Day 089 - 15 Feb 95 - Page 52


     
     1        but, nevertheless, we do in most flocks see some ascites.
     2
     3   Q.   Is this a problem that is confined to broiler chickens, do
     4        you know?
     5        A.  This occurs only in broiler chickens.
     6
     7   Q.   What other diseases have you found to be an underlying
     8        cause of death in transit?
     9        A.  The most common condition in broiler chickens is a
    10        condition of septicemia caused by an organism called
    11        E.coli.
    12
    13   Q.   Pause there.  Do you know which variety or sub-specific
    14        E.coli that is?
    15        A.  The types of E.coli which occur in chickens are mostly
    16        type 78 and type 80.
    17
    18   Q.   Not 0157: H7?
    19        A.  We do not see that in chickens.
    20
    21   Q.   Very well.  Continue, please.
    22        A.  The E.coli organism can cause septicemia which may
    23        cause death of the bird, but it also may cause poor
    24        health.  If the bird is suffering this condition it may die
    25        during transport.  So, that is another common cause.
    26
    27   Q.   What measures may be taken to treat or prevent the onset of
    28        that particular condition?
    29        A.  It is a multifactorial condition.  It can relate to,
    30        usually relates to the occurrence of a virus infection
    31        which predisposes the birds to the bacterial E.coli
    32        disease, and we use live respiratory vaccines to reduce the
    33        incidence of this condition.  You also have to look at the
    34        whole environment, reduction of dust and ammonia and so on
    35        in the poultry house to minimise the occurrence of the
    36        condition.
    37
    38   Q.   Are there any other pathological conditions or preexisting
    39        pathological conditions which may induce death in transit?
    40        A.  I think there are no real -- the birds, obviously, can
    41        die purely from a heart attack with no other apparent
    42        predisposing condition.  Obviously, you would see more of
    43        these in hot weather.
    44
    45   Q.   Is it true of birds (as it is of humans) that some are more
    46        prone to having coronary heart disease than others?
    47        A.  Yes, I think it probably is, although we probably do
    48        not know nearly as much about it in birds as we do in
    49        humans.
    50 
    51   Q.   What proportion of birds, in your view, roughly speaking 
    52        again -- I mean, you can say very few, quite a lot, an 
    53        awful lot, or whatever suits your answer -- dead on arrival
    54        would appear to you to have died as a consequence of
    55        inappropriate handling?
    56        A.  There are a proportion (and I am not sure that we
    57        really know exactly what the proportion is), but there a
    58        small proportion which will have injuries related
    59        specifically to handling.  We have already described what
    60        these could be -----

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