Changes in haematological profile of common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) induced by transit to pheasantry

The aim of this study was to assess haematological changes in hand-reared pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) transported from intensive housing facilities to a pheasantry. Selected haematological parameters were monitored in a group of 100 pheasants (50 males and 50 females) aged of 9 weeks that were transported for 4 hours by a covered lorry in crates, with a total body weight of 12 +/- 0.5 kg per crate (Group C12 - floor space: 290 cm2/kg) and with a total body weight of 18 +/- 0.5 kg per crate (Group C18 - floor space: 195 cm2/kg). Blood samples were taken from 10 randomly selected males and 10 females before transport (CON group) and 20 hours after transport (C12 and C18 groups). Examinations consisted in determining the total erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, haematocrit values, haemoglobin levels and differential leukocyte counts, whereby the proportions of heterophil, basophil and eosinophil granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes of the total leukocytes were computed. The changes in the parameters of red blood cell count were manifested by an increase (P < 0.01) in the haemoglobin level, MCH (mean cell haemoglobin) and MCHC (mean cell haemoglobin concentration) values and a decrease (P < 0.01) in the total erythrocyte count and haematocrit level in both C12 and C18 pheasants, when compared with the control group of non-transported pheasants. C18 pheasants exhibited also a significant increase (P < 0.05) in MCV (mean cell value) value. When analyzing differential leukocyte counts, C18 pheasants showed a decrease (P < 0.01) in heterophil counts and H/L ratio, whereas values in C12 pheasants did not differ from the non-transported control group. Individual counts of lymphocytes were decreased (P < 0.05) in C12 pheasants, whereas basophil counts were increased (P < 0.01) in both C12 and C18 pheasants. Total leukocyte count was decreased (P < 0.01) in C12 and C18 pheasants. In conclusion, the specific requirements of pheasants, as primarily wild animals, for the density in crates should be respected during transportation and they should be transported at lower densities than other poultry species, at least 290 cm2/kg live weight should be provided.     

Detection of Mycoplasma synoviae in clinically normal pheasants

Mycoplasma synoviae was isolated from the tracheas of seven clinically normal pheasants found in the vicinity of a chicken farm infected with M synoviae, but not from 120 pheasants and partridges with respiratory disease. When specimens were examined by the polymerase chain reaction only two additional pheasants infected with M synoviae were identified, one healthy and one diseased.     

Some observations on the response of ring-necked pheasants to inoculation with various strains of cell-culture-propagated type II avian adenovirus

The response of ring-necked pheasants to inoculation with three strains of cell-culture-propagated type II avian adenovirus was examined. Marble spleen disease (MSD) virus of pheasants and both avirulent and virulent strains of hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) of turkeys all induced typical gross and microscopic splenic lesions of MSD; neither MSD-associated lung lesions nor mortality were noted in inoculated pheasants, regardless of strain of virus used. Pheasants inoculated with a cell-culture-propagated avirulent strain of HEV were properly immunized against challenge with virulent HEV, as indicated by seroconversion and by protection against virus-induced splenic lesions. We conclude that these strains of type II avian adenovirus are comparable in pathogenicity for pheasants and cannot be distinguished. Further, absence of MSD-associated lung lesions and mortality in pheasants maintained under controlled laboratory conditions suggest that other environmental factors are probably involved in induction of such lesions and mortality in field cases of MSD.     

Salmonella pullorum in the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

In 1996, pullorum disease due to Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar pullorum (Salmonella pullorum) was diagnosed in pheasants on a gamebird rearing enterprise in south-west Scotland. The gross pathology and bacteriological findings are described, as are the results of screening for S pullorum on the site in 1997. The causal organism was readily isolated from the lung, liver, yolk sac and heart blood on direct culture, but less readily from the digestive tract or by the use of selective media. The bacteria recovered from the pheasants were identified as S pullorum phage type 7, a phage type previously associated with pheasants rather than domestic fowl, and the organisms were most probably introduced to the site by the movement of carrier pheasants.     

West Nile virus-associated mortality events in domestic Chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) and domestic Impeyan pheasants (Lophophorus impeyanus)

West Nile virus (WNV) infection was diagnosed in captive juvenile chukars (Alectoris chukar), and captive juvenile Impeyan pheasants (Lophophorus impeyanus) on the basis of necropsy, histopathology, polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. The chukars were kept in a game bird farm that experienced two outbreaks with approximately 25% mortality in hundreds of chukars between September and October 2002 and during the same months in 2003. The submitted pheasants were part of a group of 15 juvenile Impeyan pheasants that all died within approximately 2 wk at the end of August 2002. The macroscopic lesions in the pheasants were dominated by mucosal hemorrhage at the proventricular to ventricular junction and cecal ulcers, whereas the gross lesions in the chukar partridges were nonspecific. The predominant microscopic lesion in the chukar partridges was myocardial necrosis, whereas fibrinous and necrotizing splenitis was prominent in the pheasants. Viral antigen was usually widespread in animals of both species. Spontaneously occurring WNV infection should be considered a differential diagnosis in cases of mortality among select species of galliform birds.     

鄂尔多斯地区羊痘的流行与气象要素关系的分析

本试验结合羊痘发病特点,以相关分析和多元逐步回归分析作为研究手段,分析确定了鄂尔多斯地区羊痘的发病风险月以及与羊痘发病率相关的气象要素,并利用显著相关的气象要素对该地区发病风险月内羊痘月发病率进行了预测研究.结果表明,该地区羊痘发病风险月为3、4、5、9月份;在发病月份里,羊痘月发病率与月平均风速、气温月较差绝对值、月平均最高气温月较差绝对值、极端最低气温月较差绝对值呈极显著的正相关;与月平均气压呈极显著的负相关;与月平均最低气温月较差绝对值和蒸发量月较差绝对值呈显著的正相关.在此基础上建立了拟合效果较好的发病风险月羊痘月发病率预报模型,为羊痘疫病的预防工作提供指导.     

The helminth and coccidial fauna of pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) in view of the specific environmental conditions in pheasantries and in the wild

Between October 1999 and January 2000 all together 151 male pheasants were examined for endoparasites. 33 one-year-old birds came from two pheasantries, the remaining 118 birds, aged between one and five years, were wildlife animals. The infestation extensy of all pheasants with endoparasites were 96.7%. A mostly low infestation with coccidia of the three species Eimeria (E.) phasiani, E. duodenalis and E. tetartooimia were detected in 41% of all birds. E. tetartooimia was found in Germany for the first time. In 67.5% of the pheasants the five different species of capillaria (Capillaria (C.) annulata, C. bursata, C. contorta, C. perforans, C. phasianina) and in 84.1% the nematode Heterakis gallinarum were present. Pheasants in the capture group showed higher infestation intensy and extensy. In 51.5% of the pheasants of the capture group Syngamus trachea was present. In one pheasant an acanthocephalus (Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus) was detected for the first time in Germany and in two pheasants a trematode of the genus Echinostoma was present.     

山羊痘的流行及防治措施

山羊痘是由山羊痘病毒属的痘病毒引起的羊的一种急性、热性、接触性传染病。文章从山羊痘流行病学、症状、诊断和防治措施等方面对山羊痘进行综述。     

雉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡和肉鸡的肉品质分析研究

为了研究雉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡和肉鸡之间的肉品质差异,每个品种各选取20只鸡,雌雄各半,在同等条件下进行饲养至出栏日龄。采用常规方法测定不同品种肉鸡的肉品质性状指标,以及肌肉蛋白含量和肌内脂肪含量,利用统计学方法对各品种肉鸡的相关测定指标进行比较分析。结果表明,雄性雉鸡的肌肉系水力最高,与肉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡差异显著（P<0.05）;雌性雉鸡和肉鸡的肌肉系水力显著（P<0.05）高于吉林本地三黄鸡。雄性和雌性肉鸡的滴水损失率、水浴损失率均显著（P<0.05）高于相应性别的雉鸡和吉林本地三黄鸡。同性别的3个品种鸡的肌肉pH_{24 h}值未表现出品种差异（P>0.05）。同性别的3个品种鸡的肌纤维直径指标表现出显著的品种差异（P<0.05）。雄性雉鸡的肌纤维密度最大,与肉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡差异显著（P<0.05）;3个品种雌性鸡的肌纤维密度存在显著的种间差异显著（P<0.05）。在肌肉剪切力指标上,雄性吉林本地三黄鸡剪切力最大,与雉鸡、肉鸡差异显著（P<0.05）;雌性雉鸡剪切力最小,三黄鸡剪切力最大,3个品种的雌性鸡剪切力表现出显著的品种差异（P<0.05）。雌性和雄性雉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡的肌肉蛋白含量显著（P<0.05）高于相应性别的肉鸡。相同性别的3个品种鸡,其肌内脂肪含量之间差异均显著（P<0.05）。综上所述,3个品种鸡的肉品质指标以及肌肉蛋白含量和肌内脂肪含量存在差异,雉鸡、吉林本地三黄鸡肉品质优于肉鸡,可作为本地饲养的首选品种。     

Immune function in pheasants experimentally infected with marble spleen disease virus.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of marble spleen disease virus (MSDV) infection on the immune response of pheasants. In the first, 15 ring-necked pheasants were inoculated orally with cell-culture-propagated MSDV and 15 received saline (controls). On days 7, 21, and 35 postinoculation (PI), all birds received sheep erythrocytes intravenously. Hemagglutination titers to sheep erythrocytes were determined for serum samples collected weekly for 6 weeks. The virus-inoculated group had significantly (P less than 0.05) lower hemagglutination titers than the control group. In the second experiment, 30 pheasants were allotted into two groups as above. Whole blood was collected from each bird weekly for 5 weeks. The blood was cultured in microtiter plates with or without optimum concentrations of concanavalin A. Five of 10 MSDV-inoculated pheasants had significantly depressed T lymphocyte transformation on either day 7 or day 14 PI. Overall, the depression of T lymphocyte transformation was transient and mild.     

Passive protection of sheep against capripoxvirus

The close antigenic relationship between strains of capripox was shown by passively immunising sheep with serum against capripoxviruses isolated from a sheep and from a goat. Sheep immunised with immune serum to Oman sheep pox or Yemen goat pox resisted challenge with Yemen goat pox or Nigeria sheep pox respectively. Lambs born to sheep previously infected with isolates of capripox from the Sudan, India and Nigeria were also protected against challenge with Yemen goat pox.     

蓝马鸡和藏马鸡的血清酯酶同工酶酶谱

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶垂直平板电泳法对 1 9只蓝马鸡和 1 5只藏马鸡的血清酯酶同工酶酶谱进行了研究。结果发现 :(1 ) 2种马鸡的血清酯酶存在ES1 ,ES2和ES3 3种同工酶 ;(2 )蓝马鸡的ES1同工酶存在显现酶活性的ES1A (36 8% )和不显现酶活性的ES1O (63 2 % ) 2种表型 ,而藏马鸡全部为ES1O型 ;(3)ES2同工酶只有一条浓染的酯酶区带 ;(4)ES3同工酶存在ES3ABC ,ES3AB和ES3BC 3种表型 ,蓝马鸡和藏马鸡均以ES3ABC为优势表型 (分别为 68 4%和 60 0 % )。     

贵州省山羊流产的病原学鉴定

为了解贵州省山羊流产与山羊痘的相关性,采用琼脂扩散试验和PCR法对本省10个市(县)流产羊群的血清和病料样本进行山羊痘抗原抗体及病原核酸检测,同时血清进行布氏杆菌抗体检测,流产胎儿病料进行羊流产亲衣原体病原核酸检测。结果发现山羊痘羊群流产率达37.1%(4329/11660),山羊痘血清抗体阳性率为38.2%(34/89),抗原阳性率为72.7%(32/44),流产胎儿山羊痘病毒核酸检出率为83.3%(10/12),发病羊群未检出布氏杆菌和羊流产亲衣原体感染。结果表明,山羊流产与山羊痘感染有一定关系,提示在山羊养殖中应加强饲养管理,防止山羊痘感染引起孕羊流产。     

小尾寒羊绵羊痘病例的诊断

旨在对甘肃某羊场小尾寒羊疑似绵羊痘进行确诊,并深入探讨其病理变化特点。对临诊疑似患绵羊痘的小尾寒羊进行了羊痘间接ELISA抗体检测和PCR检测确诊,并对6只病羊进行病理剖检、病理组织学和超微结构研究。结果如下：羊痘间接ELISA抗体检测显示6例病羊样品均为阳性;同时,对2例病羊样品进行PCR检测,均扩增出绵羊痘病毒（SPV）585 bp的目的基因片段,表明本次小尾寒羊所患疫病为绵羊痘。病理剖检显示,病羊皮肤无毛或少毛处充血,局部有红斑和坏死,尾部常有感染化脓形成溃疡;消化道黏膜,尤其舌和瘤胃黏膜有大小不等痘疹与坏死病灶,局部甚至形成糜烂或溃疡。肺膈叶以及肝、脾等常有痘疹和坏死病灶。病理组织学观察显示,肺痘疹病灶主要呈现渗出-增生结节和坏死-增生结节变化,病灶内血管、细支气管等周围常有大量绵羊痘细胞,胞质内有嗜酸性包涵体;病变消化道黏膜局部,上皮细胞程度不等增生、水泡变性,固有层及黏膜下层充血、水肿,有大量绵羊痘细胞,其细胞质内包涵体明显。肝、脾、肾也有程度不等坏死-增生结节变化。肺超微结构观察显示,肺泡上皮细胞肿大,细胞核浓缩、染色质聚集,线粒体程度不等肿胀、嵴断裂、空泡化,可见细胞质内包涵体。研究证明,除局部皮肤病变外,消化道黏膜和肺等实质器官的痘疹病变是患绵羊痘小尾寒羊具代表性的病理变化,尤其痘疹病灶中大量绵羊痘细胞的出现具有证病性意义。     

山羊痘血清学诊断技术研究

本实验研制了山羊痘的五种血清学检测方法并进行了比较分析，结果表明：琼脂凝胶扩散试验（AGP）适于基层兽医开展山羊痘病例的诊断，对流免疫电泳技术（CIE）能提高对抗原或抗体的分辨能力，荧光抗体技术（FAT）能对感染细胞进行山羊痘病毒定位检测，反向间接血凝试验（RPHA）主要用于临床痘疹痂皮和感染细胞中山羊痘抗原的定量测定，而正向间接血凝试验（IHA）不失为一种山羊痘抗体的最佳监测方法。     

绵羊痘病毒和山羊痘病毒通用RPA检测方法的特异性试验

应用我们建立的绵羊痘病毒和山羊痘病毒通用RPA检测方法,通过对口蹄疫病毒、传染性脓疱皮炎病毒、鸡痘病毒、绵羊痘病毒、羊痘疫苗和羊痘重组质粒样本的检测,验证绵羊痘病毒和山羊痘病毒通用RPA检测方法对绵羊痘/山羊痘病毒检测的特异性。结果显示该方法对羊痘疫苗、羊痘重组质粒、绵羊痘病毒核酸和山羊痘病毒核酸阳性样品能够在试纸条上显示出阳性条带,而对其他样品不显示阳性条带。表明该方法具有良好的特异性,在绵羊痘/山羊痘病毒检测中应用前景广阔。     

Characterization of the toxicity of the mycotoxins aflatoxin, ochratoxin, and T-2 toxin in game birds. II. Ringneck pheasant.

Ringneck pheasants were fed diets containing 1.25, 2.5, or 5 ppm aflatoxin; 1, 2, or 4 ppm ochratoxin A (OA); or 4, 8, or 16 ppm T-2 toxin. Severe toxin-induced mortality was seen during the first to third weeks with 2.50 and 5.00 ppm aflatoxin (92.5% and 97.5%, respectively), compared with the mortality in control pheasants fed no toxin (0%). Slight mortality (less than or equal to 5%) was seen with OA and T-2 toxin. Body weights were significantly decreased by the lowest level (1.25 ppm) of aflatoxin by 2 weeks of age, by the two highest levels of aflatoxin by 1 week of age, and by 16 ppm T-2 toxin by 1 week of age. The feed-conversion ratio was increased by 2.50 and 5.00 ppm aflatoxin compared with the feed-conversion ratio in controls, although high mortality may have influenced the results. Aflatoxin had no effect on liver weight, but OA increased kidney weight in 3-week-old pheasants. Mouth lesions were seen in some of the pheasants fed T-2 toxin.     

Notes on some coccidia of peafowl,pheasants and chickens

The coccidium Isospora mayuri was isolated from sick peafowl on a farm in Essex (Great Britain). This is the first British record. The oocyst morphology and an unsuccesful attempt to infect chickens are described. The degree of pathogenicity is uncertain. Oocyst production might be controlled by sulphaquinoxaline and diaveridine in the drinking water but further studies are necessary.The coccidia Eimeria phasiani, E. duodenalis and E. colchici were isolated from pheasants on an Essex estate over two years. Coccidiosis due to E. colchici in intensively raised pheasants was controlled by sulphaquinoxaline and diaveridine in the drinking water.Two attempts were made to infect pheasants with the chicken coccidium E. tenella using birds raised coccidia-free in cages. The pheasants showed no signs of infection, which contradicts the conclusions of previous authors based only on field studies.     

Genetic IS901 RFLP diversity among Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium isolates from four pheasant flocks

IS901 RFLP analysis of 36 Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (MAA) isolates from 15 pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) and two goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) from four pheasant farms was performed. Using this method, six different IS901 RFLP types (E, F, G, M, Q, and V) were identified. The distribution of IS901 RFLP profiles was tightly linked to individual flocks. Matching IS901 RFLP profiles observed in the present study indicate MAA transmission between pheasants and goshawks in the same locality. In two flocks, different pheasants within a flock as well as in various organs of five individual pheasants were found to have two distinct IS901 RFLP profiles.     

七彩山鸡营养标准的试验研究

制订七彩山鸡不同饲养阶段的营养标准 ,并进行了饲喂效果试验 ,结果表明 ,15周龄的七彩山鸡平均体重可达 1 6 31kg ;料重比为 3 199∶1,此营养标准基本能满足山鸡生长发育的需要