Establishment of Base Interactions of Select Genus Between Multiple Chick Sources in Differential Housing

BackgroundMicrobial communities in the gut are influenced and shaped by both an individual’s interactions with their environment and the interactions of their progenitors. In chickens, this includes the hatchery they originated from, as well as the environment in which the egg was laid. This study aimed to establish the extent to which the microbial communities of source hatcheries influenced the microbiome of broilers over time by placing birds from two separate source hatcheries (HA,HB) in to both a floor pen and battery cage system as three distinct populations HA, HB, and mixed population (MP). MP was made up of half HA individuals and half HB individuals. Samples of the midgut (defined as the area between the duodenal loop and Meckel’s diverticulum) and the ceca were taken at day 0, 5, and 14 for battery cage birds, and day 0,5,14, 16, 21, 28, and 48 for floor raised birds.ResultsBirds from HA and HB both displayed distinct microbial communities in day 0 samples and retained some of these characteristics through day 48. Furthermore MP samples seemed to be influenced more by the microbiome of the source hatchery that displayed a higher number of OTUs at day zero. More diverse day 0 microbiomes also seemed more resistant to larger shifts in community composition as time progressed. There is some indication that parental diet also shaped the microbiomes of the broiler chickens, with the genus Bacteroides appearing in HB (parent stock fed non-vegetarian diet) populations as early as day 5, MP day 14, and finally appearing in HA (parent stock feed vegetarian diet) at day 21.ConclusionsThe results suggest that there may be a net positive effect on the microbiome of a flock by placing birds with strong day 0 microbial communities in a mixed flock with those with weak or non-beneficial microbial communities.

Emergence of fowl aviadenovirus C-4 in a backyard chicken flock in California

Fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV) species D and E are associated with inclusion body hepatitis (IBH); species C, serotype 4 (hereafter, FAdV4) is associated with hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS) in young chickens. Outbreaks of HHS have led to significant losses in the poultry industry in several countries, predominantly in China. In April 2020, FAdV4 was detected in a remote backyard flock in California. In a mixed flock of chickens of various breeds and ages (6 mo to 2 y old), 7 of 30 were found dead within a week without premonitory signs. One additional bird died after the flock was relocated to fresh pasture, bringing the total mortality to 8 of 30 (27%). Postmortem examination of 3 birds revealed good body condition scores and active laying. One chicken had subtle hemorrhages throughout the liver, and the other 2 had diffusely dark mahogany livers. On histopathology, 2 chickens had hepatic necrosis with hepatocytes containing large, mostly basophilic, intranuclear inclusion bodies, identified by electron microscopy as 82.2-nm diameter adenoviral particles. Virus isolation and genomic sequencing performed on a liver sample revealed strains with 99.9% homology to FAdV4 isolates reported from China. To our knowledge, FAdV4 has not been reported in the United States to date. Furthermore, the chickens affected here were all adults and exhibited a variation of serotype 4 disease in which IBH was present but not hydropericardium.

High mortality in a sheep flock caused by coinfection of louping ill virus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Fifty-three of a mixed flock of 180 one-year-old lambs (hoggs) and older, barren ewes (ewes that were non-pregnant or had not lambed that spring) died in May 2019 following introduction to 30 acres of unimproved hill pasture. The flock was moved onto this pasture in early May, and clinical signs and deaths were observed 14 days later. Clinical signs included dyspnoea, lethargy, and sternal and lateral recumbency; the majority were found dead. The flock was removed from the hill the day after the first deaths were discovered. Deaths continued for a further 14 days until a total of 53 animals had died. Three hoggs were submitted for postmortem examination to the Wales Veterinary Science Centre. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causal organism of tickborne fever, was detected by PCR testing. Coinfection with louping ill virus was also suspected and later confirmed. The laboratory findings are described, and the risk of these diseases to grazing sheep in upland areas is discussed, as well as the measures being taken to reduce the risk of infection.

Gastrointestinal nematodes of goats: host–parasite relationship differences in breeds at summer mountain pasture in northern Italy

IntroductionThe Orobic goat is a hardy breed native to the Orobic Alps (Lombardy, northern Italy). The aim of the study was the assessment of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) egg excretion in Alpine and Saanen (cosmopolite breeds) and Orobic grazing goats, after a strategic treatment with eprinomectin in late June.Material and MethodsIndividual faecal samples from a mixed flock of cosmopolite and Orobic goats were collected and analysed by the FLOTAC double technique every three weeks from June to September.ResultsStrongylida was the primary GIN infection observed in goats that grazed on Alpine pastures; a strategic treatment with eprinomectin led to a prolonged reduction of egg excretion during the whole study period. Egg excretion was also influenced by breed. Pluriparous Orobic does were able to control reinfection better than the pluriparous cosmopolite does. Regarding Nematodirus sp. eggs per gram of faeces (EPG), the autochthonous Orobic breed presented higher values than the cosmopolite breeds. However, cosmopolite goats presented higher EPG values of Strongyloides papillosus than their Orobic counterparts in August.ConclusionsFurther studies on genetic features of local autochthonous goats, such as the Orobic breed, are needed, since they could reveal peculiar characteristics of susceptibility, resistance or resilience to GIN infection, providing genetic resources for selection.

Diversity and seasonal occurrence of Eimeria species in a mixed flock of communally reared sheep and goats in Mafikeng in the North West Province, South Africa

Diversity and seasonal occurrence of coccidia in a communally reared mixed flock of sheep and goats at Mafikeng, North West Province, South Africa, was determined between March 2008 and February 2009. Faecal specimens were collected directly from the rectum of the animals and the number of oocysts per gram of faeces (opg) determined. The mean monthly opg for goats was significantly higher than that for sheep. Higher oocyst counts were observed during the hot, rainy season than during the cold, dry season. The highest mean values for both the sheep (862.5 opg) and goats (1200 opg) were recorded during March. Six species (Eimeria crandallis, E. bakuensis, E. weybridgensis, E. ahsata, E. intricata, and E. ovinoidalis) were recovered from sheep, with E. crandallis and E. bakuensis occurring most frequently. The last 2 species, together with E. ahsata, are considered among the most pathogenic species in sheep. In goats, 7 species (E. arloingi, E. jolchijevi, E. caprina, E. alijevi, E. caprovina, E. christenseni and E. hirci) were recovered, with E. arloingi and E. jolchijevi occurring most frequently. Up to 5 Eimeria species were recovered from individual specimens in goats while up to 4 were recovered in sheep. No cross-infections between goats and sheep were recorded and no clinical coccidiosis was noted during the study. It is increasingly becoming evident that the pathogenic E. arloingi is one of the most commonly occurring Eimeria species in goats in South Africa.