Locomotor problems in broilers reared on new and re-used litter

Two field trials were conducted to assess locomotor problems in broilers. Males and females broilers were used from two commercial strains reared on two different litter materials, new and re-used. In the first experiment (E1) rice husks and wood shavings were used as new litter, and in the second experiment (E2) the same litter was re-used. A batch of one-day-old chicks (2968) was reared randomly distributed in experimental pens, in a 2x2x2 factorial scheme (two genetic strains, two sexes and two litter materials). The same fodder and water were available to all birds <em>ad libitum</em>. Broilers locomotion problems were evaluated using the characteristics of gait score, incidence of <em>valgus</em> and <em>varus</em>, foot-pad lesions, degeneration, femoral, tibial dyschondroplasia, spondylolisthesis and breast calluses. The number of birds with high gait score was less than 30% in the two experiments. Males presented higher gait score (GS) (28.46% GS 1 and 2 compared to females, 20.98%); greater incidence of angular deformities (26.62% with <em>valgus</em> compared to 14.71% of the female); and femoral degenerative joint lesions (70.83% in average, compared to 55.16% of the female), and the correlation between these traits varied from 0.18 to 0.87 (P&lt;0.05). There was an increase of foot-pad lesions in re-used litter leading to poor welfare. The use of rice husks in deep litter for broiler production might be a viable alternative of wood shavings

Effect Of Stocking Density And Sex On Feathering, Body Injury And Breast Meat Quality Of Broiler Chikens [efeito Da Densidade De Criação E Do Sexo Sobre O Empenamento, Incidência De Lesões Na Carcaça E Qualidade Da Carne De Peito De Frangos De Corte]

The experiment was conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production of UNESP-Botucatu Campus to evaluate the effect of stocking densities and sex on body injuries and breast meat quality. One thousand nine hundred and fifty day-old Ross chicks were reared until 42 days of age on a randomized factorial arrangement with three stock densities (10, 13 and 16 birds/m2) and two sexes. At 28, 35 and 42 days of age, 15 birds/treatment were sampled to determine feathering percentage related to body weight and 50 birds/treatment to evaluate score feathering. At 42 days of age, all broilers were processed to evaluate body injuries and breast meat quality. Increasing stocking densities decreased feathering and increased body injuries like breast blisters, dermatitis, bruises and scratches. Breast meat yield and breast length width and depth was negatively affected (p&lt;.05) as stocking densities increased.41XVIIXVIIIAl-Shaddedl, M.J.B., Muhklis, S.A.A., The effect of different level of single cell protein in broiler rations and bird densities in body weight and feed conversion ratio (1988) Baghdad Journal of Agriculture and Water Resources Research, 7, pp. 141-144Andrews, L.D., Whiting, T.S., Stamps, L., Performance and carcass quality of broilers grown on raised flooring and litter (1990) Poultry Science, 69, pp. 1644-1652Barbi, J.H.T., Zaviezo, D., (2000) Síndrome do mau empenamento em frangos de corte, pp. 49-65. , Simpósio Internacional de Ciências Aviárias, 4ed, MG. Anais. Uberlândia UFVBeremski, C.H., Rearing broilers on deep litter with or without increasing stocking density (1987) Sofia. Zhivotnovdni Nauki, 24, pp. 54-59Bressan, C., (1998) Efeito Dos Fatores Pré-abate Sobre a Qualidade Do Peito de Frango, 179p. , Campinas, Tese [Doutorado], Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos, UnicampBriceno, W.N.O., Guimarães, F.C.R., Cruz, F.G.G., Efeitos da densidade populacional de frangos de corte em época quente no município de Manaus (1987) Congresso Brasileiro de Avicultura, 10ed, Natal. Anais, pp. 131-132Coello, C.L., Considerações sobre o empenamento em frangos de corte (2000) Simpósio Goiano de Avicultura, 4ed, pp. 81-89. , Go. Anais, Goiânia, UFGOCooper, M.A., Washburn, K.W., The relationships of teperature to weight gain, feed consumption, and feed utlization in broilers under heat stress (1997) Poultry Science, 77, pp. 237-242Euclides, R.F., (1983) Sistema para Análises Estatísticas e Genética - SAEG, Imprensa, 62p. , Universitária. UFV, ViçosaFroning, G.W., Babji, A.S., Mather, F.B., The effect of preslaughter temperatures, stress, struggle and anesthetiztion on color and textural characteristics of turkey muscle (1978) Poultry Science, 57 (3), pp. 630-633Honikel, K.O., The water binding of meat (1987) Frankfurt. Fleischwirtschaft, 67, pp. 1098-1102Kato, S., Studies on feeding and management for Nagoya breed: Effects of bird density and debeaking treatment on productivity of birds, and factors causing crowding accidents when rearing birds in a big flock on floor pens (1991) Research Bulletin, , Aichi Ken Agricultural Research Center. NagakuteLowe, P.C., Merkley, J.W., Association of genotypes for rate of feathering in broilers with production and carcass composition traits (1985) Poultry Science, 65, pp. 1853-1858Lubritz, S.L., A statistical model for white meat yield in broiler (1997) Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 6, pp. 253-259Luchesi, J.B., Custo e benefício da criação de frangos de corte em alta densidade no inverno e no verão (1998) Anais Da Conferência APINCO(1994) Nutrient Requeriments of Poultry. 9th Revised Ed., 156p. , Washington: National Academy of Science PressProudfoot, F.G., Hulan, H.W., Effects of stocking density on the incidence of scabby hip syndrome among broiler chickens (1985) Poultry Science, 64, pp. 2001-2003Proudfoot, F.G., Hulan, H.W., Ramey, D.R., The effect of four stocking densities on broiler carcass grade, the incidence of breast blisters, and other performance traits (1979) Poultry Science, 58, pp. 791-793Quimones, R., Polanco, G., Morejón, O., Comparación de tres densidades de alojamiento en la crianza de pollos de engorde en piso (1984) Revista de Avicultura, 28, pp. 141-149Richards, S.A., The significance of changes in the temperature of the skin and body core of the chicken in the regulation of heat loss (1977) Journal of Physiology, 216, pp. 1-10Robinson, F.E., Robinon, N.A., Turner, B.V., Breast muscle development in broilers as affected by strain, Sex and age at processing (1996) Poutry Science Anual Meeting, 85, 56p. , Louiseville, Proceedings. Louiseville, PSARobinson, F.E., Robinon, N.A., Turner, B.V., Breast muscle area, weight and thickness in four strain crosses of commercial broilers (1996) Poultry Science Annual Meeting, 85, 57p. , Louiseville, Proceedings. Louiseville, PSAStanley, V.G., Bailey, J.E., Effect of iodine-treated water on the performance of broiler (1989) Poultry Science, 68, pp. 435-43

Isolation of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (O:4,5:i) and Salmonella enterica subsp. Typhimurium from free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia)

The present study reports the isolation of Salmonella enterica in organs of free-living domestic pigeons. In the clinic examination, the presence of feces in the peri-cloacal and abdominal regions were observed, as well as symptoms such as cachexy, incoordination and opisthotonos. Before any therapeutic protocol was applied the bird died and a necropsy was then performed for the removal of spleen, liver, kidney and intestine for bacteriological examination and antibiotic sensitivity test. Salmonella enterica subsp.enterica (O:4,5:i-) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium were isolated from the liver and intestine and the sensitivity test demonstrated that these strains are sensitive to several antibiotics