The Isolation of Clostridium Sporogenes from the Viscera of Day-Old Chicks

Abstract

Sometime ago, the author was asked to assist in the control of a serious problem of hock lameness occurring in adolescent chicken breeders originating from a single source and associated in individual cases with rupture of the gastrocnemius tendon. The lesions were those of gangrene from which was isolated Staphylococci and Clostridium novyi, Type A (Peterson, 1964). Because the problem was acute, the author recommended on an empirical basis the life-long medication of all breeder birds in this operation with penicillin-bacitracin in the feed at a concentration of 10–4 grams per ton. Whether coincidence or not, the lameness disappeared and has not recurred during the succeeding three years.In a continuation of studies, more than 100 spore-forming anaerobic cultures were collected from bird viscera and articulations. Isolation procedure was as follows: Samples to be cultured, visceral or synovial, were inserted into tubes of cooked meat medium and incubated at …