Western
Meeting of Poultry
Clinicians and Pathologists
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Clinicians and Pathologists
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Spiking Mortality in Broiler Chickens in Saskatchewan C. Riddell Western College of Veterinary Medicine University of Saskatchewan
Sudden increases in mortality for a few days between 13 and 22 days of age have been encountered in broiler chickens in Saskatchewan. Mortality has reached circa 0.5% a day. The problem has tended to reoccur on specific farms. Birds before death appear blind, are ataxic and may be in lateral or sternal recumbency. Some have a marked body tremor. The only gross lesions found in these birds have been fluid intestinal contents suggesting enteritis, thickened growth plates suggesting rickets and sporadic liver hemorrhage. No microscopic lesions have been found in other visceral organs or the brains of affected birds. Pleomorphic fringed particles, which may be viruses, have been observed in intestinal contents examined under the electron microscope. Hypoglycemia (<2-3 mmol/L) has been found in a limited number of live birds with clinical signs. This syndrome is very similar to spiking mortality described in the eastern states. The problem in the states has recently been attributed to an arena-like virus. |
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