproductive tract, always aiming at establishing a correlation with shape, testicular size, age and sexual maturity. This study analyzed 50 male Gallus domesticus, 1 to 64 weeks old. The birds were collected with 10 days and then weekly until 24 weeks, following 37, 48, 59 and 64 weeks, and sacrificed by cervical displacement. It was observed the sintopies of testis with the other organs. Further, it was done the testicular measurement and then the statistical analysis by following the model of testis weight variation due to the animal age. Our results showed that the maximum weight of the right and left testes occurred with 167 and 210 days, respectively, what made us infer this species sexual maturity in this period.

Influence of enclosure size on growth of breast and leg muscle fibers in domestic fowl

This experiment evaluated the growth of breast and leg muscle fibers of domestic fowl raised in two enclosure sizes (SE: Small Enclosure, 1.125 m2/10 birds; LE: Large Enclosure, 5.25 m2/10 birds). In breast muscles, the number of fibers per area decreased over time and higher values were observed in broilers housed in SE compared to LE. The fiber size increased with age and was greater in LE than SE at 56 days of age, suggesting greater hypertrophic growth of fibers in breast muscle for broilers maintained in LE. In leg muscles, the muscle cross-sectional area was greater for broilers raised in LE than SE at 56 days of age and decreased from 42 to 56 days of age in broilers raised in SE, suggesting leg muscle atrophy in these birds. The Fast Glycolytic (FG), Fast Oxidative-Glycolytic (FOG) and Slow Oxidative (SO) fibers grew until 42 days of age in both enclosure sizes. The area of FOG fibers was greater in broilers raised in LE than those in SE at 28 and 56 days of age; in LE-raised broilers, the SO area was greater at 28, 42 and 56 days of age, suggesting that the muscles of broilers housed in LE are more oxidative. The BW gain was greater for broilers raised in LE than SE, whereas BW, feed intake and feed conversion were not influenced by enclosure size. Thus, the enclosure space affected hypertrophic growth and metabolic characteristics of breast and leg muscle fibers. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2012.

Infection of commercial laying hens with Salmonella Gallinarum: clinical, anatomopathological and haematological studies

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dimorfismo sexual da traquéia e siringe de periquito (Touist sp.)

Investigaram-se as diferenças morfológicas da siringe do periquito Touist sp, cinco machos e cinco fêmeas. A traquéia e a siringe foram dissecadas com o auxílio de uma lupa estereoscópia e avaliaram-se o número de anéis, o comprimento da traquéia e da siringe e o comprimento e espessura do músculo traqueolateral. A traquéia do macho apresentou maior número de anéis e maior comprimento que a das fêmeas. O músculo traqueolateral dos machos é mais vigoroso e origina-se no 43º anel traqueal enquanto o das fêmeas origina-se no 30º anel traqueal e se insere no primeiro anel bronquial. A siringe do piriquito é constituída por anéis craniais, cinco nos machos e três nas fêmeas, anéis intermediários, com formato semelhante a uma bolha sulcada ventralmente, anéis caudais, quatro em ambos os sexos, e pessulo. O dimorfismo sexual está presente na morfometria da musculatura e das cartilagens, o que reflete no canto mais vigoroso dos machos.

Influência do dimorfismo sexual sobre a morfologia da siringe de galinha d'angola (Numida meleagris)

Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma descrição morfológica e comparativa da siringe, órgão responsável pelo canto das aves, na espécie Numida meleagris. Para isso foram utilizados cinco machos e cinco fêmeas de galinha d'angola, a fim de verificar a sintopia (traquéia, músculos traqueais) e o dimorfismo sexual da siringe. Verificou-se que a siringe se localiza na bifurcação da traquéia e apresenta maior número de cartilagens nos machos. Nos machos, a inserção do músculo traqueal lateral bem como a origem do músculo esterno traqueal localizam-se mais caudalmente e são mais largos em relação às fêmeas. As diferenças existentes entre machos e fêmeas de galinha d'angola revelam a elevada capacidade das fêmeas em produzir sons semelhantes a tô fraco enquanto que os machos emitem arrulhos e cacarejos.

Experimental Salmonella Gallinarum infection in light laying hen lines

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Molecular differentiation between Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Pullorum and Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Gallinarum

A S. Pullorum (SP) é muito semelhante à S. Gallinarum (SG), agentes da Pulorose e Tifo aviário, respectivamente, sendo que as duas enfermidades são responsáveis por perdas econômicas no setor avícola. SP e SG são de difícil diferenciação em procedimento laboratorial rotineiro, mas uma prova bioquímica muito utilizada na distinção das duas refere-se à capacidade de assimilar o aminoácido ornitina: SP descarboxila este aminoácido enquanto SG não. No entanto, o isolamento de cepas com comportamento bioquímico atípico, tem dificultado tal diferenciação. Um dos genes relacionados à assimilação do aminoácido ornitina, denomina-se gene speC, o qual está presente nos dois sorovares. Analisando 21 amostras de SP e 15 de SG com a utilização da PCR não foi possível realizar a diferenciação dos dois sorovares pois os fragmentos gerados eram idênticos. Posteriormente, com o uso da técnica de tratamento enzimático com a enzima de restrição Eco RI, foi possível observar que o padrão de bandas gerado em cada sorovar era diferente, mesmo quando amostras que apresentavam comportamento bioquímico atípico eram analisadas. Tal fato permitiu a padronização da técnica para ser utilizada na diferenciação entre os sorovares Pullorum e Gallinarum de maneira rápida e segura.

A defective mutant of Salmonella enterica Serovar Gallinarum in cobalamin biosynthesis is avirulent in chickens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efficacy of several Salmonella vaccination programs against experimental challenge with Salmonella gallinarum in commercial brown layer and broiler breeder hens

The protective effect of various Salmonella vaccines regimens against an experimental Salmonella Gallinarum challenge (SGNalr strain at 12 wk of age) was evaluated in two experiments. In Experiment 1 commercial brown layers were vaccinated according to one of the following programs: (i) two doses of a SE bacterin (Layermune SE; group 1); (ii) a first dose of a live SG9R vaccine (Cevac SG9R) followed by a SE bacterin (Layermune SE; group 2); (iii) one dose of each of two different multivalent inactivated vaccines containing SE cells (Corymune 4 & Corymune 7; group 3) or (iv) not vaccinated (group 4). In Experiment 2, broiler breeders were given the same vaccination treatments except for the group vaccinated with the multivalent vaccines. Overall, in both experiments, all vaccination schemes were effective in reducing mortality after challenge with a SG field strain. Primary vaccination with an initial dose of a live SG9R vaccine followed some weeks later by a dose of an inactivated SE bacterin was the most effective (p<0.05) vaccination program against mortality induced by field SG experimental challenge in both experiments. In conclusion, Salmonella vaccination programs containing SE bacterins alone or in combination with a live SG9R vaccine are effective in preventing mortality induced by infection of field SG. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize that any vaccination program against any Salmonella serotype will only be effective if it is part of a sound and comprehensive biosecurity program designed for Salmonella control in poultry farms.

Genetic relatedness among wild, domestic and Brazilian fighting roosters

Except for the meat- and egg-type strains used in commercial poultry farms in Brazil, there are no scientific reports about the origin of birds from the genus Gallus that have been introduced in this country with domestication or fighting purposes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the position of the Brazilian Game Bird in the phylogenetic tree of the genus Gallus by nucleotide sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region. The results indicate that fighting roosters comprise two different clusters within the species Gallus gallus domesticus. One of the clusters is related to the wild ancestors, while the other one is more related to the birds raised by the poultry industry. In conclusion, Brazilian fighting roosters have originated from the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) and belong to the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus.