Death Of Chickens Research Articles

Utilização da cromoterapia na reprodução da calopsita (Nymphicus hollandicus)

Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) are very popular birds to have as companion animals as they are easy to manage. Despite the intense number of breeders, there are still many difficulties related to their reproductive management and scarce studies in the area. The present work addresses one of the treatments of integrative medicine still little explored in in veterinary medicine, the chromotherapy technique. It is a holistic vibrational/energetic color therapy, with the aim of evaluating the effect of using chromotherapy on the behavior and well-being of animals. The study was carried out with the use of two couples from a breeder located in the city of Votorantim. The birds were divided into two groups, the control group (CG; n = 2) and the treated group (TG; n = 2). In the control group, the birds were kept in a nursery without environmental enrichment and without the base colors of chromotherapy. In the treated group, the birds were in a vivarium with colored toys (environmental enrichment) and with feeders and drinkers of the main colors of chromotherapy. For behavioral evaluation, an ethogram was used. It was observed that there was lower occurrence of infant deaths (TG = 36%; GC= 71%) and no occurrence of chronic posture (TG = 0; CG = 2) for TG when compared to CG. According to the conditions proposed in this work, it is suggested that chromotherapy associated with environmental enrichment positively influences the well-being of the birds, reducing the number of chronic postures and deaths of chicks.

Incubator Control System Automatic Temperature Stabilizer Bangkok Chicken with LM35 Sensor

Many cases of death of chicks in farmers are caused by drastic changes in temperature which result in stress and death of chickens. In this study the authors made a chick coop design equipped with an LM35 sensor which functions to control the temperature of the chicks. The research object is Bangkok chicken aged 7-10 days which has a temperature requirement of 300oC. The test results show that the temperature stabilizer incubator for both the sensor test separately and the integration of the incubator control system as a whole works according to the program design, this is based on the test results that the lights and fans work according to the LM35 sensor reading input with 100% accuracy where as long as 3 days of testing the average temperature of the first, second and third days is below 300oC so that the output is in the form of lights on and the fan is off. On Day 3 all the chickens were healthy and growing well.

Parental overproduction allows siblicidal bird to adjust brood size to climate-driven prey variation.

Parental overproduction is hypothesized to hedge against uncertainty over food availability and stochastic death of offspring and to improve brood fitness. Understanding the evolution of overproduction requires quantifying its benefits to parents across a wide range of ecological conditions, which has rarely been done. Using a multiple hypotheses approach and 30 years of data, we evaluated the benefits of overproduction in the Blue-footed booby, a seabird that lays up to three eggs asynchronously, resulting in an aggressive brood hierarchy that facilitates the death of last-hatched chicks under low food abundance. Results support the resource-tracking hypothesis, as low prey abundance (estimated from sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration) led to rapid brood reduction. The insurance hypothesis was supported in broods of three, where last-hatched chicks' survival increased after a sibling's death. Conversely, in broods of two, results suggested that parents abandoned last-hatched chicks following first-hatched chicks' deaths. No direct evidence supported the facilitation hypothesis: the presence of a last-hatched chick during development did not enhance its sibling's fitness in the short or long term. The value of last-hatched offspring to parents, as "extra" or "insurance" varied with indices of food abundance, brood size, and parental age. Ninety percent of overproduction benefits came from enabling parents to capitalize on favorable conditions by fledging additional offspring. Our study provides insight into the forces driving overproduction, explaining the adaptiveness of this apparently wasteful behavior and allowing us to better predict how overproduction's benefits might be modified by ocean warming.

The Broad-Spectrum Endolysin LySP2 Improves Chick Survival after Salmonella Pullorum Infection.

Salmonella pullorum causes typical "Bacillary White Diarrhea" and loss of appetite in chicks, which leads to the death of chicks in severe cases; thus, it is still a critical issue in China. Antibiotics are conventional medicines used for Salmonella infections; however, due to the extensive long-term use and even abuse of antibiotics, drug resistance becomes increasingly severe, making treating pullorum disease more difficult. Most of the endolysins are hydrolytic enzymes produced by bacteriophages to cleave the host's cell wall during the final stage of the lytic cycle. A virulent bacteriophage, YSP2, of Salmonella was isolated in a previous study. A Pichia pastoris expression strain that can express the Salmonella bacteriophage endolysin was constructed efficiently, and the Gram-negative bacteriophage endolysin, LySP2, was obtained in this study. Compared with the parental phage YSP2, which can only lyse Salmonella, LySP2 can lyse Salmonella and Escherichia. The survival rate of Salmonella-infected chicks treated with LySP2 can reach up to 70% and reduce Salmonella abundance in the liver and intestine. The treatment group showed that LySP2 significantly improved the health of infected chicks and alleviated organ damage caused by Salmonella infection. In this study, the Salmonella bacteriophage endolysin was expressed efficiently by Pichia pastoris, and the endolysin LySP2 showed good potential for the treatment of pullorum disease caused by Salmonella pullorum.

A novel gyrovirus is abundant in yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) chicks with a fatal respiratory disease

Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes), or hoiho in te reo Māori, are predicted to become extinct on mainland Aotearoa New Zealand in the next few decades, with infectious disease a significant contributor to their decline. A recent disease phenomenon termed respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) causing lung pathology has been identified in very young chicks. To date, no causative pathogens for RDS have been identified. In 2020 and 2021, the number of chick deaths from suspected RDS increased four- and five-fold, respectively, causing mass mortality with an estimated mortality rate of >90%. We aimed to identify possible pathogens responsible for RDS disease impacting these critically endangered yellow-eyed penguins. Total RNA was extracted from tissue samples collected during post-mortem of 43 dead chicks and subject to metatranscriptomic sequencing and histological examination. From these data we identified a novel and highly abundant gyrovirus (Anelloviridae) in 80% of tissue samples. This virus was most closely related to Gyrovirus 8 discovered in a diseased seabird, while other members of the genus Gyrovirus include Chicken anaemia virus, which causes severe disease in juvenile chickens. No other exogenous viral transcripts were identified in these tissues. Due to the high relative abundance of viral reads and its high prevalence in diseased animals, it is likely that this novel gyrovirus is associated with RDS in yellow-eyed penguin chicks.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SEROLOGICAL HAI METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES TO THE EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS

The article describes the features of the course of the disease of laying hens with Egg drop syndrome (EDS). This is a contagious viral disease of commercial and breeding laying hens, which is characterized by damage to the reproductive organs, a sharp decrease in laying capacity, changes in the pigmentation and shape of laid eggs, the appearance of effusions, thinning, deformations, and in some places the complete absence of a shell, a decrease in the percentage of hatching of chickens from hatching eggs and a deterioration in their viability. Morbidity is 10–70 %, mortality is 1–10 %. The disease in chickens occurs during the egg-laying period, until then no clinical signs of infection are observed. Three forms of EDS have been described: classic, endemic, and sporadic. The diagnosis of EDS is established on the basis of the results of laboratory tests, taking into account epizootological data, clinical signs and pathological anatomical changes. At the same time, special attention is paid to the decrease in egg production and the appearance of deformed and shelles eggs in clinically healthy chickens, the death of embryos and day-old chicks. Laboratory diagnostics is based on express, virological and retrospective methods. One of the most common methods of diagnosing EDS is retrospective diagnosis, which consists in detecting a diagnostic (minimum 4-fold) increase in the antibody titer in paired blood sera of chickens by the methods of HAI, IHA or ELISA. HAI is recommended for mass serological examinations of poultry farms. The detection of Anti-Hemagglutinin Antibody (Anti-HA) in the studied blood sera at a titer of 1:16 (4 log2) and higher in farms where specific prevention of EDS is not carried out indicates the circulation of the field strain of EDS virus among poultry. It should be noted that chickens that do not yet lay deformed eggs can be infected with the virus, but do not give a humoral immune response to latent infection. Thus, in flocks of chickens that were infected transovarially, antibodies are not synthesized during the breeding period. A negative serological test in chickens under the age of 20 weeks does not guarantee the absence of EDS infection. Differential diagnosis requires the exclusion of infectious bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis, Newcastle disease and respiratory mycoplasmosis. An analysis of 20 inactivated vaccines from various manufacturing companies registered in Ukraine for the specific prevention of EDS was carried out, including monovalent – 3 and associated, namely 3-component – 10 and 4-component – 7. During serological monitoring, it was established, that the average titers in the sera of laying hens to the EDS virus from batches of different ages due to different terms after vaccination with inactivated vaccines ranged from 7.0 log2 to 13.2 log2. The average titers to the EDS virus above the basic norm were 16 % among birds of 4-8 batches (280, 310 and 460 days). It was established that the percentage of protective antibodies to the EDS virus in 25 batches of laying hens ranged from 78 to 100. The use of inactivated vaccines against EDS stimulates the formation of an active immune response in laying hens in 84 % of the studied batches. Carrying out constant monitoring of the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against by means of serological monitoring of blood sera from birds in the HAI will allow, depending on the epizootic situation, to timely adjust the vaccination scheme and ensure stable economic indicators in commercial and breeding flocks of laying hens.

Rothia nasimurium as a Cause of Disease: First Isolation from Farmed Chickens.

Rothia nasimurium is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccus belonging to the Rothia genus of the Micrococcaceae family. While Rothia nasimurium is considered an opportunistic pathogen, to date few studies have investigated its pathogenicity and drug resistance. In January 2022, chickens at a poultry farm in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region became ill and died. Treatment with commonly used Chinese medicines and antibiotics was ineffective, causing economic losses to the poultry farm. In order to determine the cause of the disease in these poultry farm chickens, the isolation and identification of the pathogens in the livers and other internal organs of the sick and dead chickens were performed. Further, animal pathogenicity tests, antibiotic susceptibility tests, and the detection of antibiotic resistance genes were carried out to analyze the pathogenicity and drug resistance of the identified pathogens. A Gram-positive coccus was isolated from the livers of the diseased chickens. The isolate was resistant to 17 antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, and florfenicol, and was only sensitive to penicillin, amikacin, and tigecycline, to varying degrees. The results of the drug resistance gene testing indicated that the isolated bacterium carried 13 kinds of resistance genes. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, morphological observations, biochemical tests, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were performed on the isolated bacterium, and it was determined that the isolated bacterial strain was Rothia nasimurium. The animal pathogenicity tests showed that the isolate caused feather loss and death in chicks; the clinical symptoms and necropsy lesions of the test chicks were consistent with those observed in the farmed chickens. A review of the literature revealed that, to date, there are no reports of infection with Rothia nasimurium in chickens. Thus, in this study, Rothia nasimurium was isolated from chickens for the first time and an investigation of the biological characteristics of the bacterium was carried out in order to provide a reference for the clinical treatment, prevention, and control of Rothia nasimurium infection.

Мотив журавлиного проклятия (харал) в калмыцкой поэзии XX – начала XXI вв.

Introduction. In 20th/21st-century Kalmyk poetry, the crane theme — like any other involving bird images — serves to symbolically address the fauna of the steppe region, native land, and ancestral home. Goals. The article aims to analyze Kalmyk poetic texts for the motif of the crane’s curse and/or revenge caused by the death of chicks, that of the spouse, and related grief, sadness, and loneliness of the bird. Both the motif and the crane theme in Kalmyk lyrics at large have never been subject to research. Methods. The work employs the historical/literary, comparative, and descriptive methods. Results. The paper begins with insights into oral folklore traditions of Kalmyks, Mongolians and Buryats for the crane theme, associated customs, rituals and superstitions, which makes it possible to identify key crane-based plots and images for further comparative analyses into Kalmyk poems authored by representatives of different generations, and corresponding Russian translations. The study of the previously unknown Kalmyk legend of the crane’s curse recorded by N. Khatuev from his father and preserved in the poem, firstly, introduces this plot into scientific circulation; secondly, clarifies the motif of the crane’s curse, death, loneliness, revenge or defenselessness of birds from evil in Kalmyk lyrics; thirdly, adds new nuances to descriptions of historical events (Great Patriotic War, Kalmyk Deportation) ― cranes to stand for souls of deceased persons. Conclusions. The poems by N. Khatuev, A. Suseev, B. Dordzhiev, M. Khoninov, T. Bembeev, and E. Eldyshev, on the one hand, continue the folklore tradition in 20th/21st-century Kalmyk poetry, while, on the other hand, show transformations and innovations in the crane theme. The adherence to ethnic versification patterns in examined works also conveys certain peculiarities of the authors’ individual styles. Russian translations of the original Kalmyk poetic texts are not that precise to articulate the declared motifs, being different enough both in form and content. Investigation of the crane theme in modern Kalmyk poetry can be continued through the involvement of other motifs, including in the folklore aspect.

CALLIPHORIDAE (REVIEW)

The Calliphoridae family attracts many researchers in the phylogeny of myiasis in this family. Nevertheless, even after more than 50 years of research of the phylogenetic relationships among Calliphoridae subfamilies, the origin of myiasis remains unclear. By studying the peculiarities of the ecology of blue-green meat flies, and their adaptation to various habitats, it was found that the transition to facultative parasitism at the larval stage could occur in several ways, and was accompanied by the formation of viviparity. The larval parasitism of Calliphoridae on birds developed as a tendency of evolution. Larvae of the genus Protocalliphora, began feeding on blood of birds, and larvae of the species of the genus Trypocalliphora feed on the host tissues causing myiasis and the death of chicks. In order to elucidate the problem, we constructed three phylogenetic trees using nucleotide sequence data from cytochrome oxidase subunit one gene (COI), representing a mitochondrial conservative gene, and nuclear 28S subunit of ribosomal RNA gene (28S rRNA) in order to interpret the evolutionary profile of myiasis in the family Calliphoridae. Comparative analysis of the phylogenetic trees shows that the habit of obligatory myiasis originated independently more than five times among different calliphorid taxa in the course of evolutionary history. The inclusion of other myiasis-causing families (Oestridae, Gastrophilidae, and Sarcophagidae) along with fundamental life-history studies that deal with biology, physiology, feeding behavior and host specificity in addition to phylogenetic analysis could provide a more accurate answer to the origin of myiasis

Increasing Survival of Wild Macaw Chicks Using Foster Parents and Supplemental Feeding

The use of foster parents has great potential to help the recovery of highly endangered bird species. However, few studies have shown how to successfully use these techniques in wild populations. Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao macao) in Perú hatch 2–4 chicks per nest but about 24% of all chicks die of starvation and on average just 1.4 of them fledge per successful nest. In this study we develop and test new techniques to increase survival of wild Scarlet Macaw chicks by reducing chick starvation. We hypothesized that using foster parents would increase the survival of chicks at risk of starvation and increase overall reproductive success. Our results show that all relocated macaw chicks were successfully accepted by their foster parents (n = 28 chicks over 3 consecutive breeding seasons) and 89% of the relocated chicks fledged. Overall, we increased fledging success per available nest from 17% (2000 to 2016 average) to 25% (2017 to 2019) and decreased chick death by starvation from 19% to 4%. These findings show that the macaw foster parents technique and post relocation supplemental feeding provide a promising management tool to aid wild parrot population recovery in areas with low reproductive success.

Offspring desertion with care? Chick mortality and plastic female desertion in Snowy Plovers

Abstract Offspring desertion is often a plastic behavioral strategy that requires precise timing as the termination of parental care may have profound consequences for the fitness of parents and offspring. However, the decision process involved with termination of care is still poorly understood. Snowy Plovers Charadrius nivosus show highly flexible brood care with some females deserting the brood early and re-mate, whereas others provide extended care until the young are independent. Using a dynamic modeling framework, we investigated the effect of multiple factors on the decision-making process of female brood care in Ceuta, Mexico over a 7-year period. Females were more likely to stay with larger broods, while their probability of care was lower at the beginning of the season, when re-mating opportunities are higher than later in the season. Offspring condition at hatching did not influence the length of female care. Chick death and offspring desertion frequently coincided, suggesting that deteriorating offspring condition may trigger female desertion. Females deserted broods with high survival prospects when their absence did not impact negatively chick survival. Conversely, females deserted broods with low survival prospects when chick mortality despite female care reduced the value of the brood and re-mating was still possible. This suggests that female Snowy Plovers are sensitive to the needs and the value of their broods and adjust their parental care strategy accordingly. Taken together, we conclude that offspring desertion is a highly plastic behavior that allows females to maximize their reproductive success in a stochastic environment.

Spatial and temporal aggregation of albatross chick mortality events in the Falklands suggests a role for an unidentified infectious disease

In the context of environmental change, determining the causes underpinning unusual mortality events of vertebrate species is a crucial conservation goal. This is particularly true for polar and sub-polar colonial seabirds, often immunologically naïve to new and emerging diseases. Here, we investigate the patterns of black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) chick mortality events unrelated to predation recorded between the 2004/05 and 2019/2020 breeding seasons in four colonies across the species range in the Falklands. The prevalence of these mortality events was highly variable across years, causing the death of between 3 and 40% of all chicks in the studied plots. With few exceptions, mortality was patchily distributed. Using clustering methodologies, we identified the spatio-temporal mortality clusters based on the nest locations and chick death date. Using generalised linear models and generalised additive mixed-effects models we found that chicks nearer the first mortality event were predicted to die before those in more distant nests. The probability of death increased with age and was highest for chicks close to nests where a chick had died previously. Our findings, along with the symptoms consistently exhibited by most deceased chicks in the study, strongly suggest the prevalence of a widespread infectious disease, potentially with a common aetiology, both in areas with regular and with very rare human presence. Understanding the causes driving these disease-related mortality events, which seem different from the outbreaks documented in the literature, is a conservation priority for the Falklands black-browed albatross population, which comprises over 70% of the species global population.

Effect of vegetation density on survival of South African free-ranging indigenous chicken broods.

The survival of juveniles from hatching until recruitment is a critical determinant of indigenous chicken population growth under extensive free-range production systems. A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the impact of vegetation cover on survival of indigenous chicken broods in Msinga, South Africa. Survival records of 281 chicks hatched in sparsely vegetated (SV) communal lands and 233 hatched chicks in densely vegetated (DV) resettlement areas were collected from hatch until 12weeks of age. Data on probable cause of death of individual chicks was collected using a structured checklist. Kaplan-Meir survival distributions and log rank tests were used to estimate the survival functions of broods between vegetation cover types. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between management factors and mortality risk in SV and DV. Chick survival from hatching to 12weeks was higher in SV (55 ± 3.14%) than DV (41 ± 4.19%) (P < 0.05). Mean chick survival time did not differ between SV (56 ± 3.30days) and DV (49 ± 3.23days) (P > 0.05). Aerial predators were the major cause of chick mortality (over 60%) followed by terrestrial predators (30%) in both vegetation cover types. The odds of mortality were higher in DV compared to SV (P < 0.05). It was concluded that increasing vegetation cover decreases survival of scavenging chicks between hatching and end of brooding at 12weeks of age, and therefore brood management actions should ensure adequate protection of free-ranging chicken broods in densely vegetated rearing habitats.

Health status of free-ranging ring-necked pheasant chicks (Phasianus colchicus) in North-Western Germany.

Being a typical ground-breeding bird of the agricultural landscape in Germany, the pheasant has experienced a strong and persistent population decline with a hitherto unexplained cause. Contributing factors to the ongoing negative trend, such as the effects of pesticides, diseases, predation, increase in traffic and reduced fallow periods, are currently being controversially discussed. In the present study, 62 free-ranging pheasant chicks were caught within a two-year period in three federal states of Germany; Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein. The pheasant chicks were divided into three age groups to detect differences in their development and physical constitution. In addition, pathomorphological, parasitological, virological, bacteriological and toxicological investigations were performed. The younger chicks were emaciated, while the older chicks were of moderate to good nutritional status. However, the latter age group was limited to a maximum of three chicks per hen, while the youngest age class comprised up to ten chicks. The majority of chicks suffered from dermatitis of the periocular and caudal region of the head (57-94%) of unknown origin. In addition, intestinal enteritis (100%), pneumonia (26%), hepatitis (24%), perineuritis (6%), tracheitis (24%), muscle degeneration (1%) and myositis (1%) were found. In 78% of the cases, various Mycoplasma spp. were isolated. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) was not detected using an MG-specific PCR. Parasitic infections included Philopteridae (55%), Coccidia (48%), Heterakis/Ascaridia spp. (8%) and Syngamus trachea (13%). A total of 8% of the chicks were Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) positive using RT-PCR, 16% positive for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) using RT-PCR, and 2% positive for haemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) using PCR. All samples tested for avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) or infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) were negative. The pool samples of the ten chicks were negative for all acid, alkaline-free and derivative substances, while two out of three samples tested were positive for the herbicide glyphosate. Pheasant chick deaths may often have been triggered by poor nutritional status, probably in association with inflammatory changes in various tissues and organs as well as bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Theses impacts may have played a major role in the decline in pheasant populations.

PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS OF IMMATURE REHABILITATED AFRICAN PENGUINS (SPHENISCUS DEMERSUS) IN SOUTH AFRICA

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Cape Town, South Africa) regularly receives African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) for rehabilitation. The impact of life history and clinical parameters at admission of 3,975 chicks, 1,687 blues (chicks without downy plumage that are about to fledge or have recently fledged), and 850 fledged juveniles admitted over a 12 yr period (2002-13) were assessed in relation to rehabilitation outcomes using multivariate analysis. Younger chicks were more likely to die during rehabilitation compared with older chicks, and chicks admitted because they had been abandoned by their parents were more likely to die than those admitted preemptively (chicks that were removed when rangers considered their nests were in high-risk areas). Blues admitted because of injury and juveniles admitted because of debilitation, injury, and molt were more likely to die or be euthanized relative to the reference category oiling. Plasmodium infection contributed to natural death for all age groups and to the decision to euthanize chicks, whereas Borrelia infection contributed to both natural death and the decision to euthanize blues. Babesia infection was associated with decreased odds of euthanasia among juveniles. Low hematocrit at admission contributed to natural death of chicks and blues and euthanasia of blues. Low total plasma protein, on the other hand, contributed to natural death in chicks, blues, and juveniles, whereas high total plasma protein had a protective effect against natural death in chicks. These results indicate a need to focus on prevention and early intervention among compromised immature penguins in order to increase the rehabilitation success for this endangered species.

Breeding Biology of the Parakeet Auklet (Cyclorrhynchus psittacula) on Talan Island (Northern Sea of Okhotsk)

The breeding biology of the parakeet auklet was studied in 1989–2012 on Talan Island, which is located in Tauiskaya Bay in the Sea of Okhotsk. In 2008, its population amounted to 3000–4000 individuals, and 70% of the birds nested on the western slope. In 2008, the average density of nesting on this part of the island was 0.018 pairs/m2. Most of nests were noted along the slope base (5–20 m a.s.l.), while the largest density in these sites was 0.035 pairs/m2. The time of egg laying varied from June 4 to June 14, and the longterm average annual date fell on June 8. The latest date of egg laying (June 12–14) was observed in 1995, 1999, and 2001, which was due to the time of ice crushing nearby the island. Hatching in different years started on July 9–19 and ended in late July–early August. The weight of hatchlings was 20–33 g (on average, 27.9 g). In different years, the maximum weight of 22-to 29-day-old nestlings was 173–263 g. By the time of fledging, their weight had decreased to 168–252 g, while the daily increase in weight for the periods of chicks staying in the nests was 4.06–6.47 g in different years. Young birds left the island in the period from the middle of August to the first ten-day period of September; the average age of fledglings was 31–35 days in different years. The reproductive success of the parakeet auklet varied from 0 to 83.3% (on average, 44.3%) and was mainly determined by the survival of chicks at different stages of their development. The main limiting factor of the reproductive success is the reduction of forage availability and abundance, which is largely due to unfavorable weather conditions (long cyclones with storm winds), as well as various hydrobiological changes in the environment. The influence of anxiety and predation was not significant with respect to adult birds, but these factors can cause death of clutches and chicks, and, being combined with unfavorable weather conditions, their effect increases.

Depredation of Monteiro's Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates monteiroi) Chicks by Madeiran Wall Lizards(Lacerta dugesii)

Monteiro's Storm-petrel (Hydrobates monteiroi) is a small seabird endemic to the Azores archipelago, where it is known to breed only on two mammal-free islets. Total breeding numbers are between 250 and 300 pairs. During the 2015 breeding season on Praia Islet, six Madeiran wall lizards (Lacerta dugesii) were observed depredating a Monteiro's Storm-petrel chick about to fledge. In August 2015, a freshly killed chick without its head and four larger dead chicks were found. Eight other chicks had disappeared from their nests since our previous visit in early July. In 2016, there was further evidence of suspected lizard depredation. Three chicks were found predated and dragged out of their nests, and an additional 22 chicks disappeared from their nests before fledging. In 2016, Monteiro's Storm-petrel breeding success was only 26.8%, the lowest ever recorded. We suspect that some of the chick deaths and nest failures may be attributed to these introduced lizards. All chicks were found dragged out of their nests, a behavior that is not consistent with kills from aerial predators. Lizards were suspected because they are the only possible predator on land. Therefore, we recommend evaluating the impact of Madeiran wall lizards on the two Monteiro's Storm-petrel main colonies: Praia and Baixo Islets.

Proventricular–Ventricular Impaction in two ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus)

Impaction of the proventriculus and ventriculus due to ingestion of stones, wood, ceramic tiles, metal spoons and plastic materials was confirmed at postmortem examination in two ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus) aged 8-months and 4-months from two flocks in Gwagwalada and Lugbe in Abuja, Nigeria respectively. Both cases were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) of University of Abuja (U.A.) in November, 2014 (first case) and in May 2016 (second case) with pale mucous membranes, sternal recumbency, outstretched neck, ruffled feathers, dehydration and emaciation. Abdominal palpation in both cases revealed firm and gritty sensations. Antibiotic (oxytetracycline) long acting, Vitamin B-complex and 5% Dextrose saline therapy was instituted in both cases. However, both ostriches later died and were autopsied. The post-mortem revealed impaction of the proventriculus and ventriculus with foreign bodies (such as stones and sand, spoons, wood fragments and ceramic tiles). In addition, there was thickened mucosa of the proventriculus with ulcers, hydropericardium, petechiae on mucosal and serosal surfaces of cervical part of the trachea in the first case; while the second case had petechiae in the mucosa of the duodenum. Proventricular-ventricular foreign body impaction was diagnosed as the cause of death in both ostrich chicks.

Protective Effect of Berberine on the Intestinal Caecum in Chicks with Eimeria Tenella

Avian coccidios, caused by Eimeria, has been shown to cause weight loss and bloody diarrhoea, and sometimes even death of chicks, which subsequently has a serious negative impact on the development of the poultry industry. Berberine is a Chinese traditional medicine for intestinal disorders, which has been shown to have preventive effects on intestinal epithelium that has been exposed to external damage. In the present study, anticoccidial activity of berberine was tested in vivo using Eimeria tenella, on its effects on daily weight gain, bloody diarrhoea, oocyst production, thickness and lesions of caecum. The data confirmed that infected chicks with Eimeria tenella started to show classic clinical symptoms on day 4–5 post-infection, such as ruffled feathers, bloody diarrhoea and reduced weight gain. There was significant reduction in oocyst production of berberine treated chicks except those infected by oocysts pretreated with berberine. The caecum epithelia thickness and lesions were significantly higher in the infected/untreated chicks than those in uninfected/untreated and infected/treated chicks. The results of this study indicate that continuous prophylactic treatment with berberine significantly improved the pathogenic conditions. It is concluded, that berberine is likely to work through preventing caecum epithelium barrier damage from Eimeria tenella by suppressing the reproduction of Eimeria tenella and restoring the normal functions of chicks’ caecum.

Characterization of a highly virulent and antimicrobial-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain isolated from diseased chicks in China.

Poultry husbandry is a very important aspect of the agricultural economy in China. However, chicks are often susceptible to infectious disease microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, causing large economic losses in recent years. In the present study, we isolated an Acinetobacter baumannii strain, CCGGD201101, from diseased chicks in the Jilin Province of China. Regression analyses of virulence and LD50 tests conducted using healthy chicks confirmed that A. baumannii CCGGD201101, with an LD50 of 1.81 (±0.11) × 10(4) CFU, was more virulent than A. baumannii ATCC17978, with an LD50 of 1.73 (±0.13) × 10(7) CFU. Moreover, TEM examination showed that the pili of A. baumannii CCGGD201101 were different from those of ATCC17978. Antibiotic sensitivity analyses showed that A. baumannii CCGGD201101 was sensitive to rifampicin but resistant to most other antibiotics. These results imply that A. baumannii strain CCGGD201101 had both virulence enhancement and antibiotic resistance characteristics, which are beneficial for A. baumannii survival under adverse conditions and enhance fitness and invasiveness in the host. A. baumannii CCGGD20101, with its high virulence and antimicrobial resistance, may be one of the pathogens causing death of diseased chicks.