Poultry

Question 1

poultry class

Answer 1

aves
includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, ratites, game birds like squab (pigeon) and pheasant

Question 2

chicken species

Answer 2

gallus domesticus
main ancestor of domesticated chicken is red jungle fowl in East Asia/India but was originally for rooster fighting

Question 3

gallus domesticus cock fighting and obesity gene

Answer 3

selective breeding —> larger and hardier males for fighting and breeding but through genetics we found the gene related to obesity which are now our “broilers” (breeds that are plump and meaty) and created a mutation disabling a thyroid regulating gene which enables chickens to breed/lay eggs all year long: called layers since these breeds are raised to produce lots of eggs
in wild animals this gene coordinates reproduction with day length

Question 4

chick

Answer 4

newborn

Question 5

pullet

Answer 5

young, immature female chicken <5-6 months

Question 6

hen

Answer 6

mature female chicken

Question 7

cockerel

Answer 7

immature male

Question 8

rooster

Answer 8

mature male chicken

Question 9

capon

Answer 9

castrated male chicken

Question 10

Rhode island reds

Answer 10

breed used for eggs and meat

Question 11

Plymouth rocks

Answer 11

breed used for dual purpose

Question 12

Polish

Answer 12

breeds that is a good white egg layer
has become better known as an ornamental breed often referred to as “king of all poultry”

Question 13

Brahma

Answer 13

breed that has great size, strength, and hardiness
distinguished by feather feet and produce brown eggs

Question 14

foie gras

Answer 14

fatty liver
food product traditionally produced using geese but now more commonly is produced using ducks

Question 15

tomium

Answer 15

geese have
hard, spiky cartilage
looks and functions the same way as a row of teeth but it’s a growth made from the beak itself
doesn’t have enamel

Question 16

Muscovy duck

Answer 16

descended from wild mallard duck and most commonly used for foie gras

Question 17

steatosis

Answer 17

fatty infiltration
can be produced to a much greater degree in some domestic duck breeds (those with the capacity to secrete hepatic lipids) by feeding maximal amounts of a high carbohydrate diet

Question 18

how is steatosis produced

Answer 18

drakes or males are raised in barns until plumage develops and are provided a period of free access to food such as outdoor grazing and then held in pens and force fed for a final fattening period of 173-304 days

Question 19

why is force feeding necessary in producing steatosis?

Answer 19

force feeding is necessary to produce the size and fat content that makes a liver “foie gras”

Question 20

cons of force feeding

Answer 20

degree of discomfort experienced during and after while esophagus is distended remains unclear, but capture/restraint is stressful and rapid insertions of feeding tube provide injury opportunities, there is an indication of inflammation of esophagus in later stages of force feeding

Question 21

caruncles

Answer 21

fleshy attachments on the head that take various forms
comb on the head is a type of caruncle as is the wattle or dewlap

Question 22

what do turkeys have that females usually don’t?

Answer 22

a snood
if females have one, it will be larger on the males
snood engorges with blood to attract a female

Question 23

ideal henhouse

Answer 23

easily cleaned, provides shelter from elements, protects its occupants from predators and rodents, shavings cleaned at least once a week, nesting boxes kept in dark warm areas for layers

Question 24

chickens are __________ during the day and ___________ at night

Answer 24

ground-dwelling, perch

Question 25

sunlight required for chickens

Answer 25

they require full-spectrum natural sunlight for vitamin D/overall health, should have outdoor run by need ready access to cool, shady areas to avoid overheating during the day chickens should be confined to a fenced yard or run

Question 26

chicken nutrition

Answer 26

crumble or pelleted diet formulated to meet nutritional needs and are typically fed ad libitum chicks should eat chick starter/grower diet until 20 weeks old which is higher in protein and fat than feeds made for adults amprolium = coccidiostat often included in chick starter

Question 27

what nutritional requirements do layers have?

Answer 27

they have high requirements for calcium, protein, and vitamins should be fed a laying diet if laying pitted or thin-shelled eggs even on a laying diet, you can supplement their feed with crushed oyster shell

Question 28

chicken scratch

Answer 28

mixture of grains and corn to feed to chickens doesn't contain protein, calcium, and vitamins which are needed by chickens to stay healthy should use as treat only

Question 29

treats for chickens

Answer 29

corn, bananas, tomatoes, leafy greens

Question 30

what type of egg is laid by a hen without mating?

Answer 30

infertile eggs

Question 31

when do hens start laying eggs?

Answer 31

healthy young hen starts at ~21 weeks old and lay at ~24 hour intervals

Question 32

what process is done to incubated eggs to check if they're fertile?

Answer 32

candling: done in a dark room with egg held before a light, light penetrates egg and makes it possible to observe inside also done to determine condition of air cell, yolk, and egg white white eggs tested for fertility on 3rd day of incubation and brown eggs tested on 5-6th day embryo looks like a small reddish area with blood vessels extending away from it- seen in fertile eggs

Question 33

what does it look like when you are candling and see a dead embryo?

Answer 33

the blood draws away from the embryo and forms a blood ring remove clear eggs or eggs with blood rings from incubator

Question 34

restraint

Answer 34

holding for exam: reach over back and hold wings down, pick bird up and insert your fingers between the legs holding them firmly while supporting breastbone with other hand restraining upside down may increase stress and cause regurgitation and possible subsequent aspiration pneumonia

Question 35

rooster spurs

Answer 35

can cause serious damage when they fight or mount can buy saddles to put on hens to protect them but can also trim spurs with saw or dremel (dremel preferred) no more than 1/3 of the spur should be removed so bird doesn't bleed out and then file down sharp edges

Question 36

is permanent spur removal possible?

Answer 36

yes but not recommended since it can be very painful and bloody

Question 37

PE: general appearance

Answer 37

healthy bird is bright, alert, responsive to environment and interacting with flock

Question 38

PE: comb and wattles

Answer 38

bright and red pale color= possible anemia/blood loss comb should be nice and turgid (not flaccid) shrunken dry comb= dehydration also look for fowl pox lesions on comb (black crusting scabs) comb and wattle prone to frostbite

Question 39

PE: eyes

Answer 39

clear and no d/c crusting of skin/feathers surrounding eye in conjunction with "bubbles" in the corners of the eye indicate URI

Question 40

choanal cleft

Answer 40

directly connects nasal passages to the oral cavity ideal spot for sampling of respiratory bacteria and viruses small papillae lining choanal cleft should come to sharp points; blunted= vitamin A deficiency

Question 41

PE: oral cavity

Answer 41

perform thorough oral exam to rule out mouth ulcers and fungal infections

Question 42

PE: muscle tone

Answer 42

palpation of breast muscles on either side of keel determines muscle tone palpate with hand in a "v" shape to feel both sides at the same time muscles should be full and firm different breeds have different breast muscling

Question 43

normal vitals

Answer 43

HR: upper 200s (count 6 secs and add zero) T: 105-109 F

Question 44

how much of their body weight can be taken in blood?

Answer 44

1% of the body weight usually use brachial (wing) vein

Question 45

PE: crop

Answer 45

crop palpated for crop stasis

Question 46

PE: cloaca

Answer 46

cloacal mucosa should be shiny and pink; can use to evaluate CRT feathers surrounding vent should be free of fecal material and pasting (indicator of diarrhea)

Question 47

PE: parasite check

Answer 47

metatarsal foot pad should be relatively flat and free of scabs/swelling/discoloration from mites and lice black scab atop an area of swelling= sign of pododermatitis

Question 48

FLAWSS system

Answer 48

way of checking for non-infectious reasons of disease F= feed quality L= lighting A= air quality and ventilation W= water quality S= space (feeders and drinkers) S= sanitation

Question 49

internal parasites

Answer 49

look for stunted growth, enteritis, anemia, decreased egg production prevention: rotate birds in yards/pens, deworm regularly, provide medicated feed with broad-spectrum dewormer, treat with appropriate dewormer

Question 50

which types of parasites is Piperazine dewormer effective against?

Answer 50

effective against roundworms and cecal worms

Question 51

which types of parasites is Fenbendazole dewormer effective against?

Answer 51

roundworms, cecal worms, and hair worms

Question 52

coccidia

Answer 52

9 species in chickens, 7 species in turkeys almost always present but disease occurs only after ingestion of large amounts of sporulated oocysts by susceptible birds clinically infected and recovered birds shed oocysts in droppings which can contaminate feed, dust, water, litter, soil causes high mortality, bloody feces, pale combs and shanks, ruffled feathers, lack of appetite tx: Amprolium- coccidiostat continuous use of anticoccidial drugs promotes emergence of drug-resistant strains so vaccine program is becoming better preventative method

Question 53

poultry lice

Answer 53

spends entire life feeding and climbing around skin and feathers chewing mouthparts used to feed on skin, scales, scabs, and feathers

Question 54

northern fowl mite (NFM) and chicken mite (CM)

Answer 54

aka red mite or roost mite blood feeders large numbers irritates and stresses birds making them more susceptible to anemia, disease, and decreased egg production fowl mite causes blackened feathers and scabs around vent

Question 55

scaly leg mite

Answer 55

knemidocoptes invade scales on legs and feet resulting in hyperkeratosis and irritation burrow into skin and spend life cycle (10-14 days) digging tunnels, eating skin, laying eggs, and leaving droppings tx: over the counter tropical oil (vaseline, mineral oil, coconut oil) along with Ivermectin Sevin: insecticide powder that's often used for general mite/lice infestations; can use on floor, walls, and animals

Question 56

mycoplasma

Answer 56

bacterial respiratory condition antibiotic therapy usually not successful and often leads to culling of flock impacts turkeys more than chickens

Question 57

fowl cholera

Answer 57

bacterial respiratory condition caused by Pasteurella multocida transmitted through secretions from mouth, nose, and eyes that contaminate feed/water causes respiratory signs including swollen sinuses responds to antibiotics

Question 58

coryza

Answer 58

bacterial respiratory condition caused by an Avibacterium previously known as Haemophilus uncomplicated infections rarely cause mortality but there can be co-infections that cause mortality once recovered birds become carriers and can periodically shed and be a source of infection for naive chickens

Question 59

fowl pox

Answer 59

viral respiratory condition main vector: mosquitoes can be airborne dry form: raised, wart-like lesions that dry and fall off between 2-4 weeks, if scab removed before healing is complete the area will be raw and bloody, scabs are highly contagious wet form: canker-like lesions in mouth, pharynx, larynx, and trachea; causes coughing and gasping, severe lesions can plug trachea and cause suffocation prevention: reduce mosquitoes, vaccinate during mosquito season and separate out sick animals

Question 60

Asper

Answer 60

fungal condition caused by mold (Aspergillus sp.)= ubiquitos organism that affects birds and humans directly related to stress causing immunocompromise tx: antifungals

Question 61

Asper CS

Answer 61

respiratory signs, silent gasping/gurgling sounds, changes of voice in parrots, CBC shows leukocytosis, endoscopic exam shows plaques plaques can be localized to upper and lower respiratory problems or more broadly distributed systematically

Question 62

infectious bronchitis virus (IBV)

Answer 62

viral coronavirus highly contagious characteristic sign during outbreak: small, soft-shelled, irregular-shaped eggs produced usually all susceptible birds on premises being infected no tx prevention: vaccine for a few strains, live virus vaccine usually added to drinking water but can be administered by eye/nose drops or spray

Question 63

IBV CS

Answer 63

non-specific so need lab tests to confirm, dependent on strain commonly include coughing, sneezing, gasping in young birds, feed intake decrease and growth retarded

Question 64

newcastle disease

Answer 64

contagious viral disease considered 1 of the most important poultry diseases can vary between mild to severe based on strain with less pathogenic strain used for vaccines ---> highly pathogenic strain: VND/END, highly fatal zoonotic USDA resportable

Question 65

newcastle disease CS

Answer 65

depends on system affected but can include death, sneezing, gasping for air, nasal d/c and swelling, coughing, greenish watery diarrhea characteristics of nervous system association: tremors, drooping wings, twisting of head and neck (torticollis), circling, complete stiffness

Question 66

newcastle disease and vitamin A

Answer 66

can provide vitamin A supplements or vitamin A rich foods to lessen the negative impact of the disease

Question 67

Marek's disease

Answer 67

viral neurological disease aka floppy broiler syndrome type of avian cancer caused by a herpes virus transmitted by infected dander tumors in nerves cause lameness and paralysis; tumors can occur in eyes and cause irregular shaped pupils and blindness; tumors in organs cause incoordination, paleness, weak labored breathing; cutaneous skin tumors cause enlarged feather follicles no tx but vaccines available

Question 68

Marek's disease CS

Answer 68

inability to raise wings, partial paralysis, blindness, ataxia, emaciation

Question 69

avian influenza

Answer 69

viral condition aka bird flu chickens pick up the virus from other birds and it can mutate and become pathogenic since chickens are not the normal host prevention: vaccine program in combo with strict quarantine for lethal forms: strict quarantine and rapid culling is effective highly pathogenic forms USDA reportable

Question 70

HPAI

Answer 70

high pathogenic avian influenza highly pathogenic form causes facial swelling, blue combs and wattles (cyanotic), dehydration, respiratory distress, blood-tinged nasal d/c sudden exertion adds to total mortality

Question 71

LPAI

Answer 71

low pathogenicity avian influenza causes respiratory signs, listlessness, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, ruffled feathers, decreased egg production; can also be subclinical