Persistence of immunity in commercial egg-laying hens following vaccination with a killed H6N2 avian influenza vaccine

The California poultry industry experienced an outbreak of H6N2 avian influenza beginning in February 2000. The initial infections were detected in three commercial egg-laying flocks and a single noncommercial backyard flock but later spread to new premises. The vaccination of pullet flocks with a commercially prepared, killed autogenous vaccine prior to their placements on farms with infected or previously infected flocks was used as a part of the eradication programs for some multiage, commercial egg production farms. The purpose of this study was to follow three vaccinated flocks on two commercial farms to track the immune responses to vaccination. The antibody-mediated responses of the three flocks followed in this study were markedly different. One flock achieved 100% seroconversion at 12.5 wk of age, but by 32 wk of age, all of the hens were seronegative by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID). In contrast, at 32 wk of age, flocks from the other farm (flocks 2A and 2B) were 95% and 72% seropositive by AGID, respectively. Of the differences that were identified between the vaccination protocols on the two farms, the distinction that could explain the level of disparity between responses is the delivery of the second dose of vaccine with a bacterin on the first farm, which may have interfered with the persistence of immunity in this flock. Hens from flocks 2A and 2B were experimentally challenged at 25 wk of age with H6N2 avian influenza virus. Hens from flock 2A did not transmit virus to naive contact-exposed hens, but hens from flock 2B did. At 34 wk of age, hens from flock 2A were again challenged and naive contact-exposed hens were infected in this second trial. These challenge experiments served to demonstrate that despite detectable antibody responses in flocks 2A and 2B, the birds were protected from infection for less than 21 wk after the second vaccination.     

Isolation of Salmonella Organisms from Commercial Layer Houses Where the Flocks Were Molted with a Wheat Bran Diet

To develop an alternative method to feed withdrawal for molting layers, 2 flocks consisting of approximately 26,000 commercial laying hens each at 478 (68 wk, flock 1) and 466 (67 wk, flock 2) d of age were reared in an environmentally controlled windowless house and were fed wheat bran (WB) diet. Flock 1 hens were fed WB for 25 d, and flock 2 hens were fed WB for 21 d and then fed a mixture of WB and layer feed (1:1, wt:wt) for the last 4 d of the treatment. After that, the birds in both flocks were fed a normal layer feed. The photoperiod was reduced from 16 to 9 h in both flocks. Most of the birds in both flocks ceased egg production by 10 to 15 d of feeding the WB diets. Egg production in flock 1 gradually increased to 11.4% by 31 to 40 d and 71.4% by 41 to 50 d of the treatment, whereas the egg production in flock 2 hens lagged behind by almost 10 d. The mean egg production from 61 to 140 d exceeded 86% in both flocks. The houses in the farm were naturally contaminated with several serovars of Salmonella, not Enteriditis or Typhimurium. In both flocks with the WB treatment, no marked increase in Salmonella isolation from environmental samples was observed postmolt relative to premolt levels. The study demonstrated that feeding hens WB could be successfully used as an alternative to feed withdrawal to force-rest aging hens while not exacerbating a Salmonella problem in a commercial egg-production setting.     

Immune responses of breeding chickens to trivalent oil emulsion vaccines: responses to infectious bronchitis

Three similar flocks of broiler breeder parent chickens that had been given live infections bronchitis (IB) vaccines during rearing were injected at 20 weeks of age with three different oil emulsion vaccines: a commercial monovalent Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine (flock A); an experimental bivalent vaccine containing ND and infectious bursal disease (IBD) components (flock B); and an experimental trivalent vaccine containing ND, IBD and IB components (flock C). One week after vaccination 40 hens from flock A and 40 from flock C were taken to the laboratory and their egg yields individually recorded. At 37 weeks of age they were challenged by aerosol exposure to virulent IB virus. The egg production dropped significantly in the hens from flock A but not in the hens from flock C. On the farm, flock C showed a higher mean IB virus antibody titre four weeks after vaccination but titres rose in all three flocks indicating the presence of active IB virus infection. No differences in egg yields were found between the three farm flocks.     

Use of the range area in organic egg production systems: effect of climatic factors, flock size, age and artificial cover

(1) To evaluate the effect of climate, flock size, age and artificial cover on the use of range area, a study was conducted in 1994 to 1998, involving 5 farms with a total of 37 flocks of layers kept in commercial, free-range, organic systems. Flocks were visited regularly during the production period to record the number and distribution of hens on the range. (2) On average 9% of the flock used the range area, but with large variations both within and between flocks, and this was partly influenced by climatic factors. Range use was affected by temperature, wind, precipitation, season and age, and there was a tendency for reduced numbers of hens on the range with the time of day and increasing flock size. (3) Eight flocks (including houses and range areas) were divided into 8 paired units, and the range area of one unit in each of the flocks was provided with artificial cover. There were more hens on the range when artificial cover was present and the presence of cover attracted more hens away from the area immediately outside the hen house.     

Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens

The present study investigated the effects of pecking stones on feeding behaviour of hens from 16 to 46 weeks of age. Eighteen flocks of Hy-Line Brown hens were housed in 2 commercial free-range housing systems. Farm A housed 10 flocks of beak trimmed (infrared beak treatment) hens in fixed sheds. Farm B housed 8 flocks of hens with intact beaks in mobile sheds. On each farm, flocks were equally assigned to control groups (no access to pecking stones) and treatment groups (access to pecking stones). Data were evaluated every 10 weeks. At each time point, 10 hens per flock were housed in individual pens, and each hen was provided with 250 g of mash diet and ad libitum water for 24 h. After 24 h, feed samples were collected and used to determine 24-h feed intake. Nutrient and particle selection was measured by subtracting nutrients and particles present in the leftover feed from the vaules obtained in the offered feed and expressed the change (Δ). In addition, pecking stone consumption was recorded for each flock. Data were analysed separately for each farm using fixed effects of pecking stone availability and hen age. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients and linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the relationship of beak length and pecking stone usage, discrete mean particle size (dMEAN) consumption (Δ dMEAN), and Δ nutrient intake. Hens with access to pecking stones consumed significantly lower quantities of large feed particles (>2.8 mm) on farm A (P = 0.029) and selected significantly more fine particles, on farm B (P = 0.013). Overall, positive relationships (P = 0.001) between beak length and pecking stone consumption, Δ dMEAN, and Δ phosphorus consumption were observed. In conclusion, pecking stone consumption resulted in reduced selection and consumption of feed particles in hens housed on both farms. Further research is warranted to investigate the effect of pecking stones on sensory innervation of the beak.     

Infection dynamics of Ascaridia galli in non-caged laying hens

The infection dynamics of Ascaridia galli in laying hens was investigated in six commercial non-caged flocks. Three flocks were managed in accordance with the regulations for organic production and had outdoor access, whereas three flocks were housed indoors in aviaries or traditional floor systems. Faecal egg counts and total worm burdens were determined at specified intervals during the first 50 weeks of the production period. In two conventional flocks the efficacy of flubendazole on lumenal stages was investigated. All flocks became infected following the arrival of the birds (post placement) with residual infective eggs derived from the previous flock. In four flocks (two organic and two conventional) parasite eggs were first detected in faeces 6-7 weeks post placement, whereas parasite eggs were not detected until after 17-18 weeks in two flocks. This delay was observed in two of three flocks that were housed in barns that had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by chlorocresol. In three flocks (two conventional and one organic) flubendazole was administered to the birds in the drinking water for approximately one week. Both conventional flocks were dewormed twice approximately 20 weeks apart, whereas the organic flock was dewormed only once about 40 weeks post placement. Parasite eggs reappeared after deworming in all flocks, often within 2-4 weeks, followed by a rapid increase in parasite egg expulsion. Our results suggested impairment of host immunity post treatment, as the egg counts exceeded pre-treatment levels after 7-8 weeks on both conventional farms. Accordingly, the way by which anthelmintics and/or disinfectants are used in non-caged chicken flocks must be refined.     

Effects of stocking density, flock size and management on the welfare of laying hens in single-tier aviaries

Management practices, stocking rate and flock size may affect laying hen welfare but there have been few replicated studies in commercial non-cage systems that investigate this. This study used a broad range of physical and physiological indicators to assess the welfare of hens in 36 commercial flocks. Six laying period treatments were examined with each treatment replicated 6 times. It was not possible to randomly allocate treatments to houses, so treatment and house were largely confounded. Three stocking rates were compared: 7 birds/m(2) (n = 2450), 9 birds/m(2) (n = 3150) and 12 birds/m(2) in either small (n = 2450) or large (n = 4200) flocks. In addition, at 12 birds/m(2), in both small and large flocks, birds were subjected to either standard (SM) or modified (MM) management. MM flocks had nipple drinkers and no nest-box lights. Bone strength, fracture incidence, heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, live weight, organ weights, serum creatine, serum osmolality, muscle pH and faecal corticosterone were measured on samples of birds at the end of the rearing period and at the end of lay. During the laying period, mortality, production and integument condition were recorded at regular intervals. Birds housed at 9 birds/m(2) had higher mortality than birds housed at 12 birds/m(2) by the end of lay, but not higher than birds housed at 7 birds/m(2). Birds housed at 7 and 9 birds/m(2) had lower percent liver weight, and worse plumage condition than most of the 12 bird/m(2) treatments. Modified management tended to improve plumage condition. There were no clear effects of flock size on the welfare indicators recorded. At the end of the rearing period fracture incidence was almost negligible and H:L ratio was within a normal range. By the end of lay fracture incidence was 60% and H:L ratio was high, with no treatment effect for either measure. This, together with information on faecal corticosterone, feather loss and mortality, suggests that the welfare of birds in all treatments was relatively poor by the end of lay.     

Salmonella enteritidis and other Salmonella in laying hens and eggs from flocks with Salmonella in their environment.

Seven Canadian layer flocks with Salmonella enteritidis in their environment were investigated to determine the numbers of hens infected with S. enteritidis, the localization of S. enteritidis in organs of infected hens and the numbers of S. enteritidis-infected eggs produced by two affected flocks. By a microagglutination test (MAT) using S. pullorum antigens, these flocks had more seropositive hens (mean 51.9 +/- 16.9%) than two Salmonella-free flocks (mean 13.0 +/- 4.2%). Culture of tissues of 580 hens (433 seropositive) from the seven flocks detected 26 (4.5%) S. enteritidis-infected hens from two flocks. In one flock, 2/150 hens were infected with S. enteritidis phage type (PT) 8, which was confined to the ceca, and no Salmonella spp. were isolated from 2520 eggs (one day's lay). In the second flock, where 24/150 hens were infected with S. enteritidis PT13, extraintestinal infection was found in nine hens and involved the ovaries and/or oviduct in two hens. Salmonella enteritidis PT13 was isolated from one sample of egg contents and from one sample of cracked shells from among 14,040 eggs (one day's lay) from this flock. The overall prevalence of S. enteritidis-contaminated eggs from the two flocks with infected hens was less than 0.06%. Other Salmonella spp. isolated were S. heidelberg from 58 hens (10%), and S. hadar, S. mbandaka and S. typhimurium from one hen (0.2%) each. The MAT with antigens of S. pullorum had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 24% for detecting S. enteritidis-infected hens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Local chicken production system in Malawi: Household flock structure,dynamics, management and health

Household flocks of scavenging chickens were monitored from August 2002 to August 2003 in 27 villages in Lilongwe, Malawi. The objective was to evaluate the local chicken production system by investigating flock structure, utilization, management and constraints. Farmers and researchers jointly obtained data on household flocks. Mean flock size was 12.9, with a range of 1–61 chickens. The flock dynamics of chickens over 8 weeks old constituted 91% migrating out of flocks and 9% into the flocks. Primary functions based on flock dynamics were, in order of importance, household consumption, participation in socio-cultural ceremonies, selling, exchanging breeding stock and gifts. Of the flock exits, 43.9% were due to losses from diseases, predation and theft. Most flocks (85%) were housed in human dwelling units. Scavenging was the main source of feed. The majority (77.6%) of farmers supplemented their chickens erratically with energy-rich feeds, mostly maize bran. Most supplementation took place during the cold-dry season. Village chicken production offers diverse functional outputs but faces animal health (diseases, parasites, predation) and management (feeding) constraints, which require an integrated intervention approach at community and household level.     

Influence of housing system and design on bone strength and keel bone fractures in laying hens

The main objectives of the study were to provide an accurate assessment of current levels of old breaks in end-of-lay hens housed in a variety of system designs and identify the important risk factors. Sixty-seven flocks housed in eight broad subcategories were assessed at the end of the production period. Within each flock, the presence of keel fractures was determined and the tibia, humerus and keel bones dissected for measurement of breaking strength. For each house, variations in internal design and perching provision were categorised and the effective heights of the differing structures recorded. All systems were associated with alarmingly high levels of keel damage although variation in mean prevalence between systems was evident with flocks housed in furnished cages having the lowest prevalence (36 per cent) despite also having significantly weaker bones and flocks housed in all systems equipped with multilevel perches showing the highest levels of damage (over 80 per cent) and the highest severity scores.     

Epidemiology and financial impact of fowl cholera in turkeys: a retrospective analysis

A retrospective study of the epidemiology and financial impact of fowl cholera (FC) in California meat turkeys during 1984 was performed. Data were collected from 64 flocks--23 FC-outbreak flocks and 41 controls (non-outbreak)--raised in the Central Valley of the state. Mean flock age at the time of the FC outbreak was 11.3 weeks. Flocks that reported a colibacillosis outbreak had increased odds (P = 0.11) of also having an FC outbreak. (This association may or may not indicate a cause-effect relationship.) There was no significant difference between FC-outbreak and control flocks in number of diseases reported, age at onset, or duration of diseases or syndromes except age at onset of roundheart disease. The relative mortality rates were 52% higher in FC-outbreak toms and 26% higher in FC-outbreak hens than in their controls. Medication costs were nearly tripled, and the relative condemnation rate was 60% higher in FC-outbreak flocks than in control flocks. The average costs of FC were nearly $0.40 per bird, or $18,750 per flock, in an outbreak flock of 50,000 birds, and $0.12 per bird, or $6000 per flock, in non-outbreak flocks vaccinated against FC.     

Risk factors for Marek's disease and mortality in white Leghorns in Norway

A prospective longitudinal field study was conducted in the period from January 1994 to January 1996 to analyse the relationship between some selected risk factors in the growing and laying periods and (1) the flock-level occurrence of Marek’s disease (MD) during the period from 16 to 32 weeks of age and (2) the cumulative mortality during the same period. A total of 171 layer flocks in 102 egg-production farms were included in the statistical analyses.

A logistic regression (with strain of layer and vaccination program against MD as fixed effects) of flock-level MD-status during the first 16 weeks of the laying period was conducted. Of the risk factors investigated, “multi-age management” and “housing system” were significantly associated at the rearing farm, and “number of hens in each cage” at the egg-production farm. Flocks kept in single-age facilities had a lower risk of MD than flocks housed in farms with multi-age management. The odds of MD were larger for flocks housed on a litter floor in the rearing farms compared to flocks housed in battery cages. At the egg-production stage, flocks kept in battery cages housing more than three hens were at greater risk of MD than those held in cages for three hens or less.

A weighted least-squares regression (with strain of layer and flock-level MD-status as fixed effects) of cumulative mortality during the period from 16 to 32 weeks of age was also run. The same risk factors (with the same directions of effects) and “size of the rearing farm” were included in the final model of mortality. Chicks reared in medium-sized farms were at higher risk of dying than those coming from either small or large rearing farms. Our results confirm the importance of preventing chicks from being exposed to MD-virus during the rearing period, to reduce the risk of MD-outbreaks (and thereby, mortality losses) during the early stage of the egg-laying period.     

Salmonella gallinarum biovar gallinarum as the cause of a highly acute septicemic disease in adult laying hens kept in battery cages

Early in the summer of 1988 two flocks each of them consisted of about 7500 brown laying hens of a heavy hybrid line were affected by fowl typhoid. The birds have been bought at the age of 20 weeks and housed in two buildings placed close together in one farm. The disease started in flock I at the age of 26 weeks and in flock II at the age of 36 weeks. In repeated trials amoxicillin was effective in the treatment of fowl typhoid when given in the drinking water for ad libitum consumption over a 4-7 days period; however relapse occurred 3-4 days after withdrawal of the drug. All the hens were slaughtered 5 days after termination of the last therapy. In spite of the treatment 18.3% of the hens in flock I and 14.3% of those in flock II died within the observation period of 47 days and 22 days respectively. Egg production was not affected. The source of the fowl typhoid producing organisms could be not elucidated.     

Detection of chicken anemia virus in the gonads and in the progeny of broiler breeder hens with high neutralizing antibody titers

Previous evidence for the presence of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in the gonads of immune specific-pathogen-free chickens raised the question whether this occurs also in commercial breeders. The presence of CAV was investigated by nested PCR in the gonads and spleens of hens from two 55- and 59-week-old, CAV-vaccinated (flocks 2 and 3), and two 48- and 31-week-old non-vaccinated broiler breeder flocks (flocks 1 and 4). In addition, lymphoid tissues of 20-day-old embryos from these hens were also investigated for the presence of CAV. CAV was detected in the gonads and of 5/6 and 11/22 of the vaccinated hens and in some hens also in the spleen alone. Embryos from 7/8 and 5/18 of these hens were positive. In the non-vaccinated flocks, CAV was detected in the gonads of 11/34 and 10/10 hens in flocks 1 and 4, respectively. In addition, 11 birds in flock 1 had positive spleens. CAV DNA was detected in 3/11 and 2/10 of their embryos. CAV-positive gonads and embryos were detected in samples from hens with moderate as well as high VN antibody titers. Vaccinated chickens positive for CAV in the gonads and in their embryos had VN titers ranging from >1:512 to <1:2048. In non-vaccinated chickens, the VN titers of CAV positive chickens ranged from 1:128 to 1:4096. These results demonstrate that CAV genome can remain present in the gonads of hens in commercial broiler breeder flocks even in the presence of high neutralizing antibody titers that have been associated with protection against CAV vertical transmission. It also suggests that transmission to the progeny may occur irrespectively of the level of the humoral immune response in the hens.     

Performance of commercial laying hen genotypes on free range and organic farms in Switzerland,France and The Netherlands

1. A total of 257 farmers with free ranging laying hens (organic and conventional) in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands with 273 flocks were interviewed to determine the relationships between the genotype of the hens, management conditions and performance.

2. Almost 20 different genotypes (brands) were present on the farms. In France, all birds were brown feathered hens laying brown eggs. In Switzerland and The Netherlands, there were brown, white (white feathered hens laying white eggs) and silver (white feathered hens laying brown eggs) hens. In Switzerland, mixed flocks were also present.

3. The overall effect of system (organic vs. conventional free range) on egg production and mortality was significant, with higher mortality and lower egg production among organic hens. In pair wise comparisons within country, the difference was highly significant in The Netherlands, and showed a non-significant tendency in the same direction in Switzerland and France.

4. White hens tended to perform better than brown hens. Silver hens appeared to have a higher mortality and lower production per hen housed at 60 weeks of age.

5. There were no significant relationships between production, mortality, feather condition and use of outside run or with flock size.

6. There was more variation in mortality and egg production among farms with a small flock size than among farms with a large flock size.     

Neoplasms in the oviducts of turkeys

The reproductive tracts of turkey breeder hens from five flocks were examined grossly and histologically. Hens from one flock had a normal reproductive history, but hens from the four other flocks had poor records in both egg production and hatchability. Nodular growths occurred in the oviducts of birds in all five flocks. The incidence of lesions varied from flock to flock and from bird to bird. In four flocks, lesions were small and consisted of areas of dysplasia with adenomatous change. Histologically, the lesions in some birds in the fifth flock were adenocarcinomas. No metastases were observed.     

Vertical transmission of reticuloendotheliosis virus in breeder turkeys

Epizootiological studies were conducted on a commercial turkey breeder flock naturally infected with nondefective reticuloendotheliosis (RE) virus. Although RE virus was isolated from 27 (46%) of the 59 hens studied, only 4 of the 45 hens tested transmitted RE virus to progeny during a 6-week observation period and the overall transmission rate was 1.8%. The transmitter hens were of two types: three hens were consistently viremic and antigenemic and lacked antibody; one hen was viremic but lacked detectable viral antigen and possessed antibody. Toms appeared to play no role in vertical transmission of the infection. Of several tests evaluated for detection of transmitter hens, the direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on albumen was probably best, since it detected three of four transmitter hens, detected relatively few nontransmitter hens, and had the best consistency of any test. No significant differences in hatchability were found between eggs from viremic and non-viremic hens. These findings can be utilized in the development of programs for eradication of RE virus from turkey breeding flocks.     

Use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure antibody levels in turkey breeder hens, eggs, and progeny following natural infection or immunization with a commercial Bordetella avium bacterin

Twelve large white turkey hens were immunized with a commercially available Bordetella avium bacterin. Hens and eggs were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the response to the bacterin. Three hundred poults were then obtained from two commercial flocks, the hens of one flock having been immunized with the same bacterin used on the group of 12 turkeys. Titers of the poults were monitored for 7 weeks, and poults were challenged by exposure to infected poults at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days post-hatch. Hens produced an antibody response following immunization, with a parallel antibody response being detected in eggs. Maternal antibodies were present in poults from immunized hens. Poult titers declined to near the level of poults from unimmunized hens by 14 days of age. Poults from immunized hens challenged at 1 and 7 days were resistant to development of clinical disease and gross lesions, whereas all poults from unimmunized hens exhibited clinical signs and gross lesions. After 14 days, the resistance of both groups to development of clinical disease, became near equal, neither group being affected as severely as the unimmunized hens challenged at days 1 and 7. Six commercial turkey breeding flocks and their progeny that had not been vaccinated for B. avium and had no history of B. avium infection were evaluated with the B. avium ELISA. There were variations between the flocks, with poult titers reflecting those found in the hens.     

A cross-sectional study to investigate the occurrence and distribution of intestinal spirochaetes (Brachyspira spp.) in three flocks of laying hens

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a commercial egg-producing farm with a history of wet litter. A total of 600 fresh caecal faecal samples were obtained from under cages of laying hens in three sheds each containing flocks of approximately 5400 hens. Samples were cultured for intestinal spirochaetes, and growth on the primary isolation plate was observed under a phase contrast microscope and subjected to PCRs specific for the intestinal spirochaetes Brachyspira intermedia and Brachyspira pilosicoli. Spirochaete isolates obtained in pure culture were assessed for their ability to cause haemolysis on blood agar and to produce indole, and were typed using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A 1250 base pair portion of the 16S rRNA gene of three B. intermedia and five unidentified isolates was sequenced, and the sequences compared with those of other Brachyspira species. Overall, 121 (20.2%) of the faecal samples contained spirochaetes as determined by growth on the plate and microscopy. Using PCR on the primary growth from these positive samples, 43 (7.2% overall) were shown to contain B. intermedia, 8 (1.3%) to contain B. pilosicoli, and 70 (11.7%) were PCR negative. Only 24 isolates of B. intermedia and five isolates of unknown species were obtained in pure culture. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence identified the non-B. intermedia isolates as belonging to the proposed species "Brachyspira pulli". PFGE analysis of the B. intermedia strains identified them as having four major banding patterns. Individual patterns were found in hens from different flocks, suggesting cross-transmission of strains between flocks. No environmental sources of infection were identified. The youngest flock had a significantly lower level of colonisation with B. intermedia than the flock of intermediate age (P = 0.004), suggesting that following initial infection of individual young hens on this farm there was amplification and transmission of infection amongst members of the flock.