Characterization and discrimination of Taihe black-boned silky fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) muscles using LC/MS-based lipidomics.

PubMed

Mi, Si; Shang, Ke; Jia, Wei; Zhang, Chun-Hui; Li, Xia; Fan, Yu-Qing; Wang, Hang

2018-07-01

Taihe black-boned silky fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) has a history of over 2200 years of being consumed as a curative food in China. In this work, an LC/MS-based lipidomics approach was employed to investigate the characteristic lipid composition of Taihe black-boned silky fowls from different ages and genders as well as from different carcass parts. Data were processed using an orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and one-way analysis of variance. A total of 1127 lipids were detected in Taihe black-boned silky fowl muscles. Among them, 88, 11 and 1 lipid species were found to have both a variable influence on a projection value >1 and a p-value smaller than 0.05 between different age, gender and part groups. These results illustrate that the influence of the 3 investigated factors on the lipid profiles of Taihe black-boned silky fowl decreased in the order of age > gender > part. Lipid profile differences will facilitate a better understanding of the curative properties of Taihe black-boned silky fowl. Taihe and crossbred black-boned silky fowls were compared in terms of their lipid compositions based on the same strategy. The results showed that the two groups were able to discriminate from each other effectively. 47 lipid compounds were determined to be potential markers for the authentication of Taihe black-boned silky fowl. This work demonstrates the successful application of lipidomics for lipid profiling in food raw materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rheological properties, oxidative stability, and tocopherol content during storage of fried dough made with Silky fowl egg: comparison with hen egg.

PubMed

Toyosaki, T

2010-05-01

Eggs from Silky fowl and White Leghorn hens were used to prepare fried dough. The rheological properties, lipid oxidative stability, and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal and tocopherol content of fried dough made with Silky fowl egg were compared with dough made with hen egg. The fried dough was stored in a glass bottle at 50 degrees C in the dark for 12 d. The fried dough made with Silky fowl egg showed little change in hardness and adhesion for 12 d at 50 degrees C. However, in the fried dough made with hen egg, hardness increased drastically and adhesion decreased. The fried dough made with Silky fowl egg showed restricted generation of hydroperoxides during 12 d in storage at 50 degrees C. In contrast, the fried dough made with hen egg showed an increased amount of hydroperoxides during the 12-d storage. The lowest concentration of trans, trans-2,4-decadienal was observed in fried dough made with Silky fowl egg, whereas the concentration of trans, trans-2,4-decadienal in fried dough made with hen egg was significantly increased. Total tocopherols in fried dough made with Silky fowl egg were degraded 23.3 mg/100 g of fried dough by the end of the experimental period at 50 degrees C. In contrast, total tocopherols in the fried dough made with hen egg were degraded 40 mg/100 g of fried dough. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids decreased and the hydroperoxide content increased with storage time. The unsaturated fatty acid:saturated fatty acid ratio and hydroperoxide and tocopherol contents were lower in fried dough made with Silky fowl egg than in that made with hen egg, indicating decreased lipid oxidation. The present experiment suggests that the use of Silky fowl egg could improve the rheological properties, oxidative stability, and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal and tocopherol contents of fried dough.

Cryopreservation of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen.

PubMed

Rakha, B A; Ansari, M S; Akhter, S; Hussain, I; Blesbois, E

2016-11-01

The population of red jungle fowl is declining and needs special attention for its conservation with suitable approaches. For ex situ in vitro conservation of Indian red jungle fowl, establishment of semen cryobank is an appropriate option, for which an extender with adequate retrieval capacity for functional spermatozoa is required. Therefore, studies were designed to evaluate a wide range of extenders for cryopreservation of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) sperm to achieve maximal post-thawed semen quality and fertility. For this purpose, semen from eight mature cocks were collected, initially evaluated (percent sperm motility, volume and concentration), pooled, assessed for motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosome integrity, and divided into six aliquots for dilution (1:5; 37°C) in Beltsville poultry, red fowl extender, Lake, EK, Tselutin poultry and chicken semen extenders. Diluted semen was cooled from 37°C to 4°C @ -0.275°C/min. Glycerol (20%) was added to chilled semen, equilibrated for 10min, filled in 0.5mL French straws, kept over LN 2 vapours for 10min and plunged into LN 2 and stored at -196°C. Percentages of motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosome integrity were higher (P<0.05) in red fowl extender at 0, 2 and 4h of incubation post-thaw. After cryopreservation and post-thawing at 37°C the highest (P<0.05) recovery rates and absolute livability index was also recorded in red fowl extender that was thus used for further artificial insemination of cooled-diluted (Liquid) and cryopreserved sperm. The no. of fertilized eggs (Liquid, 20.6±0.4; Cryopreserved, 12.6±0.5), percent fertility (86.7±2.2; 57.2±3.9), no. of hatched chicks (18.2±0.8; 10.0±0.3), percent hatch (76.5±2.7; 45.3±2.2) and hatchability of fertilized eggs (88.3±3.4; 79.6±3.4) were higher with sperm respectively freshly cooled-diluted or cryopreserved in red fowl extender. However, the rates obtained with frozen-thawed sperm were already successful for cryo-banking purpose and artificial insemination practice. In conclusion, we show the first fertility success obtained with cryopreserved Indian jungle fowl sperm. In addition, the red fowl extender is superior in maintaining the quality of Indian red jungle fowl cryopreserved sperm compared to Beltsville poultry, Lake, EK, Tselutin poultry and chicken semen extender. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feeding of Dehulled-micronized Faba Bean (Vicia faba var. minor) as Substitute for Soybean Meal in Guinea Fowl Broilers: Effect on Productive Performance and Meat Quality

PubMed Central

Tufarelli, Vincenzo; Laudadio, Vito

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to assess the effect of dietary substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with dehulled-micronized faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor) in guinea fowl broilers on their growth traits, carcass quality, and meat fatty acids composition. In this trial, 120 day-old guinea fowl keets were randomly assigned to two treatments which were fed from hatch to 12 weeks of age. Birds were fed two wheat middlings-based diets comprising of a control treatment which contained SBM (78.3 g/kg) and a test diet containing dehulled-micronized faba bean (130 g/kg) as the main protein source. Substituting SBM with faba bean had no adverse effect on growth traits, dressing percentage, or breast and thigh muscles relative weight of the guinea fowls. Conversely, a decrease (p<0.05) of abdominal fat was found in guinea fowls fed the faba bean-diet. Breast muscle of birds fed faba bean had higher L* score (p<0.05) and water-holding capacity (p<0.05) than the SBM control diet. Meat from guinea fowls fed faba bean had less total lipids (p<0.05) and cholesterol (p<0.01), and higher concentrations of phospholipids (p<0.01). Feeding faba bean increased polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in breast meat and decreased the saturated fatty acid levels. Moreover, dietary faba bean improved the atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes in guinea fowl breast meat. Results indicated that substitution of SBM with faba bean meal in guinea fowl diet can improve carcass qualitative traits, enhancing also meat lipid profile without negatively affecting growth performance. PMID:26323403

Feeding of Dehulled-micronized Faba Bean (Vicia faba var. minor) as Substitute for Soybean Meal in Guinea Fowl Broilers: Effect on Productive Performance and Meat Quality.

PubMed

Tufarelli, Vincenzo; Laudadio, Vito

2015-10-01

The present study aimed to assess the effect of dietary substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with dehulled-micronized faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor) in guinea fowl broilers on their growth traits, carcass quality, and meat fatty acids composition. In this trial, 120 day-old guinea fowl keets were randomly assigned to two treatments which were fed from hatch to 12 weeks of age. Birds were fed two wheat middlings-based diets comprising of a control treatment which contained SBM (78.3 g/kg) and a test diet containing dehulled-micronized faba bean (130 g/kg) as the main protein source. Substituting SBM with faba bean had no adverse effect on growth traits, dressing percentage, or breast and thigh muscles relative weight of the guinea fowls. Conversely, a decrease (p<0.05) of abdominal fat was found in guinea fowls fed the faba bean-diet. Breast muscle of birds fed faba bean had higher L* score (p<0.05) and water-holding capacity (p<0.05) than the SBM control diet. Meat from guinea fowls fed faba bean had less total lipids (p<0.05) and cholesterol (p<0.01), and higher concentrations of phospholipids (p<0.01). Feeding faba bean increased polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in breast meat and decreased the saturated fatty acid levels. Moreover, dietary faba bean improved the atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes in guinea fowl breast meat. Results indicated that substitution of SBM with faba bean meal in guinea fowl diet can improve carcass qualitative traits, enhancing also meat lipid profile without negatively affecting growth performance.

Ca(2+)-dependent nonspecific permeability of the inner membrane of liver mitochondria in the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

PubMed

Vedernikov, Aleksander A; Dubinin, Mikhail V; Zabiakin, Vladimir A; Samartsev, Victor N

2015-06-01

This comparative study presents the results of the induction of Ca(2+)-dependent nonspecific permeability of the inner membrane (pore opening) of rat and guinea fowl liver mitochondria by mechanisms that are both sensitive and insensitive to cyclosporin A (CsA). It was established that energized rat and guinea fowl liver mitochondria incubated with 1 mM of inorganic phosphate (Pi) are capable of swelling upon addition of at least 125 and 875 nmol of CaCl2 per 1 mg protein, respectively. Under these conditions, the Ca(2+) release from the mitochondria of these animals and a drop in Δψ are observed. All of these processes are inhibited by 1 μM of CsA. FCCP, causing organelle de-energization, induces pore opening in rat and guinea fowl liver mitochondria upon addition of 45 и 625 nmol of CaCl2 per 1 mg protein, respectively. These results suggest the existence of a CsA-sensitive mechanism for the induction of Ca(2+)-dependent pores in guinea fowl liver mitochondria, which has been reported in rat liver mitochondria. However, guinea fowl liver mitochondria have a significantly greater resistance to Ca(2+) as a pore inducer compared to rat liver mitochondria. It was found that the addition of α,ω-hexadecanedioic acid (HDA) to rat and guinea fowl liver mitochondria incubated with CsA and loaded with Ca(2+) causes organelle swelling and Ca(2+) release from the matrix. It is assumed that in contrast to the CsA-sensitive pore, the CsA-insensitive pore induced by HDA in the inner membrane of guinea fowl liver mitochondria, as well as in rat liver mitochondria, is lipid in nature.

Dietary micronized-dehulled white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) in meat-type guinea fowls and its influence on growth performance, carcass traits and meat lipid profile.

PubMed

Tufarelli, V; Demauro, R; Laudadio, V

2015-10-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with micronized-dehulled white lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Multitalia) in guinea fowl broilers on their growth performance, carcass traits, and meat fatty acids composition. A total of 120 one-day-old guinea fowl females were randomly assigned to 2 treatments which were fed from hatch to 12 wk of age. Birds were fed 2 wheat middlings-based diets comprising of a control treatment which contained SBM (195 g/kg) and a test diet containing micronized-dehulled lupin (240 g/kg) as the main protein source. Replacing SBM with treated lupin had no adverse effect on growth traits, dressing percentage, or breast and thigh muscles relative to the weight of guinea fowls. A decrease (P < 0.05) of abdominal fat was found in guinea fowls fed lupin-diet. Breast muscle from birds fed lupin had higher lightness (L*) (P < 0.01) and redness (a*) (P < 0.05) scores and water-holding capacity (P < 0.05) than the SBM-control diet. Meat from guinea fowls fed lupin had less total lipids (P < 0.05) and cholesterol (P < 0.01), and higher concentrations of phospholipids (P < 0.01). Feeding treated lupin increased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels in breast meat and decreased saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentrations. Our findings suggest that replacing SBM as protein source with micronized-dehulled lupin in meat-type guinea fowl diet can improve carcass qualitative characteristics, enhancing also meat lipid profile with no effect on growth traits. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

A comparative analysis of microbial profile of Guinea fowl and chicken using metagenomic approach

PubMed Central

Bhogoju, Sarayu; Wang, Xiaofei; Darris, Carl; Kilonzo-Nthenge, Agnes

2018-01-01

Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements that promote growth and health to the host by minimizing non-essential and pathogenic microorganisms in the host’s gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The campaign to minimize excessive use of antibiotics in poultry production has necessitated development of probiotics with broad application in multiple poultry species. Design of such probiotics requires understanding of the diversity or similarity in microbial profiles among avian species of economic importance. Therefore, the objective of this research was to establish and compare the microbial profiles of the GIT of Guinea fowl and chicken and to establish the microbial diversity or similarity between the two avian species. A metagenomic approach consisting of the amplification and sequence analysis of the hypervariable regions V1-V9 of the 16S rRNA gene was used to identify the GIT microbes. Collectively, we detected more than 150 microbial families. The total number of microbial species detected in the chicken GIT was higher than that found in the Guinea Fowl GIT. Our studies also revealed phylogenetic diversity among the microbial species found in chicken and guinea fowl. The phylum Firmicutes was most abundant in both avian species whereas Phylum Actinobacteria was most abundant in chickens than Guinea fowls. The diversity of the microbial profiles found in broiler chickens and Guinea fowls suggest that the design of effective avian probiotics would require species specificity. PMID:29494648

Involvement of circadian clock in crowing of red jungle fowls (Gallus gallus).

PubMed

Ito, Shuichi; Hori, Shuho; Hirose, Makiko; Iwahara, Mari; Yatsushiro, Azusa; Matsumoto, Atsushi; Tanaka, Masayuki; Okamoto, Chinobu; Yayou, Ken-Ichi; Shimmura, Tsuyoshi

2017-04-01

The rhythmic locomotor behavior of flies and mice provides a phenotype for the identification of clock genes, and the underlying molecular mechanism is well studied. However, interestingly, when examining locomotor rhythm in the wild, several key laboratory-based assumptions on circadian behavior are not supported in natural conditions. The rooster crowing 'cock-a-doodle-doo' is a symbol of the break of dawn in many countries. Previously, we used domestic inbred roosters and showed that the timing of roosters' crowing is regulated by the circadian clock under laboratory conditions. However, it is still unknown whether the regulation of crowing by circadian clock is observed under natural conditions. Therefore, here we used red jungle fowls and first confirmed that similar crowing rhythms with domesticated chickens are observed in red jungle fowls under the laboratory conditions. Red jungle fowls show predawn crowing before light onset under 12:12 light : dim light conditions and the free-running rhythm of crowing under total dim light conditions. We next examined the crowing rhythms under semi-wild conditions. Although the crowing of red jungle fowls changed seasonally under semi-wild conditions, predawn crowing was observed before sunrise in all seasons. This evidence suggests that seasonally changed crowing of red jungle fowls is under the control of a circadian clock. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Tick fauna of Malaysian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) in Bangi, Malaysia.

PubMed

Konto, M; Fufa, G I; Zakaria, A; Tukur, S M; Watanabe, M; Ola-Fadunsin, S D; Khan, M S; Shettima, Y M; Babjee, S M A

2015-10-01

The red jungle fowl is generally considered as one of the endangered Asian wild Galleopheasants due to man-made encroachment of their habitats, coupled with the effect of disease and disease causing organisms like ticks and tick-borne infections. This study aimed to determine the tick fauna of the red jungle fowl and their predilection sites based on developmental stages. A total of 33 jungle fowls were sampled for this study from Bangi area of Selangor State, Peninsular Malaysian. The birds were captured using a locally made trap made-up of loops and bites. Ticks present on their bodies were detached using fine forceps and identified morphologically under a dissecting microscope. 91% of the jungle fowls were infested with ticks, all of which belongs to the species Haemaphysalis wellingtoni. The ear region appeared to be the most common predilection site (63%) for all the developmental stages in which the larval stages are solely restricted to that region. Nymphal and adult stages were distributed on the comb, wattle, and facial region in addition to the ear region. This study was the first in its kind and showed a high prevalence of tick infestation among jungle fowls. H. wellingtoni was known to be a vector in transmission of many tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, there is the need for further investigation to identify the various pathogens associated with this tick.

Tick fauna of Malaysian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) in Bangi, Malaysia

PubMed Central

Konto, M.; Fufa, G. I.; Zakaria, A.; Tukur, S. M.; Watanabe, M.; Ola-Fadunsin, S. D.; Khan, M. S.; Shettima, Y. M.; Babjee, S. M. A.

2015-01-01

Aim: The red jungle fowl is generally considered as one of the endangered Asian wild Galleopheasants due to man-made encroachment of their habitats, coupled with the effect of disease and disease causing organisms like ticks and tick-borne infections. This study aimed to determine the tick fauna of the red jungle fowl and their predilection sites based on developmental stages. Materials and Methods: A total of 33 jungle fowls were sampled for this study from Bangi area of Selangor State, Peninsular Malaysian. The birds were captured using a locally made trap made-up of loops and bites. Ticks present on their bodies were detached using fine forceps and identified morphologically under a dissecting microscope. Results: 91% of the jungle fowls were infested with ticks, all of which belongs to the species Haemaphysalis wellingtoni. The ear region appeared to be the most common predilection site (63%) for all the developmental stages in which the larval stages are solely restricted to that region. Nymphal and adult stages were distributed on the comb, wattle, and facial region in addition to the ear region. Conclusion: This study was the first in its kind and showed a high prevalence of tick infestation among jungle fowls. H. wellingtoni was known to be a vector in transmission of many tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, there is the need for further investigation to identify the various pathogens associated with this tick. PMID:27047012

9 CFR 98.30 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... part at a port of entry. Poultry. Chickens, doves, ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pea fowl, pheasants, pigeons, quail, swans, and turkeys (including eggs for hatching). Region. Any defined...

TRANSMISSION EXPERIMENTS WITH LEUCOSIS OF FOWLS

PubMed Central

Stubbs, E. L.; Furth, J.

1931-01-01

It is shown, in a carefully controlled experiment, that fowl leucemia can be readily transmitted from chicken to chicken by injection. Of 25 fowls, 13 were injected intravenously with blood from a chicken (No. 575) with erythroleucosis and 12 with blood from a chicken (No. 689) with myeloid leucosis. The injected birds and an equal number of uninjected controls were kept in tiers of alternating cages under as nearly identical conditions as possible. The donors, the controls, and the injected birds were all of the same stock and of the same age. In the two series 13 or 52 per cent of the 25 fowls inoculated developed leucemia within 4 to 10 weeks after injection. The two types of leucemia, erythroleucosis and myeloid leucosis, developed in both groups irrespective of the type used for injection. Among the uninjected controls no cases of erythroleucosis or of myeloid leucosis were observed. Lymphoid leucosis occurred in one injected fowl but since it also occurred in one control it may be assumed that it was probably not caused by the injected material. PMID:19869839

Effect of production system (barn and free range) and slaughter age on some production traits of guinea fowl.

PubMed

Yamak, U S; Sarica, M; Boz, M A; Ucar, A

2018-01-01

A total of 200 guinea fowl was reared in either barn or free-range systems and slaughtered at 14, 16, or 18 wk of age in order to determine the effects of production system on live weight, feed consumption, and some carcass and slaughter traits. Production system had a significant effect on live weight until 14 wk of age. Live weights were similar between free-range and indoor production systems at 16 (1,150 g vs. 1,152 g) and 18 (1,196 g vs. 1,203 g) wk of age. Guinea fowl reared in a free-range system consumed more feed (7,693 g vs. 6,983 g), and guinea fowl reared in a barn had better feed conversion ratio (5.80 vs. 6.43) (P < 0.05). Production system, gender, and slaughter age did not affect the dressing percentage. Guinea fowl reared in a free-range system had significantly less abdominal fat (P < 0.05). © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Causal cognition in a non-human primate: field playback experiments with Diana monkeys.

PubMed

Zuberbühler, K

2000-09-14

Crested guinea fowls (Guttera pucherani) living in West African rainforests give alarm calls to leopards (Panthera pardus) and sometimes humans (Homo sapiens), two main predators of sympatric Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana). When hearing these guinea fowl alarm calls, Diana monkeys respond as if a leopard were present, suggesting that by default the monkeys associate guinea fowl alarm calls with the presence of a leopard. To assess the monkeys' level of causal understanding, I primed monkeys to the presence of either a leopard or a human, before exposing them to playbacks of guinea fowl alarm calls. There were significant differences in the way leopard-primed groups and human-primed groups responded to guinea fowl alarm calls, suggesting that the monkeys' response was not directly driven by the alarm calls themselves but by the calls' underlying cause, i.e. the predator most likely to have caused the calls. Results are discussed with respect to three possible cognitive mechanisms - associative learning, specialized learning programs, and causal reasoning - that could have led to causal knowledge in Diana monkeys.

Effects of long term feeding of raw soya bean flour on virus-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis in guinea fowl.

PubMed

Kirev, T; Woutersen, R A; Kiril, A

1999-01-29

The effects of a diet enriched with 25% raw soya bean flour (RSF) on the pancreas and on the avian retrovirus Pts 56-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis in guinea fowl were studied. It has been shown that prolonged RSF feeding of new-hatched virus-infected and uninfected guinea fowl-poults induced enlargement of the pancreas, which was less pronounced when administration of the RSF supplemented diet started at the age of 75 days. Time-dependent multifocal inter- and intralobular hyperplasia of pleomorphic ducts lined by mucin-producing epithelium in the exocrine pancreas of virus-infected guinea fowls fed a RSF supplemented diet was regularly observed. Enlargement of virus-induced ductular neoplasms has been shown only after simultaneous RSF and virus administration.

9 CFR 104.2 - Permit authorized.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, fowl pest (fowl plague), swine vesicular disease, Newcastle disease, and African swine fever, if in the opinion of the Administrator, such products may endanger the...

9 CFR 104.2 - Permit authorized.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, fowl pest (fowl plague), swine vesicular disease, Newcastle disease, and African swine fever, if in the opinion of the Administrator, such products may endanger the...

Detection of fowl poxvirus integrated with reticuloendotheliosis virus sequences from an outbreak in backyard chickens in India.

PubMed

Biswas, Sanchay K; Jana, Chandrakanta; Chand, Karam; Rehman, Waseem; Mondal, Bimalendu

2011-01-01

Fowl poxvirus (FPV) infection was observed in unvaccinated backyard chickens. A total of 15 birds were affected in a flock of 37. Pock lesions were observed on the comb, eyelids, beak and wattles. The birds appeared sick with roughened feathers and stunted growth. No mortality was recorded. DNA was isolated from scabs and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify the 4b core protein gene of FPV, the envelope (env) gene of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) and the region of FPV flanking REV 5´ long terminal repeat (LTR). Correct-size PCR products of 578 bp, 807 bp and 370 bp, respectively, were observed in agarose gel electrophoresis. Sequence analysis of these products suggests that the virus was an FPV with a genome containing an integrated near full-length REV provirus. Given the fact that REV has been associated with immunosuppression, its presence in the genome of FPV appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of fowl pox and presumably prolongs persistence of FPV in bird populations. In the present case, fowl pox has been observed to have persisted for about three years in fowl that were reared in backyard systems in villages.

A seminoma in a monorchid guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

PubMed

Kurkure, N V; Pande, V V; Thomas, F; Bhandarkar, A G

2006-02-01

A case of seminoma in a monorchid adult guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) is described. Grossly, a right enlarged testis, which was soft in consistency, and white to pale in colour with few spots of haemorrhages was observed. Histologically, the testicle revealed diffusely spread sheets of tumour cells. The cells were large pleomorphic with eccentrically placed hyperchromic nuclei. Mitotic figures were evident. A scanty fibrous stroma, containing lymphocytes and histiocytes, separating the groups of tumour cells, along with few areas of haemorrhages were observed. Occurrence of seminoma in guinea fowl is unusual and hence reported.

Market potential for guinea fowl (Numidia meleagris) products.

PubMed

Madzimure, James; Saina, Happyson; Ngorora, Grace P K

2011-12-01

The survey evaluated the market potential for guinea fowl (GF; Numidia meleagris) products in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe. Questionnaires were administered to traders/producers (n = 17), retailers (n = 12), cafeteria industry (n = 33) and consumers (n = 1,680) to establish their perceptions on guinea fowl products. The average household size was 6 ± 2. Each trader sold 10 ± 6.30 keets (mean ± standard error), 33 ± 15.05 growers, 20 ± 12.69 breeders and 20 ± 10.1 crates of 30 eggs per month. Each household consumed 2.5 ± 1.39 kg of GF meat and 3 ± 0.65 dozens of GF eggs per month. Retailers purchased 52 ± 44.42 crates of GF eggs and 41 ± 30.50/kg of GF meat whilst cafeteria purchased 33.6 ± 14 crates of GF eggs and 65.5 ± 33.52 kg of GF meat per month. Growers for breeding were the major product for sale by traders (94.1%) at a price of US$7.50 ± 1.74/bird. Different industries were offering different prices for guinea fowl products because of their scarcity on the market. The mean purchase price per crate of 30 guinea fowl eggs sold to the retail and cafeteria were US$3.00 ± 0.58 and US$4.50 ± 0.50, respectively. The mean purchase prices for GF meat was lower (P < 0.05) for retailers (US$2.5 ± 0.81/kg) than cafeteria (US$3.67 ± 0.83/kg). The challenges faced by producers in the marketing of guinea fowl products included poor supply due to the absence of good road networks to connect source areas and the market, perishability of dressed chickens due to power cuts and poor publicity. Overall, the study showed that there is greater market potential for guinea fowl products and farmers can channel their products through traders, cafeteria and retail industries.

A NEW STRAIN OF TRANSMISSIBLE LEUCEMIA IN FOWLS (STRAIN H).

PubMed

Ellermann, V

1921-03-31

1. A new strain of fowl leucosis has been transmitted through twelve generations of fowls. 2. An increase in virulence was observed during its passage. This was shown in a shortening of the interval between inoculation and death. The increase in virulence does not affect the number of successful inoculations, which remains approximately constant in from 20 to 40 per cent of the birds employed. 3. As with former strains, the disease manifests itself in various forms; i.e., myeloid and intravascular lymphoid types. A single lymphatic case was observed. 4. In several intravascular cases a diminution in the hemolytic power of the serum was established. This phenomenon was absent in a number of myeloid cases. 5. Active immunization cannot be produced by means of the subcutaneous injection of virulent material. 6. The finding of previous experiments that the virus is filterable has been confirmed. 7. The inoculation of human leucemic material into fowls gave negative results.

Atypical distribution of fowl pox lesions in broilers.

PubMed

Sentíes-Cué, C G; Charlton, B R; Woolcock, P; Bickford, A A; Cooper, G; Bland, M

2010-12-01

An unusual cutaneous fowl pox outbreak occurred in 8-wk-old broilers in California. Rounded and longitudinal, proliferative scratch-associated lesions were found only in feathered areas of the body. Both sides of the hip, the lower abdomen, pericloacal area, and lateral lower neck area were involved. The head, legs, feet, and toes did not have lesions. Birds in only one section of one of five houses were affected. Fifteen percent condemnations occurred in birds from the affected house due to the skin lesions. A diagnosis of fowl pox was achieved by histopathology, viral isolation, and direct electron microscopy. The unusual distribution of pox lesions was assumed to be associated with skin scratches. There was no evidence that mosquitoes or other types of insects were involved in this outbreak. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report of this kind of unusual fowl pox in the United States.

A comparative study on the cryogenic preservation of semen from the sandhill crane and the domestic fowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sexton, T.J.; Gee, G.F.; Watson, P.F.

1978-01-01

SYNOPSIS: Recent findings on the cryogenic preservation of semen from the crane, Grus canadensis pratensis and the domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus, are compared. Highest levels of post-thaw motility for crane semen (55%) were obtained when semen was diluted 1:1 with the Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) and held for 30 min at 5 C before it was equilibrated with 4% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 15 min. In contrast, post-thaw motility for fowl spermatozoa was highest (80%) when semen was diluted 1:3 with BPSE and held for 60 min at 5 C before it was equilibrated with 4% DMSO for 60 min. Post-thaw motility of spermatozoa of both species was highest when the following freezing rates were used: l C per min from +5 to -20 C, 50 C per min from -20 to -80 C, then plunging into liquid nitrogen which resulted in a rate of 160 C per min from -80 to -196 C. One of four crane eggs resulting from insemination with frozen-thawed semen was fertile, whereas 27 of 55 fowl eggs were fertile, but this difference may have been due largely to fewer spermatozoa being inseminated into the female crane than into the fowl.

Livestock production in central Mali: ownership, management and productivity of poultry in the traditional sector.

PubMed

Kuit, H G; Traore, A; Wilson, R T

1986-11-01

A survey of small-scale poultry production in an urban and two agropastoral systems covered 381 households. Less detailed information was also obtained from a small sample in a transhumant pastoral system. More households owned poultry in the rice (89.5%) than in the millet (81.1%) or urban (57.1%) systems. Domestic fowl were commonest in all systems followed by pigeons, Guinea fowl and then ducks, although the last were absent from the millet zone. Most families kept only one species but there was more diversification in the rice system. Flock sizes were largest in the rice system for fowls, Guinea fowl and pigeons while duck flocks averaged more birds in the urban area. Females predominated in all species except pigeons where sex ratios were about equal. Management practices in relation to housing, feeding, health care and consumption and marketing are described. Productivity figures relating to egg production, egg size, hatchability, growth and mortality are provided.

Endogenous Retrovirus EAV-HP Linked to Blue Egg Phenotype in Mapuche Fowl

PubMed Central

Alcalde, José A.; Wang, Chen; Han, Jian-Lin; Gongora, Jaime; Gourichon, David; Tixier-Boichard, Michèle; Hanotte, Olivier

2013-01-01

Oocyan or blue/green eggshell colour is an autosomal dominant trait found in native chickens (Mapuche fowl) of Chile and in some of their descendants in European and North American modern breeds. We report here the identification of an endogenous avian retroviral (EAV-HP) insertion in oocyan Mapuche fowl and European breeds. Sequencing data reveals 100% retroviral identity between the Mapuche and European insertions. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of European oocyan chicken indicates over-expression of the SLCO1B3 gene (P<0.05) in the shell gland and oviduct. Predicted transcription factor binding sites in the long terminal repeats (LTR) indicate AhR/Ar, a modulator of oestrogen, as a possible promoter/enhancer leading to reproductive tissue-specific over-expression of the SLCO1B3 gene. Analysis of all jungle fowl species Gallus sp. supports the retroviral insertion to be a post-domestication event, while identical LTR sequences within domestic chickens are in agreement with a recent de novo mutation. PMID:23990950

Endogenous retrovirus EAV-HP linked to blue egg phenotype in Mapuche fowl.

PubMed

Wragg, David; Mwacharo, Joram M; Alcalde, José A; Wang, Chen; Han, Jian-Lin; Gongora, Jaime; Gourichon, David; Tixier-Boichard, Michèle; Hanotte, Olivier

2013-01-01

Oocyan or blue/green eggshell colour is an autosomal dominant trait found in native chickens (Mapuche fowl) of Chile and in some of their descendants in European and North American modern breeds. We report here the identification of an endogenous avian retroviral (EAV-HP) insertion in oocyan Mapuche fowl and European breeds. Sequencing data reveals 100% retroviral identity between the Mapuche and European insertions. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of European oocyan chicken indicates over-expression of the SLCO1B3 gene (P<0.05) in the shell gland and oviduct. Predicted transcription factor binding sites in the long terminal repeats (LTR) indicate AhR/Ar, a modulator of oestrogen, as a possible promoter/enhancer leading to reproductive tissue-specific over-expression of the SLCO1B3 gene. Analysis of all jungle fowl species Gallus sp. supports the retroviral insertion to be a post-domestication event, while identical LTR sequences within domestic chickens are in agreement with a recent de novo mutation.

An outbreak of fowl cholera in waterfowl on the Chesapeake Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Locke, L.N.; Stotts, V.; Wolfhard, G.

1970-01-01

An outbreak of fowl cholera (Pasteurella multocida infection) occurred in waterfowl wintering on the Chesapeake Bay during February to March 1970. Losses were primarily confined to sea ducks: oldsquaws (Clangula hyemalis), white-winged scoters (Melanitta deglandi), goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula), and buffleheads (Bucephala albeola).

Social predisposition dependent neuronal activity in the intermediate medial mesopallium of domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Mayer, Uwe; Rosa-Salva, Orsola; Lorenzi, Elena; Vallortigara, Giorgio

2016-09-01

Species from phylogenetically distant animal groups, such as birds and primates including humans, share early experience-independent social predispositions that cause offspring, soon after birth, to attend to and learn about conspecifics. One example of this phenomenon is provided by the behaviour of newly-hatched visually-naïve domestic chicks that preferentially approach a stimulus resembling a conspecific (a stuffed fowl) rather than a less naturalistic object (a scrambled version of the stuffed fowl). However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this behaviour are mostly unknown. Here we analysed chicks' brain activity with immunohistochemical detection of the transcription factor c-Fos. In a spontaneous choice test we confirmed a significant preference for approaching the stuffed fowl over a texture fowl (a fowl that was cut in small pieces attached to the sides of a box in scrambled order). Comparison of brain activation of a subgroup of chicks that approached either one or the other stimulus revealed differential activation in an area relevant for imprinting (IMM, intermediate medial mesopallium), suggesting that a different level of plasticity is associated with approach to naturalistic and artificial stimuli. c-Fos immunoreactive neurons were present also in the intermediate layers of the optic tectum (a plausible candidate for processing early social predispositions) showing a trend similar to the results for the IMM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of reticuloendotheliosis virus as a contaminant of fowl pox vaccines.

PubMed

Awad, A M; Abd El-Hamid, H S; Abou Rawash, A A; Ibrahim, H H

2010-11-01

This study was designed to detect reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) as a contaminant in fowl pox vaccines. A total of 30 fowl pox vaccine samples were examined for the presence of REV using both in vitro and in vivo methods. In in vitro testing, the fowl pox vaccine samples were inoculated into chicken embryo fibroblast cultures prepared from specific-pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs, and the cultures were examined using PCR to detect REV. In in vivo testing, each fowl pox vaccine sample was inoculated into 5-d-old specific-pathogen-free chicks, which were kept under observation for up to 12 wk postinoculation; serum samples were collected at 15, 30, and 45 d postinoculation for the detection of REV-specific antibodies using ELISA. Tissue samples were collected at 8 and 12 wk postinoculation for histopathological examination. Of the tested vaccines, only one imported vaccine sample tested positive for REV using PCR. Serum samples collected from chicks infected with the PCR-positive vaccine batch also tested positive for REV-specific antibodies using ELISA. Histopathological examination of the liver, spleen, and bursa of Fabricius demonstrated the presence of tumor cells in these organs, confirming the results obtained using PCR and ELISA, and indicating that the sample was contaminated with REV. These data clearly indicate that the screening of all commercial poultry vaccines for viruses is an important factor in assuring the biosafety of animal vaccines.

Who's Afraid of the Bad Little Fowl?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keenan, Celia

2004-01-01

The question this article addresses is: Is "Artemis" art? That is, how successful is Eoin Colfer's attempt to combine disparate forms, such as fairy stories, science fiction stories and thrillers in the three "Artemis Fowl" novels? Basic elements of story, such as narrative stance, characterisation and plot, as well as some particularly…

Sometimes Fish, Sometimes Fowl? Liminality, Identity Work and Identity Malleability in Graduate Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winstone, Naomi; Moore, Darren

2017-01-01

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) have been described as being "neither fish nor fowl," occupying a role between student and teacher. Their multiple identities are commonly framed within the literature as a key challenge. This study explored the perspectives of GTAs when discussing their teaching work, through activity-oriented focus…

Fowl adenovirus serotype 9 vectored vaccine for protection of avian influenza virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A fowl adenovirus serotype 9, a non-pathogenic large double stranded DNA virus, was developed as a viral vector to express influenza genes as a potential vaccine. Two separate constructs were developed that expressed either the hemagglutinin gene of A/Chicken/Jalisco/2012 (H7) or A/ Chicken/Iowa/20...

Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium found in raptors exposed to infected domestic fowl.

PubMed

Kriz, Petr; Kaevska, Marija; Bartejsova, Iva; Pavlik, Ivo

2013-09-01

We report a case of a falcon breeding facility, where raptors (both diurnal and nocturnal) were raised in contact with domestic fowl (Gallus gallus f. domesticus) infected by Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium. Fecal and environmental samples from 20 raptors and four common ravens (Corvus corax) were collected. Mycobacterium a. avium DNA was detected in feces of four raptors (bald eagle [Haliaeetus leucocephalus], eagle owl [Bubo bubo], barn owl [Tyto alba], and little owl [Athene noctua]) using triplex quantitative real-time PCR. As both the flock of domestic fowl and one of the infected raptors had the same origin (zoological collection), they might have had a common source of colonization/infection. However, the detection of M. a. avium in feces of three other raptors may point at transmission of the agent between the birds in the facility. Contact of raptors with domestic fowl infected by M. a. avium may pose a risk for transmission of the infection for them; however, raptors from the falcon breeding facility seemed to be relatively resistant to the infection.

Single locus typing of MHC class I and class II B loci in a population of red jungle fowl.

PubMed

Worley, K; Gillingham, M; Jensen, P; Kennedy, L J; Pizzari, T; Kaufman, J; Richardson, D S

2008-05-01

In species with duplicated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, estimates of genetic variation often rely on multilocus measures of diversity. It is possible that such measures might not always detect more detailed patterns of selection at individual loci. Here, we describe a method that allows us to investigate classical MHC diversity in red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), the wild ancestor of the domestic chicken, using a single locus approach. This is possible due to the well-characterised gene organisation of the 'minimal essential' MHC (BF/BL region) of the domestic chicken, which comprises two differentially expressed duplicated class I (BF) and two class II B (BLB) genes. Using a combination of reference strand-mediated conformation analysis, cloning and sequencing, we identify nine BF and ten BLB alleles in a captive population of jungle fowl. We show that six BF and five BLB alleles are from the more highly expressed locus of each gene, BF2 and BLB2, respectively. An excess of non-synonymous substitutions across the jungle fowl BF/BL region suggests that diversifying selection has acted on this population. Importantly, single locus screening reveals that the strength of selection is greatest on the highly expressed BF2 locus. This is the first time that a population of red jungle fowl has been typed at the MHC region, laying the basis for further research into the underlying processes acting to maintain MHC diversity in this and other species.

Performance and carcass characteristics of guinea fowl fed on dietary Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder as a growth promoter.

PubMed

Singh, M K; Singh, S K; Sharma, R K; Singh, B; Kumar, Sh; Joshi, S K; Kumar, S; Sathapathy, S

2015-01-01

The present work aimed at studying growth pattern and carcass traits in pearl grey guinea fowl fed on dietary Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder (NLP) over a period of 12 weeks. Day old guinea fowl keets (n=120) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, each with 3 replicates. The first treatment was designated as control (T0) in which no supplement was added to the feed, while in treatments T1, T2 and T3, NLP was provided as 1, 2 and 3 g per kg of feed, respectively. The results revealed a significant increase in body weight at 12 weeks; 1229.7 for T1, 1249.8 for T2, and 1266.2 g T3 compared to 1220.0 g for the control group (P<0.05). The results also showed that the supplementation of NLP significantly increased feed intake (P≤0.05) which might be due to the hypoglycaemic activity of Neem. A significant increase was also found in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the treated groups over the control, showing that feeding NLP to the treated groups has lowered their residual feed efficiency. The results of the study demonstrate the beneficial effects of supplementing NLP on body weight gain and dressed yield in the treated groups in guinea fowl. NLP is, therefore, suggested to be used as a feed supplement in guinea fowl for higher profitability.

Swing-leg trajectory of running guinea fowl suggests task-level priority of force regulation rather than disturbance rejection.

PubMed

Blum, Yvonne; Vejdani, Hamid R; Birn-Jeffery, Aleksandra V; Hubicki, Christian M; Hurst, Jonathan W; Daley, Monica A

2014-01-01

To achieve robust and stable legged locomotion in uneven terrain, animals must effectively coordinate limb swing and stance phases, which involve distinct yet coupled dynamics. Recent theoretical studies have highlighted the critical influence of swing-leg trajectory on stability, disturbance rejection, leg loading and economy of walking and running. Yet, simulations suggest that not all these factors can be simultaneously optimized. A potential trade-off arises between the optimal swing-leg trajectory for disturbance rejection (to maintain steady gait) versus regulation of leg loading (for injury avoidance and economy). Here we investigate how running guinea fowl manage this potential trade-off by comparing experimental data to predictions of hypothesis-based simulations of running over a terrain drop perturbation. We use a simple model to predict swing-leg trajectory and running dynamics. In simulations, we generate optimized swing-leg trajectories based upon specific hypotheses for task-level control priorities. We optimized swing trajectories to achieve i) constant peak force, ii) constant axial impulse, or iii) perfect disturbance rejection (steady gait) in the stance following a terrain drop. We compare simulation predictions to experimental data on guinea fowl running over a visible step down. Swing and stance dynamics of running guinea fowl closely match simulations optimized to regulate leg loading (priorities i and ii), and do not match the simulations optimized for disturbance rejection (priority iii). The simulations reinforce previous findings that swing-leg trajectory targeting disturbance rejection demands large increases in stance leg force following a terrain drop. Guinea fowl negotiate a downward step using unsteady dynamics with forward acceleration, and recover to steady gait in subsequent steps. Our results suggest that guinea fowl use swing-leg trajectory consistent with priority for load regulation, and not for steadiness of gait. Swing-leg trajectory optimized for load regulation may facilitate economy and injury avoidance in uneven terrain.

Swing-Leg Trajectory of Running Guinea Fowl Suggests Task-Level Priority of Force Regulation Rather than Disturbance Rejection

PubMed Central

Blum, Yvonne; Vejdani, Hamid R.; Birn-Jeffery, Aleksandra V.; Hubicki, Christian M.; Hurst, Jonathan W.; Daley, Monica A.

2014-01-01

To achieve robust and stable legged locomotion in uneven terrain, animals must effectively coordinate limb swing and stance phases, which involve distinct yet coupled dynamics. Recent theoretical studies have highlighted the critical influence of swing-leg trajectory on stability, disturbance rejection, leg loading and economy of walking and running. Yet, simulations suggest that not all these factors can be simultaneously optimized. A potential trade-off arises between the optimal swing-leg trajectory for disturbance rejection (to maintain steady gait) versus regulation of leg loading (for injury avoidance and economy). Here we investigate how running guinea fowl manage this potential trade-off by comparing experimental data to predictions of hypothesis-based simulations of running over a terrain drop perturbation. We use a simple model to predict swing-leg trajectory and running dynamics. In simulations, we generate optimized swing-leg trajectories based upon specific hypotheses for task-level control priorities. We optimized swing trajectories to achieve i) constant peak force, ii) constant axial impulse, or iii) perfect disturbance rejection (steady gait) in the stance following a terrain drop. We compare simulation predictions to experimental data on guinea fowl running over a visible step down. Swing and stance dynamics of running guinea fowl closely match simulations optimized to regulate leg loading (priorities i and ii), and do not match the simulations optimized for disturbance rejection (priority iii). The simulations reinforce previous findings that swing-leg trajectory targeting disturbance rejection demands large increases in stance leg force following a terrain drop. Guinea fowl negotiate a downward step using unsteady dynamics with forward acceleration, and recover to steady gait in subsequent steps. Our results suggest that guinea fowl use swing-leg trajectory consistent with priority for load regulation, and not for steadiness of gait. Swing-leg trajectory optimized for load regulation may facilitate economy and injury avoidance in uneven terrain. PMID:24979750

Extending the Work of Cowen and Fowles: A Historical Analysis of Kentucky Teacher Contracts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingle, W. Kyle; Wisman, R. Aaron

2018-01-01

We extend the work of Cowen and Fowles by examining contracts in Kentucky school districts with collective bargaining. Using document analysis, we sought to answer the following research question: Do key provisions of teacher contracts change over time? We also examine the most recently negotiated contract in Louisville schools (2013-2018). We…

Cross protection against fowl cholera disease with the use of recombinant Pasteurella multocida FHAB2 peptides vaccine

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It has been demonstrated that fhaB2 (filamentous hemagglutinin) is an important virulence factor for P. multocida in development of fowl cholera disease and that recombinant FHAB2 peptides derived from P. multocida, Pm-1059, protect turkeys against Pm-1059 challenge. To test the hypothesis that rFHA...

Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum metabolites, gut morphology, and microflora of growing guinea fowl.

PubMed

Oso, Abimbola Oladele; Awe, Abdul Wahab; Awosoga, Fiyinfunjesu Gedion; Bello, Foyeke A; Akinfenwa, Taiwo A; Ogunremi, Emmanuel Babatunde

2013-11-01

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of dried ginger meal (DGM) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum parameters, gut morphology, and microflora of growing helmeted guinea fowl (Numidia meleagris). One hundred sixty 28-day-old male keets were assigned to four dietary treatments. There were 40 birds per treatment replicated four times with 10 keets each. The experimental diets consisted of the basal diet (control), ginger-supplemented diets containing 20, 40, and 60 g/kg DGM, respectively. Guinea fowls fed diet supplemented with DGM had higher (P <0.05) final body weight, body weight gain and lower (P <0.05) feed intake. Optimum weight gain was obtained with supplementation level of 36.15-g DGM (R (2) = 0.923). Guinea fowls fed diet supplemented with 40 g/kg DGM recorded the highest (P <0.05) coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility of dry matter, ether extract and longest (P <0.05) duodenal and ileal villus heights. The crypt depth of the duodenum and ileum reduced (P <0.05) with increasing level of dietary supplementation of DGM. Dietary supplementation of DGM resulted in increased (P <0.05) total serum protein, serum albumin and low (P <0.05) serum cholesterol concentration. Ileum content of birds fed diet supplemented with 40 g/kg DGM recorded the highest (P <0.05) lactobacillus count. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 40-g DGM per kilogram diet is hereby recommended for improved growth, apparent nutrient digestibility, gut morphology, serum chemistry, and stimulation of balanced intestinal microflora in growing guinea fowl.

Cryopreservation of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen with polyvinylpyrrolidone.

PubMed

Rakha, Bushra Allah; Ansari, Muhammad Sajjad; Akhter, Shamim; Zafar, Zartasha; Hussain, Iftikhar; Santiago-Moreno, Julian; Blesbois, Elisabeth

2017-10-01

The Indian red jungle fowl is a sub-species of the genus Gallus native to South Asia; facing high risk of extinction in its native habitat. During cryopreservation, permeable cryoprotectants like glycerol are usually employed and we previously showed encouraging results with 20% glycerol. Because bird spermatozoa contain very little intracellular water, the possibility of replacing an internal cryoprotectant by an external one is opened. In the present study, we tested the replacement of internal cryoprotectant glycerol by the external cryoprotectant Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). PVP is a non-permeable cryoprotectant and keeps the sperm in glassy state both in cooling and warming stages without making ice crystallization within the sperm cell. We evaluated the effect of various levels of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on Indian red jungle fowl semen quality and fertility outcomes. The qualifying semen ejaculates collected from eight mature cocks were pooled, divided into five aliquots, diluted (37 °C) with red fowl semen extender having PVP [0% (control) 4% (w/v), 6% (w/v), 8% (w/v) and 10% (w/v)]. Diluted semen was cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen. The whole experiment was repeated/replicated for five times independently. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosome integrity were recorded highest (P < 0.05) with 6% PVP at post-dilution, cooling, equilibration and freeze-thawing. Higher (P < 0.05) no. of fertile eggs, fertility, no. of hatched chicks, percent hatch and hatchability was recorded with 6% PVP compared to control. It is concluded that 6% PVP maintained better post-taw quality and fertility of Indian red jungle fowl spermatozoa than glycerol and can be used in routine practice avoiding the contraceptive effects of glycerol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth performance and carcass characteristics of guinea fowl broilers fed micronized-dehulled pea (Pisum sativum L.) as a substitute for soybean meal.

PubMed

Laudadio, V; Nahashon, S N; Tufarelli, V

2012-11-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with dehulled-micronized peas (Pisum sativum) in diets of guinea fowl broilers on their growth performance, carcass yields, and fatty acid composition of meat. One hundred forty 1-d-old guinea fowl keets were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments, which were fed from hatch to 12 wk. The birds were fed 2 wheat middling-based diets comprising a control diet, which contained SBM (78 g/kg) and a test diet containing dehulled-micronized peas (180 g/kg) as the main protein source. The substitution of SBM with peas had no adverse effect on growth performance, dressing percentage, or breast and thigh muscle relative weights of the guinea broilers. However, a reduction of abdominal fat content (P < 0.05) was observed in birds fed the pea diet compared with the control. Breast and thigh meat of birds fed the pea diet had higher lightness scores (P < 0.05) and water-holding capacity (P < 0.01) than the control. Meat from guinea fowls fed the pea diet had less cholesterol (P < 0.01) and lipids (P < 0.05), and higher concentrations of phospholipids (P < 0.05). Feeding peas increased polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration in breast and thigh muscles, and decreased the saturated fatty acid concentration. Feeding the pea diet also lowered the n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio of the guinea broiler muscles. Our results suggest that replacing the conventional SBM as the protein source with dehulled-micronized pea meal in diets of guinea fowls broilers can improve carcass quality and favorable lipid profile without adversely affecting growth performance traits.

Squamous cell carcinoma-like and pox lesions occurring simultaneously in chorioallantoic membranes of chicken embryos inoculated with materials from squamous cell carcinoma and pox lesions in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Fallavena, L C; Rodrigues, N C; Moraes, H L; Salle, C T; da Silva, A B; Nascimento, V P; Rodrigues, O

1997-01-01

The finding of closely associated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-like lesions and pox lesions in chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) inoculated with skin and palate samples taken from broilers is described. The samples were obtained from two broilers coming from different flocks that were not vaccinated against fowl pox. Both birds presented skin lesions, which were diagnosed in one bird as fowl pox, and in the other as SCC. After inoculation of CAMs with fresh tissues from both birds, histologic examination revealed, in all CAMs, lesions that were characteristic of fowl pox together with lesions consistent with those seen in the skin of broilers affected with SCC. This finding was unexpected and may shed some light on the etiology of SCC.

Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) as a model for studying the molecular mechanism of seasonal reproduction.

PubMed

Ono, Hiroko; Nakao, Nobuhiro; Yamamura, Takashi; Kinoshita, Keiji; Mizutani, Makoto; Namikawa, Takao; Iigo, Masayuki; Ebihara, Shizufumi; Yoshimura, Takashi

2009-06-01

Photoperiodism is an adaptation mechanism that enables animals to predict seasonal changes in the environment. Japanese quail is the best model organism for studying photoperiodism. Although the recent availability of chicken genome sequences has permitted the expansion from single gene to genome-wide transcriptional analysis in this organism, the photoperiodic response of the domestic chicken is less robust than that of the quail. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the photoperiodic response of the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), a predecessor of the domestic chicken, to test whether this animal could be developed as an ideal model for studying the molecular mechanisms of seasonal reproduction. When red jungle fowls were transferred from short-day- to long-day conditions, gonadal development and an increase in plasma LH concentration were observed. Furthermore, rapid induction of thyrotropin beta subunit, a master regulator of photoperiodism, was observed at 16 h after dawn on the first long day. In addition, the long-day condition induced the expression of type 2 deiodinase, the key output gene of photoperiodism. These results were consistent with the results obtained in quail and suggest that the red jungle fowl could be an ideal model animal for the genome-wide transcriptional analysis of photoperiodism.

Individual recognition based on communication behaviour of male fowl.

PubMed

Smith, Carolynn L; Taubert, Jessica; Weldon, Kimberly; Evans, Christopher S

2016-04-01

Correctly directing social behaviour towards a specific individual requires an ability to discriminate between conspecifics. The mechanisms of individual recognition include phenotype matching and familiarity-based recognition. Communication-based recognition is a subset of familiarity-based recognition wherein the classification is based on behavioural or distinctive signalling properties. Male fowl (Gallus gallus) produce a visual display (tidbitting) upon finding food in the presence of a female. Females typically approach displaying males. However, males may tidbit without food. We used the distinctiveness of the visual display and the unreliability of some males to test for communication-based recognition in female fowl. We manipulated the prior experience of the hens with the males to create two classes of males: S(+) wherein the tidbitting signal was paired with a food reward to the female, and S (-) wherein the tidbitting signal occurred without food reward. We then conducted a sequential discrimination test with hens using a live video feed of a familiar male. The results of the discrimination tests revealed that hens discriminated between categories of males based on their signalling behaviour. These results suggest that fowl possess a communication-based recognition system. This is the first demonstration of live-to-video transfer of recognition in any species of bird. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

People’s Republic of China Scientific Abstracts, Number 171

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-07-07

Pathology of Paryngo- Esophageal Cancers in Domestic Fowls from Honan Migrant Communities and Native Inhabitants in Chung-hsiang County, Hupeh Province...survey on the mortality rate of esophageal cancers in Chung-hsiang county, Hupeh province, it is known that the communities of migrants from Honan...squamous cell carcinoma. In 5 out of the 12 cases of diseased fowls, the owners and their neighbors had also suffered from esophageal cancer. Results

Immunological release of histamine and slow-reacting substance in domestic fowl.

PubMed Central

Chand, N; Eyre, P

1978-01-01

Immunological release of histamine from the whole blood of the sensitized chickens was demonstrated. Compound 48/80 (a potent histamine releaser) released histamine from isolated chicken lung. The sensitizing antigens (bovine albumin or horse plasma) did not release histamine from the lung. Bovine albumin and horse plasma released slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis only from the lungs of adult domestic fowl and not from ileum or lungs of immature chickens. PMID:84701

Efficacy of evaluation of rooster sperm morphology using different staining methods.

PubMed

Lukaszewicz, E; Jerysz, A; Partyka, A; Siudzińska, A

2008-12-01

This work focused on inexpensive methods of evaluation fowl sperm morphology, based on eosin-nigrosin smears, which can determine disorders in spermatogenesis and can be recommended for evaluating the fertilising potency and selecting males in flocks reproduced by artificial insemination. Four fowl breeds (Black Minorca, Italian Partridge, Forwerk and Greenleg Partridge) were used to determine the efficacy of sperm morphology evaluation using four eosin-nigrosin staining methods (according to Blom, Bakst and Cecil, Morisson, Jaśkowski) and three examiners of different experience (high, medium, novice). There were significant (P< or = 0.01) differences in sperm morphology between Blom's staining method and those of Bakst and Cecil, Morisson or Jaśkowski, irrespective of fowl breed and examiners experience. Blom stain caused sperm head swelling and showed a drastic reduction in the proportion of live spermatozoa with normal morphology. The staining method had a greater influence on sperm morphology evaluation than the experience of the examiners.

Development, direction, and damage limitation: social learning in domestic fowl.

PubMed

Nicol, Christine J

2004-02-01

This review highlights two areas of particular interest in the study of social learning in fowl. First, the role of social learning in the development of feeding and foraging behavior in young chicks and older birds is described. The role of the hen as a demonstrator and possible teacher is considered, and the subsequent social influence of brood mates and other companions on food avoidance and food preference learning is discussed. Second, the way in which work on domestic fowl has contributed to an understanding of the importance of directed social learning is examined. The well-characterized hierarchical social organization of small chicken flocks has been used to design studies which demonstrate that the probability of social transmission is strongly influenced by social relationships between birds. The practical implications of understanding the role of social learning in the spread of injurious behaviors in this economically important species are briefly considered.

Seasonal changes in the relationship between ornamentation and immune response in red jungle fowl

PubMed Central

Zuk, M.; Johnsen, T. S.

1998-01-01

Resistance to disease is frequently suggested to be important in mate choice, but information about how immune status can be conveyed is lacking. During the breeding season, male red jungle fowl with large combs, a sexually selected trait, have lower levels of lymphocytes, but greater cell-mediated immunity, indicated by a cutaneous hypersensitivity response. Before the breeding season, however, both cell-mediated immunity and proportion of lymphocytes are positively correlated with comb length. Cell-mediated immunity is particularly important to jungle fowl during the breeding season, because the likelihood of injury during sexual competition is high and cell-mediated immunity is essential for healing wounds and resisting infection. This seasonal change in one aspect of immunity but not another suggests that the birds adaptively maintain certain immune system abilities, and that it can be misleading to use a single aspect of immune response in evaluating immunocompetence.

Co-infection of fowl adenovirus with different immunosuppressive viruses in a chicken flock.

PubMed

Meng, Fanfeng; Dong, Guiwei; Zhang, Yubiao; Tian, Sibao; Cui, Zhizhong; Chang, Shuang; Zhao, Peng

2018-05-01

In poultry, fowl adenovirus (FAdV) and immunosuppressive virus co-infection is likely to cause decreased egg production, inclusion body hepatitis, and pericardial effusion syndrome. In this study, fowl adenovirus infection was found in parental and descendent generations of chickens. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dot blot hybridization to detect the infection of reticuloendotheliosis (REV), avian leukosis virus (ALV), and chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) in 480 plasma samples. The test samples were 34.58% FADV-positive, 22.29% REV-positive, 7.5% CAV-positive, and 0.63% ALV-positive. Sequence analysis showed that FADV belonged to serotype 7, which can cause inclusion body hepatitis. The ALV strain was ALV-A, in which the homology of gp85 gene and SDAU09C1 was 97.3%. The positive rate was lower because of the purification of avian leukemia, whereas the phylogenetic tree analysis of REV showed that the highest homology was with IBD-C1605, which was derived from a vaccine isolate. Through pathogen detection in poultry we present, to our knowledge, the first discovery of fowl adenovirus type 7 infection in parental chickens and found that there was co-infection of FAdV and several immunosuppressive viruses, such as the purified ALV and CIAV. This indicates that multiple infection of different viruses is ever-present, and more attention should be given in the diagnosis process.

Dimethyleacetamide improves the cryosurvivability of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) sperm.

PubMed

Rakha, B A; Ansari, M S; Akhter, S; Zafar, Z; Naseer, A; Hussain, I; Santiago-Moreno, J; Blesbois, E

2017-11-01

It was hypothesized that dimethyleacetamide (DMA) can be used as an alternate to glycerol for cryopreservation of Indian red jungle fowl semen. Four concentrations of DMA (4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) in extender were compared with previously optimized cryopreservation protocol based on 20% glycerol (control) for Indian red jungle fowl. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability, and acrosome integrity were assessed at the stage of post-dilution, cooling, equilibration, and freeze-thawing. The whole experiment was repeated/replicated for five times independently. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosome integrity were recorded highest (P < 0.05) at post-dilution, cooling, equilibration, and freeze-thawing in extender having 6% DMA compared to control and other experimental extenders. The highest (P < 0.05) recovery rates of all aforementioned parameters were also recorded in extender having 6% DMA; thus, 6% DMA was further compared with control (20% glycerol) for fertility after artificial insemination. Eggs were collected for five days after artificial insemination with semen cryopreserved in extender containing 6% DMA and control. The higher no. of fertilized eggs, fertility, no. of hatched eggs, hatch (%) and hatchability were recorded with semen cryopreserved in extender having 6% DMA compared to control. It is concluded that 6% DMA maintained higher post-thaw quality and fertility of Indian red jungle fowl semen and is a better replacement of glycerol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Newcastle disease virus surveillance in Hong Kong on local and imported poultry.

PubMed

Shortridge, K F; Alexander, D J

1978-09-01

Surveillance of apparently healthy ducks, geese and fowl originating in Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China at a poultry dressing plant in Hong Kong yielded 67 isolates of Newcastle disease virus. More than twice as many viruses were isolated from the cloaca than from the trachea. Twelve representative isolates were examined in virulence tests--all six of the fowl isolates and two of five duck isolates behaved as velogenic strains, the other four were lentogenic.

Trends in salmonella food poisoning in England and Wales 1941-72.

PubMed Central

McCoy, J. H.

1975-01-01

Cattle and pig herds and flocks of domestic fowl have formed the main reservoir of human salmonella food poisoning in England and Wales from 1941 to 1972. Changes in the incidence of human salmonella food poisoning and in the serotypes of salmonellas isolated from human infections are shown to have been associated with the introduction of new foods, with changes in animal husbandry, and with changes in the relative proportions of flesh food from different species consumed. New foods, dried powdered egg, liquid egg and frozen liquid egg were introduced during the period of food rationing which extended from 1940 to 1953. Changes in animal husbandry, in particular the intensive production of pigs, poultry and eggs, followed the re-establishment of pig herds and fowl flocks after the derationing of animal feed in 1953. The changes in the proportions of flesh foods consumed followed the introduction of frozen oven-ready fowl in the late 1950s and early 1960s which by 1964 became cheaper than traditional flesh foods. PMID:1054731

THE CHARACTERS OF A THIRD TRANSPLANTABLE CHICKEN TUMOR DUE TO A FILTERABLE CAUSE. A SARCOMA OF INTRACANALICULAR PATTERN

PubMed Central

Rous, Peyton; Lange, Linda B.

1913-01-01

A spontaneous chicken sarcoma, peculiarly fissured by blood sinuses, and with a tendency to intracanalicular extension into them, has been transplanted and studied in eight successive groups of fowls. Histologically the growth is a characteristic neoplasm, while in its transfer to new hosts a real transplantation is obviously involved. The development of the first few series of transplantation tumors was very slow. They exhibited the histological structure of the original growth and had the same tendency to metastasize to the skeletal muscles. Recently the tumor has grown more rapidly and in a higher percentage of hosts. With this has come a simplification of structure to that of a pure, spindle-celled sarcoma. Fowls of an alien variety (Plymouth Rock) form quite as good hosts for the tumor as those of the sort (brown Leghorn) in which it was originally found. It has not grown in pigeons, rats, or mice. The question of the cause of the tumor is not taken up in the present paper. It has been found to be due to an agent which will pass through Berkefeld filters. The growth is quite distinct in its characters from the other two transplantable neoplasms of the fowl (a spindle-celled sarcoma, an osteochondrosarcoma) which have such a cause. No growth like it has been observed among the forty-three spontaneous tumors of the fowl that have come under our observation. PMID:19867738

Fowl adenoviruses isolated from chickens with inclusion body hepatitis in Japan, 2009-2010.

PubMed

Mase, Masaji; Nakamura, Kikuyasu; Minami, Fujiko

2012-08-01

Nine fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) isolated from chickens with inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in Japan from 2009 to 2010 were characterized serologically and genetically. These isolates were all neutralized by antisera against the SR-48 strain (FAdV-2). Phylogenetic analysis based on the part of the hexon gene that included the L1 region revealed that all isolates were almost identical except one isolate in 2009. This suggests a common ancestor for the FAdVs obtained from chickens with IBH in Japan in 2010.

Fusions within the mandible of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus).

PubMed Central

Hogg, D A

1983-01-01

The articulations formed within the mandible of the domestic fowl by its constituent elements have been described and illustrated. The sutures identified were suturae angulosplenialis, angulosupra-angularis, articulare/pre-articulo-angularis, articulare/pre-articulosupra-angularis, dento-angularis, dentosplenialis, dentosupra-angularis and supra-angulosplenialis. Some degree of fusion was found to occur in all sutures except sutura supra-angulosplenialis. The range of fusion time and mean fusion time for each site was studied in a flock of Golden Comet pullets. Mean fusion times varied from 45-119 days post-hatching. PMID:6885616

Fusions within the mandible of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Hogg, D A

1983-05-01

The articulations formed within the mandible of the domestic fowl by its constituent elements have been described and illustrated. The sutures identified were suturae angulosplenialis, angulosupra-angularis, articulare/pre-articulo-angularis, articulare/pre-articulosupra-angularis, dento-angularis, dentosplenialis, dentosupra-angularis and supra-angulosplenialis. Some degree of fusion was found to occur in all sutures except sutura supra-angulosplenialis. The range of fusion time and mean fusion time for each site was studied in a flock of Golden Comet pullets. Mean fusion times varied from 45-119 days post-hatching.

Sticktight fleas associated with fowl pox in a backyard chicken flock in California.

PubMed

Gustafson, C R; Bickford, A A; Cooper, G L; Charlton, B R

1997-01-01

A mixed breed rooster, from a backyard flock of 13 chickens, was received at California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch for postmortem examination. The bird presented with thickened, featherless, scab-encrusted skin around the head region. Numerous sticktight fleas were found attached to the encrusted skin. Microscopic evaluation of the skin revealed a lymphoplasmacytic reaction in the dermis with visible embedded flea mouthparts. Also noted histologically in this region were epidermal hyperplasia and ballooned epidermal cells containing intracytoplasmic inclusions indicative of fowl poxvirus.

Genetic differentiation and phylogeny relationships of functional ApoVLDL-II gene in red jungle fowl and domestic chicken populations.

PubMed

Musa, Hassan H; Cheng, Jin H; Bao, Wen B; Li, Bi C; Mekki, Dafaalla M; Chen, Guo H

2007-08-01

A total of 243 individuals from Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus), Rugao, Anka, Wenchang and Silikes chicken populations were used for polymorphism analysis in functional apoVLDL-II gene by Restriction fragment length polymorphism and single strand conformation polymorphism markers. The results show that Anka population has highest gene diversity and Shannon information index, while Red jungle fowl shows highest effective number of allele. In addition, the higher coefficient of genetic differentiation (Gst) across all loci in apoVLDL-II was indicating that high variation is proportioned among populations. As expected total gene diversity (Ht) has upper estimate compared with within population genetic diversity (Hs) across all loci. The mean Gst value across all loci was (0.194) indicating about 19.4% of total genetic variation could be explained by breeds differences, while the remaining 80.6% was accounted for differences among individuals. The average apoVLDL-II gene flow across all loci in five chicken populations was 1.189. The estimates of genetic identity and distance confirm that these genes are significantly different between genetically fat and lean population, because fat type breed Anka shows highest distance with the other Silikes and Rugao whish are genetically lean. In addition, Wenchang and Red jungle fowl were found more closely and genetically related than the other breeds with 49.4% bootstrapping percentages, then they were related to Silikes by 100% bootstrapping percentages followed by Rugao and finally all of them are related with exotic fat breed Anka.

Use of Beauveria bassiana to control northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) on roosters in an agricultural research facility.

PubMed

Rassette, Matthew S W; Pierpont, Elizabeth I; Wahl, Tina; Berres, Mark

2011-11-01

Treatment of Northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) infestation on poultry in research facilities can be challenging. The mite has a rapid reproductive cycle (egg to adult in 5 to 7 d), and chemical treatments can be toxic to birds, personnel, and the environment. In addition, antimite treatment may interfere with experimental research designs. The current study evaluated the efficacy of topical application of an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, in the treatment of a naturally occurring infestation of Northern fowl mites in pen-housed roosters (n = 14; age, 18 mo). Two groups of 7 roosters each were used in 2 experiments: Beauveria (30 mL, 2.9 × 10(10) spores per bird) compared with water (30 mL, control), and Beauveria compared with the common topical organophosphate agent tetrachlorvinphos-dichlorvos (30 mL). We also assessed a higher dose of Beauveria (300 mL, 2.9 × 10(11) spores per bird) in the 7 birds that were not exposed to tetrachlorvinphos-dichlorvos. Beauveria reduced mite levels relative to the control group but did not outperform tetrachlorvinphos-dichlorvos when used at an equal volume and frequency. Increasing the volume and frequency of Beauveria application improved outcomes such that visual inspection failed to detect any mites. The results presented here suggest that, when applied in sufficient doses, Beauveria effectively reduces mites on poultry and can be an important part of an integrated pest management program. Additional research is needed to document the most effective dose, frequency, and location of B. bassiana application to control Northern fowl mites in poultry.

Hydropericardium syndrome: current state and future developments.

PubMed

Asthana, Manu; Chandra, Rajesh; Kumar, Rajesh

2013-05-01

Hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) is a highly infectious disease caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAV-4) affecting poultry, especially broiler birds. The disease was initially reported from Angara Goth, Pakistan, and then from India during 1994, in the poultry belt of Jammu and Kashmir, and thereafter, from almost all parts of the country, causing heavy economic losses to the poultry industry. The disease occurs predominantly in broilers of the age group of 3-5 weeks, characterized by sudden onset of high mortality up to 80 %. The causative agent of HPS is fowl adenovirus 4, which is a member of the species Fowl Adenovirus C, genus Aviadenovirus, family Adenoviridae [60]. FAV-4 is non-enveloped and icosahedral in shape, measuring 70-90 nm in size and containing a linear dsDNA of approximately 45 kb in size as its genome. The livers of affected birds show necrotic foci and basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the hepatocytes. The disease can be diagnosed from its gross and microscopic changes in the liver and by various serological tests, such as agar gel immunodiffusion, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, indirect haemagglutination, fluorescent antibody techniques, and ELISA. In the past few years, PCR has been used as a rapid diagnostic tool for the detection of fowl adenoviruses. The disease has been brought under control by the use of formalin-inactivated, attenuated or live vaccines in experimentally infected birds. Advancement in the field of computational immunology accelerates knowledge acquisition and simultaneously reduces the time and effort involved in screening potential epitopes, leading toward the development of epitope-based vaccines.

The first whole genome sequence and pathogenicity characterization of a fowl adenovirus 4 isolated from ducks associated with inclusion body hepatitis and hydropericardium syndrome.

PubMed

Pan, Qing; Liu, Linlin; Wang, Yongqiang; Zhang, Yanping; Qi, Xiaole; Liu, Changjun; Gao, Yulong; Wang, Xiaomei; Cui, Hongyu

2017-10-01

In June 2015, an infectious disease with high prevalence causing severe hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) first appeared in duck farms of northeast China. The disease showed high morbidity of 35% and mortality of 15% in a commercial duck farm with 200,000 45-day-old ducks. One strain of hypervirulent fowl adenovirus serotype 4 was identified and designated as HLJDAd15. The whole genome of the duck isolate was sequenced and found to contain the same large deletions as a genotype that has become prevalent in chickens in China recently, indicating that this disease might be transmitted from chickens to ducks. The pathogenicity of HLJDAd15 was evaluated in SPF chickens and ducks. The results showed that chickens were more susceptible to this new genotype of fowl adenovirus, and it was more difficult to infect ducks than chickens with the duck origin virus. Thus, it appears that this severe HPS in ducks is far more likely to have been transmitted from chickens to ducks than from ducks to ducks. Therefore, transmission from chickens to ducks constitutes a threat to the duck farming industry, and this transmission route is a very important consideration for the prevention and control of the new genotype of fowl adenovirus. This is the first whole genome sequence of a FAdV-4 isolated from ducks, and this information is important for understanding the molecular characteristics and evolution of aviadenoviruses. The potential risks of infection with this new hypervirulent FAdV-4 genotype in chickens and ducks urgently require an effective vaccine.

Temperature and humidity effects on off-host survival of the Northern fowl mite (Acari: Macronyssidae) and the chicken body louse (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae).

PubMed

Chen, Brian L; Mullens, Bradley A

2008-04-01

Off-host survival of the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Macronyssidae), and the chicken body louse, Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), was studied at 12 combinations of temperature (15, 21, 27, and 33 degrees C) and humidity (31, 65, and 85% RH). Mite protonymphs and louse third instars survived longer on average than the respective adult stages. Higher temperatures significantly reduced survival of adult and immature stages of both ectoparasites, whereas relative humidity had significant effects on O. sylviarum (especially protonymphs) but not M. stramineus. The LT50 values for adult northern fowl mites ranged from 1.9 (at 33 degrees C, 31%RH) to 8.3 d (at 15 degrees C, 85%RH), LT50 values for mite protonymphs ranged from 2.0 (at 33 degrees C, 31%RH) to 18.1 d (at 15 degrees C, 85%RH), LT50 values for adult lice ranged from 0.5 (at 33 degrees C, 31%RH) to 1.7 d (at 15 degrees C, 65%RH), and LT50 values for nymphal lice ranged from 1.2 (at 33 degrees C, 65%RH) to 3.3 d (at 21 degrees C, 31%RH). Maximum survival of the northern fowl mite was up to 35 d for adults and 29 d for protonymphs. Maximum survival for the chicken body louse was 3.3 d for adults and 5.8 d for nymphs. The data provide minimum guidelines for leaving poultry houses vacant long enough to allow ectoparasites to die before introduction of subsequent new flocks.

Nutrient digestibility of Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis) bean in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris, L): Effects of heat treatment and levels of incorporation in diets.

PubMed

Dahouda, M; Toléba, S S; Youssao, A K I; Hambuckers, A; Dangou-Sapoho, R; Martin, G B; Fillet, M; Hornick, J-L

2009-09-01

1. Mucuna pruriens var. utilis is a legume, the seeds of which are scarcely used in animal diets owing to their high content of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-Dopa). 2. Experiments were conducted on guinea fowl to assess the effects of two types of heat processing (cooking and toasting) on chemical composition and nutrient digestibility of Mucuna seeds offered alone or incorporated at three concentrations (40, 120 or 200 g/kg) in complete diets. 3. Diets containing 200 g/kg seeds had more crude fibre and less ether extract. L-Dopa content increased with the amount of Mucuna inclusion. Cooking reduced markedly L-Dopa content while toasting had no effect. When fed alone, Mucuna seeds dramatically decreased feed intake. 4. Feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) were not influenced by the complete diets. Cooking significantly increased crude fibre digestibility. 5. It is suggested that cracked and cooked Mucuna bean can be incorporated at a safe level of 120 g/kg in complete diets for guinea fowl production.

Screening of Lactobacillus isolates from gastrointestinal tract of guinea fowl for probiotic qualities using in vitro tests to select species-specific probiotic candidates.

PubMed

Vineetha, P G; Tomar, S; Saxena, V K; Susan, C; Sandeep, S; Adil, K; Mukesh, K

2016-08-01

A total of 32 Lactobacillus isolates, 8 each from the crop (LGFCP1-LGFCP8), proventriculus (LGFP9-LGFP16), ileum (LGFI17-LGFI24) and caeca (LGFCM25-LGFCM32) were isolated from 25 adult guinea fowl (Pearl variety), 22-28 weeks of age, and characterised morphologically, physiologically, biochemically and by molecular methods. Isolates were screened for their probiotic quality using range of in vitro tests: aggregation test, cell surface hydrophobicity, resistance to bile salts and acidic conditions, enzymatic tests and coaggregation and antagonistic test. Based on in vitro test results and a novel scoring method, the two best isolates were selected and partial 16S rRNA sequencing was done. BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) analysis of sequence of isolate LGFCP4 showed 99% genetic identity with Lactobacillus plantarum and LGFP16 with Lactobacillus reuteri. The study shows that these two microbial agents may be suitable as potential probiotic candidates in guinea fowl, as well as in a feed supplement for other poultry species.

Intact EAV-HP Endogenous Retrovirus in Sonnerat's Jungle Fowl

PubMed Central

Sacco, M. A.; Howes, K.; Venugopal, K.

2001-01-01

The EAV-HP group of chicken endogenous retrovirus elements was previously shown to be defective, with large deletions of the pol gene. In this report, we demonstrate that genomes of other Gallus species also maintain EAV-HP elements with similar deletions. The chicken EAV-HP1 locus was detected in both red (Gallus gallus gallus) and Sonnerat's (Gallus sonneratii) jungle fowl with identical integration sites, indicating that these elements had integrated before separation of the Gallus species. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time that the G. sonneratii genome carries EAV-HP elements with intact pol regions. PMID:11160706

Holocene cultural history of Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) and its domestic descendant in East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Joris; Lebrasseur, Ophélie; Deng, Hui; Larson, Greger

2016-06-01

Nearly three decades ago, zooarchaeologists postulated that chicken husbandry was practiced in Northern China by ∼8.0 ka calBP. Recently, ancient mitogenome analyses of galliform remains suggested that Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) was already present in the Yellow River basin several millennia earlier, shortly after the onset of the Holocene. If these conclusions are correct, the origins of chicken domestication and husbandry in the region may have been spurred by agricultural innovations in the lower Yellow River basin including millet cultivation, pig husbandry, and dog breeding. In addition, the dispersal of poultry farming from East Asia to Asia Minor and Europe could therefore date to the Neolithic along ancient trade routes across Central Asia rather than via South Asia and Mesopotamia. For this scenario to be plausible, the post-Pleistocene climatic conditions must have been favourable to allow for a northward extension of the native distribution of tropical Red jungle fowl currently not found north of ∼25°N. This study combines Holocene palaeoclimate and archaeofaunal archives with new zooarchaeological insights alongside a discussion of methodological issues and cultural aspects in order to revisit the hypothesis of an early Holocene Gallus domestication and Neolithic poultry husbandry in Northern China. Our results regarding the natural and cultural history of Red jungle fowl and domestic chickens in East Asia, and the timing of chicken dispersal across the Old World suggest that an early Holocene domestication of chickens is problematic at best. We conclude by postulating an alternative model for the early exploitation of a key domestic species in present-day East Asia.

The effect of replacing pork fat of inulin on the physicochemical and sensory quality of guinea fowl pate.

PubMed

Latoch, Agnieszka; Glibowski, Paweł; Libera, Justyna

2016-01-01

Potentially, pâtés could be a functional food and are an important source of proteins, vitamin A, B complex vitamins and iron. Unfortunately, one problem in pâtés is the high level of animal fat, about 30%. Pâté with low-fat guinea fowl meat and animal fat replaced with inulin can result in this product being classified as a pro-health food. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect on pâté with guinea fowl meat of reducing its pork back fat content (about 1/3, 2/3 and 100%) and the adding inulin as a partial fat substitute. The effects on the pâté's chemical and physicochemical composition, as well as on its textural characteristics and sensory properties were analysed. On the day after production, the following took place: chemical analysis: cooking loss, moisture, protein, total fat, total calories, the pH, lipid oxidation were analysed; physical analysis: colour parameters, texture profile analysis and sensory evaluation were analysed. The pâté prepared with inulin gels as fat replacers had a fat content reduced (up to 82%), and decreased (up to 58%) energy value. The fat reduction and addition of inulin gels decreased hardness and chewiness, but the pâté's appearance, taste and odour, as well as overall quality were similar to the control (full-fat samples). The study demonstrated that inulin can be used in guinea fowl pâtés as a total fat replacer and a potential source of prebiotic.

[The specificity of blastocysts (Rhizopoda: Lobosea)].

PubMed

Belova, L M; Krylov, M V

1994-01-01

The analysis of specificity of blastocysts was based on the data on host association and on experimental data. In experiments we failed to infect the geese (Anser anser) with Blastocystis galli taken from the fowl (Gallus gallus) and also failed to infect the fowl with B. suis taken from the pigs (Sus scrofa domestica). Experimental data and field observations of blastocysts distribution among different groups of hosts point out that the same species of blastocysts can not parasitize in hosts belonging to different classes and orders. The examination of 89 fish specimens belonging to 14 species of Osteichthyes taken from the Neman delta did not discover any blastocysts.

The articulations of the neurocranium in the postnatal skeleton of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Hogg, D A

1978-09-01

In the neurocranium of the domestic fowl the centres of ossification present at hatching and appearing susbequently have been investigated and illustrated. The controversy over centres around the orbit is reviewed and it is concluded that paired laterally placed pleurosphenoids are present by the time of hatching, while paired orbitosphenoids situated near the midline and dorsal to the optic foramen do not appear until between 70 and 91 days after hatching. No additional "presphenoid" centres were detected. The neurocranial articulations were studied: 27, many of them paired, were identified. The sequence and timing of synostosis were determined.

Geographical variation in the skeletal morphology of red jungle fowl.

PubMed

Endo, H; Tsunekawa, N; Sonoe, M; Sasaki, Tї; Ogawa, H; Amano, T; Nguyen, T S; Phimphachanhvongsod, V; Kudo, K; Yonezawa, T; Akishinonomiya, F

2017-08-01

1. The skulls and postcranial skeletons of the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) were compared osteometrically between the populations from North and South Vietnam, North and Central Laos and Southeast Bangladesh. The populations include the three subspecies of G. g. spadiceus, G. g. gallus and G. g. murghi and were sampled to reveal the geographical morphological variations among populations in G. gallus. 2. The morphometric characteristics of subspecies murghi could be clearly distinguished from those of the other subspecies using a canonical discriminant analysis. However, the size and shape of the skull of the gallus population from South Vietnam were not statistically different from that of the subspecies spadiceus from North Laos. The canonical discriminant scores also clearly indicated that there were morphological similarities in the skulls of the populations from North Laos and South Vietnam. 3. From the results, therefore, it is concluded that red jungle fowls do not exhibit high levels of osteometric variation between geographical localities at least within the Indochinese Peninsula. 4. This contrasts with previous studies which have described these subspecies as having various external morphological differences and have argued that zoogeographical barriers exist between the north and south areas of the Indochinese Peninsula.

STUDIES ON A-AVITAMINOSIS IN CHICKENS

PubMed Central

Seifried, Oskar

1930-01-01

When fowls are placed on a diet lacking in vitamin A lesions appear in the upper alimentary tract which are confined largely to the mucous glands and their ducts. Histologically it is shown that the original epithelium becomes replaced by a stratified squamous keratinizing epithelium and that secondary infections are relatively common. The ducts of the glands may be blocked leading to distention with secretions and necrotic materials. These lesions macroscopically resemble very closely certain stages of fowl-pox and the two conditions can be separated only by histological examination. It is pointed out that these lesions produced by a lack of vitamin A may enable bacteria and other viruses to enter the body. PMID:19869785

The articulations of the neurocranium in the postnatal skeleton of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus).

PubMed Central

Hogg, D A

1978-01-01

In the neurocranium of the domestic fowl the centres of ossification present at hatching and appearing susbequently have been investigated and illustrated. The controversy over centres around the orbit is reviewed and it is concluded that paired laterally placed pleurosphenoids are present by the time of hatching, while paired orbitosphenoids situated near the midline and dorsal to the optic foramen do not appear until between 70 and 91 days after hatching. No additional "presphenoid" centres were detected. The neurocranial articulations were studied: 27, many of them paired, were identified. The sequence and timing of synostosis were determined. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:568132

Are there hunger and satiety factors in the blood of domestic fowls?

PubMed

Savory, C J; Smith, C J

1987-04-01

The presence of blood-borne hunger and satiety factors in domestic fowls was investigated in two experiments. In the first, birds that had previously been fed ad libitum or fasted for 24 h ate less after their blood had been transfused with that of fed or fasted donors than they did after two control treatments. Blood from fed donors suppressed intake more than did blood from fasted donors, but not significantly so. In the second experiment, previously fed birds ate less in the first hour after intravenous injection of reconstituted plasma from 24-h fasted donors, than after control injections of saline. The same treatments had little or no effect with subjects that had previously been fasted for 24 h. These results consistently indicate an absence of any hunger factor, but are less conclusive with regard to the presence of a satiety factor, for which there is recent evidence in fowls from central administration of plasma. It is suggested that hunger and satiety may be associated with scarcity and abundance of the same humoral factor(s), and that monitoring of blood composition may provide the necessary feedback for longer-term adjustments in food intake, modifying short-term control based on emptying and filling of part(s) of the alimentary tract.

Proximate and fatty acid composition and cholesterol content of different cuts of guinea fowl meat as affected by cooking method.

PubMed

Hoffman, Louwrens C; Tlhong, Tumelo M

2012-10-01

Poultry is one of the leading meat products in South Africa, and its nutritional composition can be affected by the cut and cooking method. Limited food composition data are available for typical South African poultry products. This study investigated the effect of different cuts and cooking methods on the proximate and fatty acid composition as well as the cholesterol content of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) meat. The open-roasting method produced the highest moisture content for all cuts, and the baking bag method the lowest. The baking bag method resulted in the highest protein content. Cooking method had no effect on fat content, although breast had the lowest and thigh the highest fat content. Ash content was highest in the open-roasted drumstick. All cuts, regardless of cooking method, had a favourable polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratio (>0.4). Their n-6/n-3 ratio was also within the recommended beneficial range (<4:1). Both cooking method and cut affected cholesterol content. Different cuts of guinea fowl vary in proximate and fatty acid composition as well as in cholesterol content, which in turn is affected to varying degrees by cooking method. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genomic data for 78 chickens from 14 populations

PubMed Central

Li, Diyan; Che, Tiandong; Chen, Binlong; Tian, Shilin; Zhou, Xuming; Zhang, Guolong; Li, Miao; Gaur, Uma; Li, Yan; Luo, Majing; Zhang, Long; Xu, Zhongxian; Zhao, Xiaoling; Yin, Huadong; Wang, Yan; Jin, Long; Tang, Qianzi; Xu, Huailiang; Yang, Mingyao; Zhou, Rongjia; Li, Ruiqiang

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Since the domestication of the red jungle fowls (Gallus gallus; dating back to ∼10 000 B.P.) in Asia, domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) have been subjected to the combined effects of natural selection and human-driven artificial selection; this has resulted in marked phenotypic diversity in a number of traits, including behavior, body composition, egg production, and skin color. Population genomic variations through diversifying selection have not been fully investigated. Findings: The whole genomes of 78 domestic chickens were sequenced to an average of 18-fold coverage for each bird. By combining this data with publicly available genomes of five wild red jungle fowls and eight Xishuangbanna game fowls, we conducted a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis of 91 chickens from 17 populations. After aligning ∼21.30 gigabases (Gb) of high-quality data from each individual to the reference chicken genome, we identified ∼6.44 million (M) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for each population. These SNPs included 1.10 M novel SNPs in 17 populations that were absent in the current chicken dbSNP (Build 145) entries. Conclusions: The current data is important for population genetics and further studies in chickens and will serve as a valuable resource for investigating diversifying selection and candidate genes for selective breeding in chickens. PMID:28431039

Kinematic Analysis Quantifies Gait Abnormalities Associated with Lameness in Broiler Chickens and Identifies Evolutionary Gait Differences

PubMed Central

Caplen, Gina; Hothersall, Becky; Murrell, Joanna C.; Nicol, Christine J.; Waterman-Pearson, Avril E.; Weeks, Claire A.; Colborne, G. Robert

2012-01-01

This is the first time that gait characteristics of broiler (meat) chickens have been compared with their progenitor, jungle fowl, and the first kinematic study to report a link between broiler gait parameters and defined lameness scores. A commercial motion-capturing system recorded three-dimensional temporospatial information during walking. The hypothesis was that the gait characteristics of non-lame broilers (n = 10) would be intermediate to those of lame broilers (n = 12) and jungle fowl (n = 10, tested at two ages: immature and adult). Data analysed using multi-level models, to define an extensive range of baseline gait parameters, revealed inter-group similarities and differences. Natural selection is likely to have made jungle fowl walking gait highly efficient. Modern broiler chickens possess an unbalanced body conformation due to intense genetic selection for additional breast muscle (pectoral hypertrophy) and whole body mass. Together with rapid growth, this promotes compensatory gait adaptations to minimise energy expenditure and triggers high lameness prevalence within commercial flocks; lameness creating further disruption to the gait cycle and being an important welfare issue. Clear differences were observed between the two lines (short stance phase, little double-support, low leg lift, and little back displacement in adult jungle fowl; much double-support, high leg lift, and substantial vertical back movement in sound broilers) presumably related to mass and body conformation. Similarities included stride length and duration. Additional modifications were also identified in lame broilers (short stride length and duration, substantial lateral back movement, reduced velocity) presumably linked to musculo-skeletal abnormalities. Reduced walking velocity suggests an attempt to minimise skeletal stress and/or discomfort, while a shorter stride length and time, together with longer stance and double-support phases, are associated with instability. We envisage a key future role for this highly quantitative methodology in pain assessment (associated with broiler lameness) including experimental examination of therapeutic agent efficacy. PMID:22815823

Effect of varying concentrations of dietary crude protein and metabolizable energy on laying performance of Pearl Grey guinea fowl hens.

PubMed

Nahashon, S N; Adefope, N A; Amenyenu, A; Wright, D

2007-08-01

This study was conducted to evaluate optimum dietary concentrations of ME and CP for egg production performance of the Pearl Gray guinea fowl laying hens. In a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, 360 Pearl Gray guinea fowl replacement pullets (22 wk of age) were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 2,800 and 2,900 kcal of ME/kg of diet, each containing 14, 16, and 18% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Experimental birds were raised in laying cages and received 16 h of light throughout the study period. The birds were observed for feed consumption, hen-day egg production (HDEP), egg weight (EW), egg mass (EM), feed conversion ratio, internal egg quality, shell thickness (ST), and BW at the end of each 28-d lay period at 26 to 50 wk of age and at 62 to 86 wk of age. Mortality was recorded as it occurred. Mean HDEP, EW, EM, and ST were higher (P < 0.05) in hens receiving diets with 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of feed than those fed diets containing 2,900 kcal of ME/kg of diet. Hens on 14% CP diets also exhibited higher (P < 0.05) HDEP, EM, and ST than those fed diets containing 16 and 18% CP diets. Mean feed conversion ratio of birds on 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 14% CP diets were significantly lower than those of hens on other dietary treatments. Differences in feed consumption, EW, internal egg quality, BW, and mortality among dietary ME and CP concentrations were not significant (P > 0.05). Overall, diets composed of 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 14% CP were utilized more efficiently by the Pearl Gray guinea fowl laying hens at 26 to 50 and 62 to 86 wk of age.

Effect of season and age on Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen characteristics: A 4-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Rakha, B A; Ansari, M S; Akhter, S; Blesbois, E

2017-09-01

The reproductive potential of the adult males is expected to vary with age/season and largely differ not only in closely related avian species but even in subspecies, breeds and/or strains of the same species. Thus, it is pre-requisite to have knowledge of seminal parameters to achieve maximum production potential of at-risk species for ex situ in vitro conservation programs. A 4-year study was designed to evaluate the effect of age and season (spring, summer, autumn and winter) on semen characteristics of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) in a retrospective manner. Semen ejaculates (n = 1148) were regularly collected from eight adult cocks 6 to 54 months of age. Quantitative and qualitative semen parameters viz; volume (μL), concentration (1 × 10 9  mL -1 ), total sperm number per ejaculate (1 × 10 9  mL -1 ), motility (%), viability (%), plasma membrane integrity (%), acrosome integrity (%) and semen quality factor were recorded. A chronological increasing trend with age of most sperm quantitative and qualitative traits (semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm number per ejaculate, plasma membrane integrity, viability, acrosomal integrity and semen quality factor) was observed. The highest values were observed at four years of age (P < 0.05) with the exception of sperm motility that was not affected by the age. Spring was the best season for sperm parameters viz; volume, motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosomal integrity (P < 0.05), however a remarkable sperm production was noticed all over the year. It is concluded that Indian red jungle fowl exhibits an evolution of sperm production that greatly differs in many points from other fowl sub-species. It is suggested that semen ejaculates of highest quality achieved for semen banking at the age of four year in the spring season. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bursal immunopathology responses of specific-pathogen-free chickens and red jungle fowl infected with very virulent infectious bursal disease virus.

PubMed

Farhanah, Mohd Isa; Yasmin, Abdul Rahaman; Khanh, Nguyen Phuc; Yeap, Swee Keong; Hair-Bejo, Mohd; Omar, Abdul Rahman

2018-04-06

Very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) targets B lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius (BF), causing immunosuppression and increased mortality rates in young birds. There have been few studies on the host immune response following vvIBDV infection at different inoculum doses in chickens with different genetic backgrounds. In this study, we characterized the immune responses of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens and Malaysian red jungle fowl following infection with vvIBDV strain UPM0081 at 10 3.8 and 10 6.8 times the 50% embryo infectious dose (EID 50 ). The viral burden, histopathological changes, immune cell populations, and expression of immune-related genes were measured and compared between infected and uninfected bursa at specific intervals. The populations of KUL1 + , CD3 + CD4 + and CD3 + CD8 + cells were significantly increased in both types of chickens at 3 dpi, and there was significant early depletion of IgM + B cells at 1 dpi in the red jungle fowl. vvIBDV infection also induced differential expression of genes that are involved in Th1 and pro-inflammatory responses, with groups receiving the higher dose (10 6.8 EID 50 ) showing earlier expression of IFNG, IL12B, IL15, IL6, CXCLi2, IL28B, and TLR3 at 1 dpi. Although both chicken types showed equal susceptibility to infection, the red jungle fowl were clinically healthier than the SPF chickens despite showing more depletion of IgM + B cells and failure to induce IFNB activation. In conclusion, high-dose vvIBDV infection caused an intense early host immune response in the infected bursa, with depletion of IgM + B cells, bursal lesions, and cytokine expression as a response to mitigate the severity of the infection.

Maturational changes in motility, acrosomal proteolytic activity, and penetrability of the inner perivitelline layer of fowl sperm, during their passage through the male genital tract.

PubMed

Ahammad, Muslah U; Nishino, C; Tatemoto, H; Okura, N; Kawamoto, Y; Okamoto, S; Nakada, T

2011-10-01

The objective was to examine, in vitro, the motility, acrosomal proteolytic activity (APA), and penetrating ability of fowl sperm recovered from the testis and epididymis, as well as the proximal, middle, and distal vas deferens, to assess the potential fertilizing ability of sperm as a function of maturation. A motile sperm separation technique was used to estimate sperm motility with Accudenz, a gelatin slide technique was used to measure the diameter of the halo around the acrosome of individual sperm as an indication of APA, and a sperm-inner perivitelline layer (IPL) interaction assay was done to estimate the number of hole formations as an indication of sperm penetration into the IPL. Sperm in the testis exhibited the least motility, produced the smallest halos, and created the least number of holes per 0.25 mm(2). Motility, diameter of the halo, and number of holes increased gradually (P < 0.05) from the epididymis to the distal vas deferens and were markedly different (P < 0.05) between testicular and deferent duct sperm. Based on these in vitro experimental findings, we inferred that fowl sperm undergo a gradual process of maturational changes in motility, APA, and penetrability as a means of acquiring potential fertility during their passage throughout the male genital tract. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A TRANSPLANTABLE NEW GROWTH OF THE FOWL, PRODUCING CARTILAGE AND BONE

PubMed Central

Tytler, W. H.

1913-01-01

An osteochondrosarcoma of the common fowl, designated in this laboratory as Chicken Tumor VII, has been successfully transplanted to seven successive series of hosts. The original growth contained bone and cartilage, was attached to the sternal keel of an otherwise healthy chicken, and appeared to have arisen from this structure. In the growths derived from its transplantation cartilage is regularly laid down, followed later by bone in case the host lives long enough. The prechondral tissue consists of spindle-shaped or multipolar cells of the fibroblast type. The histological character and the behavior of this prechondral tissue show that it is sarcomatous, a fact further proven by one recent case in which the tumor has metastasized. The secondary growth in this instance consisted of prechondral tissue in which a cartilaginous change was taking place. The tumor could not be transferred to pigeons, the one foreign species tested, but grew readily in chickens of two alien breeds. Reinoculation experiments suggest the occurrence of a natural, individual immunity, and of a certain degree of acquired resistance. In one fowl visceral growths developed following an intravenous injection of tumor emulsion, although whether they were due to this cause or were secondary to the large implantation growths in the muscles is uncertain. Recently the tumor has been transmitted by means of the filtrate from a Berkefeld filter. PMID:19867658

Influence of heat and vibration on the movement of the northern fowl mite (Acari: Macronyssidae).

PubMed

Owen, Jeb P; Mullens, Bradley A

2004-09-01

Heat and vibration are common host-generated cues that ectoparasites use to orient to hosts. Three experiments evaluated effects of heat and vibration on the movement of northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago). Individual arrested mites in an isolation chamber always initiated movement (walking) after substrate vibration (7.8-min walking duration), but only initiated movement 50% of the time (2.8-min walking duration) upon exposure to a 3 degrees C heat fluctuation. Heat fluctuation in combination with vibration extended the period of activity by approximately 50% (11.6-min walking duration) compared with activity initiated by vibration alone. Mites with longer time off-host moved for shorter durations. In a choice test, individual mites consistently moved closer to a 35 degrees C heat source 1 or 6 mm away, but not to a heat source 11 mm away. In a circular arena, mites were able to orient accurately to a 35 degrees C heat source and reached the arena edge almost 4 times faster (11.2 s) than mites without a heat source (41.2 s). These results suggest that northern fowl mite is capable of directed thermo-orientation, as well as modulation of activity depending on the type of sensory information perceived. The adaptive significance of this orientation for a "permanent" ectoparasite is discussed.

Seasonal variations in the crop contents of scavenging Helmeted Guinea Fowls (Numida meleagris, L.) in Parakou (Benin).

PubMed

Dahouda, M; Toléba, S S; Youssao, A K I; Ali, A A Mama; Hambuckers, A; Hornick, J-L

2008-11-01

1. An experiment was carried out with 120 helmeted guinea fowls during one year in Parakou (Benin). Feed intake, ingredient and chemical composition, along with the nutritional adequacy of scavenging diets were measured during the rainy season (November-February) and dry season (March-October) in order to propose supplementation strategies. Ingredients found in crops were identified and allocated into 6 main categories (supplemental feed, seeds, green forages, animal materials, mineral matter and unidentified materials). 2. Mean dry weights of crop contents were significantly higher in the rainy than in the dry season. Amounts and proportions of supplemental feed and seeds were not significantly different between seasons, whereas those of green forage, animal materials and mineral matter were higher in rainy season. Supplemental feed, especially maize and sorghum, was the largest component of the crop content in both seasons. The most represented grass seeds were Panicum maximum (rainy season) and Rottboellia cochinchinensis (dry season). 3. Dietary concentrations of organic matter, non-nitrogen extract and metabolisable energy were higher in the dry season, while mineral concentrations were higher in the rainy season. There were no significant differences between the two seasons in dry matter, crude protein or crude fibre. 4. Scavenging provided insufficient nutrients and energy to allow guinea fowls to be productive. Therefore, more nutritionally balanced supplementary feed would be required during both seasons.

9 CFR 145.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... and Exhibition Waterfowl, Exhibition Poultry, and Game Bird Breeding Flocks and Products § 145.51... combined purposes of meat or egg production and competitive showing. Game birds. Domesticated fowl such as...

9 CFR 145.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... and Exhibition Waterfowl, Exhibition Poultry, and Game Bird Breeding Flocks and Products § 145.51... combined purposes of meat or egg production and competitive showing. Game birds. Domesticated fowl such as...

9 CFR 145.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... and Exhibition Waterfowl, Exhibition Poultry, and Game Bird Breeding Flocks and Products § 145.51... combined purposes of meat or egg production and competitive showing. Game birds. Domesticated fowl such as...

9 CFR 145.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Waterfowl, Exhibition Poultry, and Game Bird Breeding Flocks and Products § 145.51 Definitions. Except where... purposes of meat or egg production and competitive showing. Game birds. Domesticated fowl such as pheasants...

9 CFR 145.51 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Waterfowl, Exhibition Poultry, and Game Bird Breeding Flocks and Products § 145.51 Definitions. Except where... purposes of meat or egg production and competitive showing. Game birds. Domesticated fowl such as pheasants...

9 CFR 362.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND.... “Poultry” means any migratory water fowl or game bird, whether dead or alive. (e) Poultry Product. “Poultry...

A molecular analysis of the patterns of genetic diversity in local chickens from western Algeria in comparison with commercial lines and wild jungle fowls.

PubMed

Mahammi, F Z; Gaouar, S B S; Laloë, D; Faugeras, R; Tabet-Aoul, N; Rognon, X; Tixier-Boichard, M; Saidi-Mehtar, N

2016-02-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize the genetic variability of village chickens from three agro-ecological regions of western Algeria: coastal (CT), inland plains (IP) and highlands (HL), to reveal any underlying population structure, and to evaluate potential genetic introgression from commercial lines into local populations. A set of 233 chickens was genotyped with a panel of 23 microsatellite markers. Geographical coordinates were individually recorded. Eight reference populations were included in the study to investigate potential gene flow: four highly selected commercial pure lines and four lines of French slow-growing chickens. Two populations of wild red jungle fowls were also genotyped to compare the range of diversity between domestic and wild fowls. A genetic diversity analysis was conducted both within and between populations. Multivariate redundancy analyses were performed to assess the relative influence of geographical location among Algerian ecotypes. The results showed a high genetic variability within the Algerian population, with 184 alleles and a mean number of 8.09 alleles per locus. The values of heterozygosity (He and Ho) ranged from 0.55 to 0.62 in Algerian ecotypes and were smaller than values found in Jungle fowl populations and higher than values found in commercial populations. Although the structuring analysis of genotypes did not reveal clear subpopulations within Algerian ecotypes, the supervised approach using geographical data showed a significant (p < 0.01) differentiation between the three ecotypes which was mainly due to altitude. Thus, the genetic diversity of Algerian ecotypes may be under the influence of two factors with contradictory effects: the geographical location and climatic conditions may induce some differentiation, whereas the high level of exchanges and gene flow may suppress it. Evidence of gene flow between commercial and Algerian local populations was observed, which may be due to unrecorded crossing with commercial chickens. Chicken ecotypes from western Algeria are characterized by a high genetic diversity and must be safeguarded as an important reservoir of genetic diversity. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

From backwater to mainstream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allen, J.A.

1993-01-01

Pox infection has occurrcd in mourning doves in at least 8 states on 12 separate occasions. Unsuccessful attempts were made to transmit both fowl pox (chicken isolate) and passerine pox (cowbird isolate) to mourning doves.

Long-Term Survival of Enteric Microorganisms in Frozen Wastewater

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-10-01

virus Parainfluenza Hemadsorption 1 Other myxoviruses Respiratory syncytial virus Measles Canine distemper Rabies virus Fowl...Group VII Adenoviruses* Human serotypes Infectious canine hepatitis Simian serotypes Avian Murine Group VIII Papovaviruses

Natural Rabies Infection in a Domestic Fowl (Gallus domesticus): A Report from India.

PubMed

Baby, Julie; Mani, Reeta Subramaniam; Abraham, Swapna Susan; Thankappan, Asha T; Pillai, Prasad Madhavan; Anand, Ashwini Manoor; Madhusudana, Shampur Narayan; Ramachandran, Jayachandran; Sreekumar, Sachin

2015-01-01

Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by viruses belonging to the genus Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is a viral disease primarily affecting mammals, though all warm blooded animals are susceptible. Experimental rabies virus infection in birds has been reported, but naturally occurring infection of birds has been documented very rarely. The carcass of a domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus), which had been bitten by a stray dog one month back, was brought to the rabies diagnostic laboratory. A necropsy was performed and the brain tissue obtained was subjected to laboratory tests for rabies. The brain tissue was positive for rabies viral antigens by fluorescent antibody test (FAT) confirming a diagnosis of rabies. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleoprotein gene sequencing revealed that the rabies virus strain from the domestic fowl belonged to a distinct and relatively rare Indian subcontinent lineage. This case of naturally acquired rabies infection in a bird species, Gallus domesticus, being reported for the first time in India, was identified from an area which has a significant stray dog population and is highly endemic for canine rabies. It indicates that spill over of infection even to an unusual host is possible in highly endemic areas. Lack of any clinical signs, and fewer opportunities for diagnostic laboratory testing of suspected rabies in birds, may be the reason for disease in these species being undiagnosed and probably under-reported. Butchering and handling of rabies virus- infected poultry may pose a potential exposure risk.

Natural Rabies Infection in a Domestic Fowl (Gallus domesticus): A Report from India

PubMed Central

Baby, Julie; Mani, Reeta Subramaniam; Abraham, Swapna Susan; Thankappan, Asha T.; Pillai, Prasad Madhavan; Anand, Ashwini Manoor; Madhusudana, Shampur Narayan; Ramachandran, Jayachandran; Sreekumar, Sachin

2015-01-01

Background Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by viruses belonging to the genus Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is a viral disease primarily affecting mammals, though all warm blooded animals are susceptible. Experimental rabies virus infection in birds has been reported, but naturally occurring infection of birds has been documented very rarely. Principal Findings The carcass of a domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus), which had been bitten by a stray dog one month back, was brought to the rabies diagnostic laboratory. A necropsy was performed and the brain tissue obtained was subjected to laboratory tests for rabies. The brain tissue was positive for rabies viral antigens by fluorescent antibody test (FAT) confirming a diagnosis of rabies. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleoprotein gene sequencing revealed that the rabies virus strain from the domestic fowl belonged to a distinct and relatively rare Indian subcontinent lineage. Significance This case of naturally acquired rabies infection in a bird species, Gallus domesticus, being reported for the first time in India, was identified from an area which has a significant stray dog population and is highly endemic for canine rabies. It indicates that spill over of infection even to an unusual host is possible in highly endemic areas. Lack of any clinical signs, and fewer opportunities for diagnostic laboratory testing of suspected rabies in birds, may be the reason for disease in these species being undiagnosed and probably under-reported. Butchering and handling of rabies virus- infected poultry may pose a potential exposure risk. PMID:26201090

Eyespot display in the peacock butterfly triggers antipredator behaviors in naïve adult fowl

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Large conspicuous eyespots have evolved in multiple taxa and presumably function to thwart predator attacks. Traditionally, large eyespots were thought to discourage predator attacks because they mimicked eyes of the predators’ own predators. However, this idea is controversial and the intimidating properties of eyespots have recently been suggested to simply be a consequence of their conspicuousness. Some lepidopteran species include large eyespots in their antipredation repertoire. In the peacock butterfly, Inachis io, eyespots are typically hidden during rest and suddenly exposed by the butterfly when disturbed. Previous experiments have shown that small wild passerines are intimidated by this display. Here, we test whether eyespots also intimidate a considerably larger bird, domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus, by staging interactions between birds and peacock butterflies that were sham-painted or had their eyespots painted over. Our results show that birds typically fled when peacock butterflies performed their display regardless of whether eyespots were visible or painted over. However, birds confronting butterflies with visible eyespots delayed their return to the butterfly, were more vigilant, and more likely to utter alarm calls associated with detection of ground-based predators, compared with birds confronting butterflies with eyespots painted over. Because production of alarm calls and increased vigilance are antipredation behaviors in the fowl, their reaction suggests that eyespots may elicit fear rather than just an aversion to conspicuous patterns. Our results, therefore, suggest that predators perceive large lepidopteran eyespots as belonging to the eyes of a potential predator. PMID:23243378

Experimental iron-inactivated Pasteurella multocida A: 1 vaccine adjuvanted with bacterial DNA is safe and protects chickens from fowl cholera.

PubMed

Herath, Chitra; Kumar, Pankaj; Singh, Mithilesh; Kumar, Devender; Ramakrishnan, Saravanan; Goswami, Tapas Kumar; Singh, Ajit; Ram, G C

2010-03-08

Fowl cholera is a serious problem in large and small scale poultry production. The present study describes the development and testing of an inactivated whole-cell, low-cost, safe, and effective vaccine for fowl cholera based on a previous work (Vaccine 23:5590-5598). Pasteurella multocida A: 1 grown in the presence of low FeCl(3) concentrations, inactivated with higher concentrations of FeCl(3), and adjuvanted with bacterial DNA from P. multocida B: 2 containing immunostimulatory CpG motifs protect chickens with a lethal P. multocida A: 1 challenge. Chickens were immunized with two whole-cell inactivated vaccine doses at 4 weeks apart and challenged 4 weeks after booster immunization. Experimental vaccines were pure, easy injectable, and caused very little distress in chickens due to their aqueous consistency. Vaccines and bacterial DNA (bDNA) posed no safety problems when chickens were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with a single, double, and overdose of these preparations. Immunized chickens produced systemic IgY antibodies (Ab) responses and vaccine adjuvanted with bDNA protected 100% chickens from lethal intrapertoneal (i.p.) P. multocida A: 1 challenge. This work suggests that use of bDNA as an adjuvant can improve the cost-effectiveness of inactivated veterinary vaccines for their use in developing countries. Our future studies will focus on safety and potency evaluation of experimental and current vaccines using bDNA as an adjuvant. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pox in mourning doves in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Locke, L.N.

1961-01-01

Pox infection has occurrcd in mourning doves in at least 8 states on 12 separate occasions. Unsuccessful attempts were made to transmit both fowl pox (chicken isolate) and passerine pox (cowbird isolate) to mourning doves.

Prey: Thamnophis hammondii (Two-striped Garter Snake)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ervin, E.L.; Fisher, R.N.

2001-01-01

Pox infection has occurrcd in mourning doves in at least 8 states on 12 separate occasions. Unsuccessful attempts were made to transmit both fowl pox (chicken isolate) and passerine pox (cowbird isolate) to mourning doves.

21 CFR 520.2261b - Sulfamethazine powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... (bacterial scours) (E. coli), and bacterial pneumonia (Pasteurella spp.). (iii) Limitations. Add the required... (bacterial scours) (E. coli), necrotic pododermatitis (foot rot) (Fusobacterium necrophorum), calf diphtheria... coryza (Haemophilus gallinarum), coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella, E. necatrix), acute fowl cholera...

7 CFR 701.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM, EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM, AND...; fish or other animals raised by aquaculture; other livestock or fowl) for commercial production. Producers of animals raised for recreational uses only are not considered agricultural producers. Annual...

7 CFR 701.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM, EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM, AND...; fish or other animals raised by aquaculture; other livestock or fowl) for commercial production. Producers of animals raised for recreational uses only are not considered agricultural producers. Annual...

7 CFR 701.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM, EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM, AND...; fish or other animals raised by aquaculture; other livestock or fowl) for commercial production. Producers of animals raised for recreational uses only are not considered agricultural producers. Annual...

7 CFR 701.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM, EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM, AND...; fish or other animals raised by aquaculture; other livestock or fowl) for commercial production. Producers of animals raised for recreational uses only are not considered agricultural producers. Annual...

Psittacine pox virus: virus isolation and identification, transmission, and cross-challenge studies in parrots and chickens.

PubMed

Boosinger, T R; Winterfield, R W; Feldman, D S; Dhillon, A S

1982-01-01

An avian pox virus was isolated from Amazon parrots dying with severe diphtheritic oral, esophageal, and crop lesions. The virus was propagated on chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) of 10-day-old chicken embryos, and a homogenate of the infected CAM was rubbed vigorously onto the conjunctiva, oral mucosa, and defeathered follicles of two healthy Amazon parrots and three conures. All experimental birds developed cutaneous and ocular pox lesions, and one parrot developed oral pox lesions. Specific-pathogen-free chicks inoculated with the virus isolate developed skin lesions identical to those of the parrots. Chickens vaccinated with fowl and pigeon pox vaccines and inoculated with the psittacine isolate developed lesions typical of avian pox. Chickens vaccinated with the psittacine virus were susceptible to fowl and pigeon pox virus infection. This pox virus isolate may thus be regarded as a potential pathogen for chickens.

The influence of load carrying on the energetics and kinematics of terrestrial locomotion in a diving bird

PubMed Central

Tickle, Peter G.; Lean, Samantha C.; Rose, Kayleigh A. R.; Wadugodapitiya, Avanti P.; Codd, Jonathan R.

2013-01-01

Summary The application of artificial loads to mammals and birds has been used to provide insight into the mechanics and energetic cost of terrestrial locomotion. However, only two species of bird have previously been used in loading experiments, the cursorial guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) and the locomotor-generalist barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis). Here, using respirometry and treadmill locomotion, we investigate the energetic cost of carrying trunk loads in a diving bird, the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula). Attachment of back loads equivalent to 10% and 20% of body mass increased the metabolic rate during locomotion (7.94% and 15.92%, respectively) while sternal loads of 5% and 10% had a greater proportional effect than the back loads (metabolic rate increased by 7.19% and 13.99%, respectively). No effect on locomotor kinematics was detected during any load carrying experiments. These results concur with previous reports of load carrying economy in birds, in that there is a less than proportional relationship between increasing load and metabolic rate (found previously in guinea fowl), while application of sternal loads causes an approximate doubling of metabolic rate compared to back loads (reported in an earlier study of barnacle geese). The increase in cost when carrying sternal loads may result from having to move this extra mass dorso-ventrally during respiration. Disparity in load carrying economy between species may arise from anatomical and physiological adaptations to different forms of locomotion, such as the varying uncinate process morphology and hindlimb tendon development in goose, guinea fowl and duck. PMID:24244861

Sperm subpopulations in avian species: a comparative study between the rooster (Gallus domesticus) and Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

PubMed

García-Herreros, Manuel

2016-01-01

The main aims of this research were to study possible differences in objective morphometric sperm characteristics, establish normative sperm morphometry standards, and evaluate the presumed different subpopulation distribution of avian spermatozoa from the rooster (Gallus domesticus ) and Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris ) as model avian species. Seventy-two ejaculates (36 per species studied) were obtained manually, following a training period involving gently combined dorso-abdominal and lumbo-sacral massage of the birds. Ejaculates were processed for volume, sperm concentration, viability, motility, and morphology. Moreover, samples were submitted for sperm morphometric assessment using objective Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis for Morphometry (CASA-Morph) methods, with sperm morphometric descriptors evaluated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multivariate clustering analyses. There were several differences observed between the avian species in values obtained for ejaculate volume and sperm concentration (P < 0.001). Irrespective of species, PCA revealed two Principal Components (PCs) explaining more than 80% of the variance. In addition, the number of subpopulations differed with species (three and five subpopulations for rooster and Guinea fowl, respectively). Moreover, the distribution of the sperm subpopulations was found to be structurally different between species. In conclusion, our findings from using CASA-Morph methods indicate pronounced sperm morphometric variation between these two avian species. Because of the strong differences observed in morphometric parameter values and their subpopulation distribution, these results suggest that application of objective analytical methods such as CASA-Morph could substantially improve the reliability of comparative studies and help establish valid normative sperm morphological values for avian species.

Integrated biological treatment of fowl manure for nitrogen recovery and reuse.

PubMed

Posmanik, Roy; Nejidat, Ali; Bar-Sinay, Boaz; Gross, Amit

2013-03-15

Biowaste such as animal manure poses an environmental threat, due to among others, uncontrolled emissions of ammonia and additional hazardous gases to the atmosphere. This study presents a quantitative analysis of an alternative biowaste management approach aimed at nitrogen recovery and reduction of contamination risks. The suggested technology combines anaerobic digestion of nitrogen-rich biowaste with biofiltration of the resulting gaseous ammonia. A compost-based biofilter is used to capture the ammonia and convert it to nitrate by nitrifying microorganisms. Nitrogen mass balance was applied to quantify the system's capacity under various fowl manure-loading regimes and ammonia loading rates. The produced nitrate was recovered and its use as liquid fertilizer was evaluated with cucumber plant as a model crop. In addition, emissions of other hazardous gases (N(2)O, CH(4) and H(2)S) were monitored before and after biofiltration to evaluate the efficiency of the system for treating these gases. It was found that nitrate-rich liquid fertilizer can be continuously produced using the suggested approach, with an over 67 percentage of nitrogen recovery, under an ammonia loading rate of up to 40 g NH(3) per cubic meter biofilter per hour. Complete elimination of NH(3), H(2)S, CH(4) and N(2)O was achieved, demonstrating the potential of the suggested technology for mitigating emission of these gases from fowl manure. Moreover, the quality of the recovered fertilizer was demonstrated by higher yield performance of cucumber plant compared with control plants treated with a commonly applied organic liquid fertilizer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maturational changes in the survivability and fertility of fowl sperm during their passage through the male reproductive tract.

PubMed

Ahammad, Muslah U; Nishino, C; Tatemoto, H; Okura, N; Kawamoto, Y; Okamoto, S; Nakada, T

2011-10-01

The objective of this study was to examine whether domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) sperm undergo maturation in their capacity for survival and fertilization in the male reproductive tract. Sperm collected from the testis, epididymis and the proximal, middle and distal vas deferens were simultaneously stored in vitro in minimum essential medium (MEM) at 39°C for 0, 3 and 6h, and at 4°C for 24 and 48h. Sperm membrane integrity was measured using the dual fluorescent stain SYBR-14/propidium iodide (PI). Aliquots of sperm from the various sites were subjected to artificial insemination (AI) into the uteri of hens to assess the duration of sperm survival in the oviduct and to determine the fertility status of the sperm. Testicular sperm exhibited a very low capacity to survive under in vitro liquid storage conditions, irrespective of the storage temperature used, and in the oviduct, and they had a low ability to fertilize the ovum. On the contrary, sperm from the distal vas deferens had a higher survival rate during in vitro storage periods, a longer life span in the oviduct, and high fertility. Survival and fertilizing capacity of the sperm recovered from the testes increased gradually (P<0.05) from the testes to the distal vas deferens. In conclusion, we suggest that fowl sperm may undergo functional maturation through a process of gradual changes in their survival and fertilization capacities during their passage through the successive parts of the male reproductive tract. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sperm subpopulations in avian species: a comparative study between the rooster (Gallus domesticus) and Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

PubMed Central

García-Herreros, Manuel

2016-01-01

The main aims of this research were to study possible differences in objective morphometric sperm characteristics, establish normative sperm morphometry standards, and evaluate the presumed different subpopulation distribution of avian spermatozoa from the rooster (Gallus domesticus) and Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) as model avian species. Seventy-two ejaculates (36 per species studied) were obtained manually, following a training period involving gently combined dorso-abdominal and lumbo-sacral massage of the birds. Ejaculates were processed for volume, sperm concentration, viability, motility, and morphology. Moreover, samples were submitted for sperm morphometric assessment using objective Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis for Morphometry (CASA-Morph) methods, with sperm morphometric descriptors evaluated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multivariate clustering analyses. There were several differences observed between the avian species in values obtained for ejaculate volume and sperm concentration (P < 0.001). Irrespective of species, PCA revealed two Principal Components (PCs) explaining more than 80% of the variance. In addition, the number of subpopulations differed with species (three and five subpopulations for rooster and Guinea fowl, respectively). Moreover, the distribution of the sperm subpopulations was found to be structurally different between species. In conclusion, our findings from using CASA-Morph methods indicate pronounced sperm morphometric variation between these two avian species. Because of the strong differences observed in morphometric parameter values and their subpopulation distribution, these results suggest that application of objective analytical methods such as CASA-Morph could substantially improve the reliability of comparative studies and help establish valid normative sperm morphological values for avian species. PMID:27751988

Prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella species on farm, after transport, and at processing in specialty market poultry.

PubMed

McCrea, B A; Tonooka, K H; VanWorth, C; Boggs, C L; Atwill, E R; Schrader, J S

2006-01-01

The prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. was determined from live bird to prepackaged carcass for 3 flocks from each of 6 types of California niche-market poultry. Commodities sampled included squab, quail, guinea fowl, duck, poussin (young chicken), and free-range broiler chickens. Campylobacter on-farm prevalence was lowest for squab, followed by guinea fowl, duck, quail, and free-range chickens. Poussin had the highest prevalence of Campylobacter. No Salmonella was isolated from guinea fowl or quail flocks. A few positive samples were observed in duck and squab, predominately of S. Typhimurium. Free-range and poussin chickens had the highest prevalence of Salmonella. Post-transport prevalence was not significantly higher than on-farm, except in free-range flocks, where a higher prevalence of positive chickens was found after 6 to 8 h holding before processing. In most cases, the prevalence of Campylobacter- and Salmonella-positive birds was lower on the final product than on-farm or during processing. Odds ratio analysis indicated that the risk of a positive final product carcass was not increased by the prevalence of a positive sample at an upstream point in the processing line, or by on-farm prevalence (i.e., none of the common sampling stations among the 6 commodities could be acknowledged as critical control points). This suggests that hazard analysis critical control point plans for Campylobacter and Salmonella control in the niche-market poultry commodities will need to be specifically determined for each species and each processing facility.

Evaluation of protective efficacy of live attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum vaccine strains against fowl typhoid in chickens.

PubMed

Laniewski, Paweł; Mitra, Arindam; Karaca, Kemal; Khan, Ayub; Prasad, Rajeev; Curtiss, Roy; Roland, Kenneth L

2014-09-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum is the etiological agent of fowl typhoid, which constitutes a considerable economic problem for poultry growers in developing countries. The vaccination of chickens seems to be the most effective strategy to control the disease in those areas. We constructed S. Gallinarum strains with a deletion of the global regulatory gene fur and evaluated their virulence and protective efficacy in Rhode Island Red chicks and Brown Leghorn layers. The fur deletion mutant was avirulent and, when delivered orally to chicks, elicited excellent protection against lethal S. Gallinarum challenge. It was not as effective when given orally to older birds, although it was highly immunogenic when delivered by intramuscular injection. We also examined the effect of a pmi mutant and a combination of fur deletions with mutations in the pmi and rfaH genes, which affect O-antigen synthesis, and ansB, whose product inhibits host T-cell responses. The S. Gallinarum Δpmi mutant was only partially attenuated, and the ΔansB mutant was fully virulent. The Δfur Δpmi and Δfur ΔansB double mutants were attenuated but not protective when delivered orally to the chicks. However, a Δpmi Δfur strain was highly immunogenic when administered intramuscularly. All together, our results show that the fur gene is essential for the virulence of S. Gallinarum, and the fur mutant is effective as a live recombinant vaccine against fowl typhoid. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The testicular capsule and peritubular tissue of birds: morphometry, histology, ultrastructure and immunohistochemistry.

PubMed

Aire, T A; Ozegbe, P C

2007-06-01

The testicular capsule was studied histologically, morphometrically, ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically in the Japanese quail, domestic fowl, turkey and duck (all members of the Galloanserae). The testicular capsule was, relative to mammals, thin, being 81.5 +/- 13.7 microm in the quail, 91.7 +/- 6.2 microm in the domestic fowl, 104.5 +/- 29.8 microm in the turkey and 91.8 +/- 18.9 microm in the duck. The orchido-epididymal border (hilus) of the capsule was much thicker than elsewhere in all birds (from 233.7 +/- 50.7 microm in the duck to 550.0 +/- 147.3 microm thick in the turkey). The testicular capsule, other than the tunica serosa and tunica vasculosa, comprised, in the main, smooth muscle-like or myoid cells running mainly in one direction, and disposed in one main mass. Peritubular tissue was similarly composed of smooth muscle-like cells disposed in several layers. Actin and desmin intermediate filaments were immunolocalized in the inner cellular layers of the capsule in the quail, domestic fowl and duck, but uniformly in the turkey. Vimentin intermediate filament immunoreaction in the capsule was moderately and uniformly positive in the testicular capsule of only the quail. Actin and desmin, but not vimentin (except very faintly in the turkey) or cytokeratin, were immunolocalized in the peritubular tissue of all birds. The results therefore establish, or complement, some previous observations that these birds have contractile cells in their testicular capsule and peritubular tissue, whose function probably includes the transport of testicular fluid into the excurrent duct system.

7 CFR 701.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND CERTAIN RELATED PROGRAMS PREVIOUSLY... limited to, dairy or beef cattle; poultry; swine; sheep or goats; fish or other animals raised by aquaculture; other livestock or fowl) for commercial production. Producers of animals raised for recreational...

Assessment of a Nutritional Rehabilitation Model in Two Modern Broilers and Their Jungle Fowl Ancestor: A Model for Better Understanding Childhood Undernutrition

PubMed Central

Baxter, Mikayla F. A.; Latorre, Juan D.; Koltes, Dawn A.; Dridi, Sami; Greene, Elizabeth S.; Bickler, Stephen W.; Kim, Jae H.; Merino-Guzman, Ruben; Hernandez-Velasco, Xochitl; Anthony, Nicholas B.; Bottje, Walter G.; Hargis, Billy M.; Tellez, Guillermo

2018-01-01

This article is the first in a series of manuscripts to evaluate nutritional rehabilitation in chickens as a model to study interventions in children malnutrition (Part 1: Performance, Bone Mineralization, and Intestinal Morphometric Analysis). Inclusion of rye in poultry diets induces a nutritional deficit that leads to increased bacterial translocation, intestinal viscosity, and decreased bone mineralization. However, it is unclear the effect of diet on developmental stage or genetic strain. Therefore, the objective was to determine the effects of a rye diet during either the early or late phase of development on performance, bone mineralization, and intestinal morphology across three diverse genetic backgrounds. Modern 2015 (Cobb 500) broiler chicken, 1995 Cobb broiler chicken, and the Giant Jungle Fowl were randomly allocated into four different dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were (1) a control corn-based diet throughout the trial (corn–corn); (2) an early phase malnutrition diet where chicks received a rye-based diet for 10 days, and then switched to the control diet (rye–corn); (3) a malnutrition rye-diet that was fed throughout the trial (rye–rye); and (4) a late phase malnutrition diet where chicks received the control diet for 10 days, and then switched to the rye diet for the last phase (corn–rye). At 10 days of age, chicks were weighed and diets were switched in groups 2 and 4. At day 20 of age, all chickens were weighed and euthanized to collect bone and intestinal samples. Body weight, weight gain, and bone mineralization were different across diet, genetic line, age and all two- and three-way interactions (P < 0.05). Overall, Jungle Fowl were the most tolerant to a rye-based diet, and both the modern and 1995 broilers were significantly affected by the high rye-based diet. However, the 1995 broilers consuming the rye-based diet appeared to experience more permanent effects when compared with the modern broiler. The results of this study suggest that chickens have a great potential as a nutritional rehabilitation model in human trials. The 1995 broilers line was an intermediate genetic line between the fast growing modern line and the non-selected Jungle Fowl line, suggesting that it would be the most appropriate model to study for future studies. PMID:29629373

Assessment of a Nutritional Rehabilitation Model in Two Modern Broilers and Their Jungle Fowl Ancestor: A Model for Better Understanding Childhood Undernutrition.

PubMed

Baxter, Mikayla F A; Latorre, Juan D; Koltes, Dawn A; Dridi, Sami; Greene, Elizabeth S; Bickler, Stephen W; Kim, Jae H; Merino-Guzman, Ruben; Hernandez-Velasco, Xochitl; Anthony, Nicholas B; Bottje, Walter G; Hargis, Billy M; Tellez, Guillermo

2018-01-01

This article is the first in a series of manuscripts to evaluate nutritional rehabilitation in chickens as a model to study interventions in children malnutrition (Part 1: Performance, Bone Mineralization, and Intestinal Morphometric Analysis). Inclusion of rye in poultry diets induces a nutritional deficit that leads to increased bacterial translocation, intestinal viscosity, and decreased bone mineralization. However, it is unclear the effect of diet on developmental stage or genetic strain. Therefore, the objective was to determine the effects of a rye diet during either the early or late phase of development on performance, bone mineralization, and intestinal morphology across three diverse genetic backgrounds. Modern 2015 (Cobb 500) broiler chicken, 1995 Cobb broiler chicken, and the Giant Jungle Fowl were randomly allocated into four different dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were (1) a control corn-based diet throughout the trial (corn-corn); (2) an early phase malnutrition diet where chicks received a rye-based diet for 10 days, and then switched to the control diet (rye-corn); (3) a malnutrition rye-diet that was fed throughout the trial (rye-rye); and (4) a late phase malnutrition diet where chicks received the control diet for 10 days, and then switched to the rye diet for the last phase (corn-rye). At 10 days of age, chicks were weighed and diets were switched in groups 2 and 4. At day 20 of age, all chickens were weighed and euthanized to collect bone and intestinal samples. Body weight, weight gain, and bone mineralization were different across diet, genetic line, age and all two- and three-way interactions ( P  < 0.05). Overall, Jungle Fowl were the most tolerant to a rye-based diet, and both the modern and 1995 broilers were significantly affected by the high rye-based diet. However, the 1995 broilers consuming the rye-based diet appeared to experience more permanent effects when compared with the modern broiler. The results of this study suggest that chickens have a great potential as a nutritional rehabilitation model in human trials. The 1995 broilers line was an intermediate genetic line between the fast growing modern line and the non-selected Jungle Fowl line, suggesting that it would be the most appropriate model to study for future studies.

9 CFR 147.41 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.... The U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg type chickens. Chickens bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. Exhibition Poultry. Domesticated fowl which are bred for the combined...

9 CFR 147.41 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.... The U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg type chickens. Chickens bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. Exhibition Poultry. Domesticated fowl which are bred for the combined...

9 CFR 147.41 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.... The U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg type chickens. Chickens bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. Exhibition Poultry. Domesticated fowl which are bred for the combined...

9 CFR 147.41 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.... The U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg type chickens. Chickens bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. Exhibition Poultry. Domesticated fowl which are bred for the combined...

9 CFR 147.41 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.... The U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg type chickens. Chickens bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs for human consumption. Exhibition Poultry. Domesticated fowl which are bred for the combined...

''Neither fish nor fowl'' EEC draft on bottle recycling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-05-20

It is reported that an EEC directive on drinks bottle recycling is expected to be announced shortly. The directive is expected to call for member countries to make arrangements for the compulsory return of beer and soft drinks bottles.

7 CFR 1250.500 - Terms defined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., or markets such eggs, including eggs of his own production. (j) Egg products. “Egg products” means... action, including paid advertising, to advance the image or desirability of eggs, egg products, spent... image, desirability, marketability, production, or quality of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, or...

7 CFR 1250.500 - Terms defined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., or markets such eggs, including eggs of his own production. (j) Egg products. “Egg products” means... action, including paid advertising, to advance the image or desirability of eggs, egg products, spent... image, desirability, marketability, production, or quality of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, or...

7 CFR 1250.500 - Terms defined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., or markets such eggs, including eggs of his own production. (j) Egg products. “Egg products” means... action, including paid advertising, to advance the image or desirability of eggs, egg products, spent... image, desirability, marketability, production, or quality of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, or...

7 CFR 1250.500 - Terms defined.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., or markets such eggs, including eggs of his own production. (j) Egg products. “Egg products” means... action, including paid advertising, to advance the image or desirability of eggs, egg products, spent... image, desirability, marketability, production, or quality of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, or...

Deep landscape update of dispersed and tandem repeats in the genome model of the red jungle fowl, Gallus gallus, using a series of de novo investigating tools.

PubMed

Guizard, Sébastien; Piégu, Benoît; Arensburger, Peter; Guillou, Florian; Bigot, Yves

2016-08-19

The program RepeatMasker and the database Repbase-ISB are part of the most widely used strategy for annotating repeats in animal genomes. They have been used to show that avian genomes have a lower repeat content (8-12 %) than the sequenced genomes of many vertebrate species (30-55 %). However, the efficiency of such a library-based strategies is dependent on the quality and completeness of the sequences in the database that is used. An alternative to these library based methods are methods that identify repeats de novo. These alternative methods have existed for a least a decade and may be more powerful than the library based methods. We have used an annotation strategy involving several complementary de novo tools to determine the repeat content of the model genome galGal4 (1.04 Gbp), including identifying simple sequence repeats (SSRs), tandem repeats and transposable elements (TEs). We annotated over one Gbp. of the galGal4 genome and showed that it is composed of approximately 19 % SSRs and TEs repeats. Furthermore, we estimate that the actual genome of the red jungle fowl contains about 31-35 % repeats. We find that library-based methods tend to overestimate TE diversity. These results have a major impact on the current understanding of repeats distributions throughout chromosomes in the red jungle fowl. Our results are a proof of concept of the reliability of using de novo tools to annotate repeats in large animal genomes. They have also revealed issues that will need to be resolved in order to develop gold-standard methodologies for annotating repeats in eukaryote genomes.

Boundary conditions for heat transfer and evaporative cooling in the trachea and air sac system of the domestic fowl: a two-dimensional CFD analysis.

PubMed

Sverdlova, Nina S; Lambertz, Markus; Witzel, Ulrich; Perry, Steven F

2012-01-01

Various parts of the respiratory system play an important role in temperature control in birds. We create a simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of heat exchange in the trachea and air sacs of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) in order to investigate the boundary conditions for the convective and evaporative cooling in these parts of the respiratory system. The model is based upon published values for respiratory times, pressures and volumes and upon anatomical data for this species, and the calculated heat exchange is compared with experimentally determined values for the domestic fowl and a closely related, wild species. In addition, we studied the trachea histologically to estimate the thickness of the heat transfer barrier and determine the structure and function of moisture-producing glands. In the transient CFD simulation, the airflow in the trachea of a 2-dimensional model is evoked by changing the volume of the simplified air sac. The heat exchange between the respiratory system and the environment is simulated for different ambient temperatures and humidities, and using two different models of evaporation: constant water vapour concentration model and the droplet injection model. According to the histological results, small mucous glands are numerous but discrete serous glands are lacking on the tracheal surface. The amount of water and heat loss in the simulation is comparable with measured respiratory values previously reported. Tracheal temperature control in the avian respiratory system may be used as a model for extinct or rare animals and could have high relevance for explaining how gigantic, long-necked dinosaurs such as sauropoda might have maintained a high metabolic rate.

Application of cross-priming amplification (CPA) for detection of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strains.

PubMed

Niczyporuk, Jowita Samanta; Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Samorek-Salamonowicz, Elżbieta

2015-04-01

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are widely distributed among chickens. Detection of FAdVs is mainly accomplished by virus isolation, serological assays, various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). To increase the diagnostic capacity of currently applied techniques, cross-priming amplification (CPA) for the detection of the FAdV hexon gene was developed. The single CPA assay was optimised to detect all serotypes 1-8a-8b-11 representing the species Fowl aviadenovirus A-E. The optimal temperature and incubation time were determined to be 68 °C for 2 h. Using different incubation temperatures, it was possible to differentiate some FAdV serotypes. The results were recorded after addition of SYBR Green I(®) dye, which produced a greenish fluorescence under UV light. The CPA products separated by gel electrophoresis showed different "ladder-like" patterns for the different serotypes. The assay was specific for all serotypes of FAdV, and no cross-reactivity was observed with members of the genus Atadenovirus, duck atadenovirus A (egg drop syndrome virus EDS-76 [EDSV]) or control samples containing Marek's disease virus (MDV), infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) or chicken anaemia virus (CAV). The results of the newly developed FAdV-CPA were compared with those of real-time PCR. The sensitivity of CPA was equal to that of real-time PCR and reached 10(-2.0) TCID50, but the CPA method was more rapid and cheaper than the PCR systems. CPA is a highly specific, sensitive, efficient, and rapid tool for detection of all FAdV serotypes. This is the first report on the application of CPA for detection of FAdV strains.

Characterization of the immunological response to Dermanyssus gallinae infestation in domestic fowl.

PubMed

Harrington, D; Robinson, K; Guy, J; Sparagano, O

2010-04-01

Dermanyssus gallinae is a haematophagous ectoparasite of birds, which adversely affects both production and welfare of commercial poultry. Poultry in commercial production systems chronically exposed to D. gallinae do not appear to develop immunity to the mite. The objective of the current study was to determine the initial immune response of domestic fowl following exposure to D. gallinae. Two groups of birds (11 birds/group) had mite chambers secured to their backs. Controls received no mites, while infested birds received 200 unfed female D. gallinae on day 0 which were then removed on day 1 or 2. Spleen samples were collected on days -1, 1, 2 and 5. The expression of Th1 (IFNgamma, CXCLi2, IL6 and IL18), Th2 (IL4, IL10 and IL13) cytokines/chemokines normalized against a reference gene, GAPDH, were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Although there were no significant differences between treatments, numerical trends were observed. Th2 cytokine expression was not detected in any birds on any day. IL6, CXCLi2, IFNgamma and IL18 expression was increased on day 1 in the infested group, while on day 2 CXCLi2 and IFNgamma were lower and IL6 and IL18 levels were similar between treatments. The IL18 expression was similar between treatments on day 5, while IL6 and IFNgamma levels were increased and CXCLi2 expression was decreased in the infested group. Data suggest that D. gallinae feeding stimulates Th1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines initially (day 1) followed by their subsequent down regulation. This study is the first report of the characterization of the immunological response of the domestic fowl to controlled numbers of D. gallinae.

Organic duckweed management with pelargonic acid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweed (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow moving water surfaces throughout the continental U.S. They are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them formida...

Immunotoxicity of Jet Fuels and Solvents

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-01

to determine health risk 7 assessments for regulatory decision making. These biologic measurements were described as part of the "state-of-the- art ...34 science in developing health risk management plans for the incredible assortment of environmental toxins to which humans can be exposed (Fowle and

21 CFR 558.355 - Monensin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... articles containing monensin intended for use in chickens, turkeys, and quail shall bear the following statements: (i) Do not allow horses, other equines, mature turkeys, or guinea fowl access to feed containing...) Some strains of turkey coccidia may be monensin tolerant or resistant. Monensin may interfere with...

Importance of Indigenous Breeds of Chicken for Rural Economy and Their Improvements for Higher Production Performance

PubMed Central

Padhi, Mahendra Kumar

2016-01-01

Indigenous/native breeds of chickens are playing an important role in rural economies in most of the developing and underdeveloped countries. They play a major role for the rural poor and marginalised section of the people with respect to their subsidiary income and also provide them with nutritious chicken egg and meat for their own consumption. Performance of native fowl can be improved by change in husbandry, feeding, and better health cover. However, genetic improvement may be made either through selection and crossbreeding or by utilisation of both selection and crossbreeding. Improvement through selection may be time consuming but the improvement will be permanent. Through crossbreeding improvement may be faster but research has to aim for the production of native-type birds with higher production potential. In the present review efforts have been made to present the importance of native fowl to rural economy and their improvement for higher production performance. PMID:27144053

Effect of altered 'weight' upon animal tolerance to restraint.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burton, R. R.; Smith, A. H.; Beljan, J. R.

1971-01-01

The effect of altered weight upon animal tolerance to restraint was determined by simulating various accelerative forces with directed lead weights using restrained and nonrestrained domestic fowl (chickens). Weighting (increased weight) and conterweighting (reduced weight) produced a stressed condition - reduced relative lymphocyte counts, loss of body mass, and/or the development of a disorientation syndrome - in both restrained and nonrestrained (caged only) birds. The animal's tolerance to altered weight appeared to be a function of its body weight. Unrestrained birds were stressed by counterweighting (mean plus or minus standard error) 58.3 plus or minus 41% of their body weight, whereas restrained birds tolerated only 32.2 plus or minus 2.6% reduction in body weight. A training regimen for restrained birds was not effective in improving their tolerance to a reduced weight environment. It was concluded that domestic fowl living in a weightless (space) environment should be restrained minimally and supported by ventrally directed tension equivalent to approximately 50% of their body mass (their weight in a 1 G environment).

Host records for Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) from birds of North America (Canada, United States, and Mexico).

PubMed

Knee, Wayne; Proctor, Heather

2007-07-01

The northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago, 1877) (Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) is a broadly distributed blood-feeding parasite that has been collected from many birds of temperate regions. Previously, the most complete host list was published in 1938, and it included 15 North American (Canada, United States, and Mexico) host species. In the process of a general survey of bird-associated mites in Alberta, Canada, we recovered many O. sylviarum specimens. Herein, we update the previous host list with these observations and records published since 1938. We collected mites by washing the bodies of salvaged birds and examining the filtrate. Northern fowl mites were collected from 26 host species, with 16 of these species being the first host records for North America. Including results from the current study, O. sylviarum has been reported from 72 species of North American birds from 26 families. This updated host list will be useful to anyone interested in the role of O. sylviarum in transmission of avian disease.

Influence of hypokinesis on physiological functions in fowl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nvota, J.; Lamosova, D.; Tesarova, D.; Cierna, V.; Vyboh, P.

1979-01-01

The effects of hypokinesis and postincubation stress (which are characteristic for modern techniques of poultry cage keeping) on the endocrine functions, metabolic reactions, body weight growth and proteosynthesis in the muscle of cocks was investigated. The stress due to hypokinesis was observed in growing cocks housed in metallic cages in which they could hardly turn around. The findings obtained indicate that a 35-day hypokinesis did not exert any more significant influence both on physiological functions and body weight growth as well as on proteosynthesis in the muscle of cocks under study; however, it speeded up the protein metabolism in the muscle. The postincubation stress modified significantly the hypokinesis effect. Findings recorded in birds differed considerably from findings obtained in laboratory mammals, in which the hypokinesis induced significant changes in endocrine functions, body weight decrease and proteosynthesis disorders. A good tolerance of hypokinesis by fowl can be interpreted not only by the phylogenetic remoteness of the compared species but also by the domestication.

Characterization of avipoxviruses from wild birds in Norway

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Abstract Avipoxviruses from different geographic regions of the world have been characterized to study their genetic and biological properties, but so far, no such work has been performed on Norwegian isolates. Lesions suggestive of avian pox, found on a Norwegian wild sparrow (Passer domesticus) and wood pigeon (Palumbus palumbus), were obtained in 1972 and 1996, respectively. Histologically, these lesions were demonstrated to be characteristic of poxvirus infections and the poxvirus was observed using an electron microscope. The resulting viruses were propagated in chicken embryo fibroblast cells. Restriction fragment length polymorphism of genomes from 2 Norwegian isolates and fowl pox vaccine strain, generated by BamHI, revealed a high degree of heterogeneity among the isolates. The profiles of avipoxviruses isolated from wild birds were clearly distinct from each other and also to the fowl poxvirus strain. Furthermore, chickens experimentally infected with pigeon poxvirus had higher antibody titers and extensive lesions compared to other isolates. This may suggest that pigeon poxvirus is more virulent than the other isolates. PMID:15188959

21 CFR 520.2325a - Sulfaquinoxaline drinking water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) Chickens. (i) As an aid in the control of outbreaks of coccidiosis caused by Eimeria tenella, E. necatrix... not change litter unless absolutely necessary. Do not give flushing mashes. (3) Chickens and turkeys... sulfaquinoxaline and fowl typhoid caused by Salmonella gallinarum susceptible to sulfaquinoxaline. (ii) Administer...

21 CFR 520.2325a - Sulfaquinoxaline drinking water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) Chickens. (i) As an aid in the control of outbreaks of coccidiosis caused by Eimeria tenella, E. necatrix... not change litter unless absolutely necessary. Do not give flushing mashes. (3) Chickens and turkeys... sulfaquinoxaline and fowl typhoid caused by Salmonella gallinarum susceptible to sulfaquinoxaline. (ii) Administer...

21 CFR 520.2325a - Sulfaquinoxaline drinking water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Chickens. (i) As an aid in the control of outbreaks of coccidiosis caused by Eimeria tenella, E. necatrix... not change litter unless absolutely necessary. Do not give flushing mashes. (3) Chickens and turkeys... sulfaquinoxaline and fowl typhoid caused by Salmonella gallinarum susceptible to sulfaquinoxaline. (ii) Administer...

Festive Fowl

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudecki, Maryanna

2011-01-01

This article presents a multimedia painting lesson based on chickens and their habitats. It describes how the author launched this lesson. Before launching this lesson, the author's third-grade students practice techniques for using tempera paint along with a variety of tools for printmaking. They have knowledge of primary and secondary colors,…

Adjuvants affect duckweed (Lemna minor) control with pelargonic acid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow-moving water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them ...

Pelargonic acid - a potential organic aquatic herbicide for duckweed management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweed (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant, or slow moving, water surfaces throughout the continental U.S. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive habit make...

27 CFR 53.11 - Meaning of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., such as rifles, carbines, machine guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or... respect of which the violation occurs. Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand..., made, and intended to be aimed and fired from one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns...

27 CFR 53.11 - Meaning of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., such as rifles, carbines, machine guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or... respect of which the violation occurs. Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand..., made, and intended to be aimed and fired from one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns...

27 CFR 53.11 - Meaning of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., such as rifles, carbines, machine guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or... respect of which the violation occurs. Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand..., made, and intended to be aimed and fired from one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns...

27 CFR 53.11 - Meaning of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., such as rifles, carbines, machine guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or... respect of which the violation occurs. Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand..., made, and intended to be aimed and fired from one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns...

27 CFR 53.11 - Meaning of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., such as rifles, carbines, machine guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or... respect of which the violation occurs. Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand..., made, and intended to be aimed and fired from one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns...

NUTRIENT SOUIRCES, TRANSPORT, AND FATE IN COUPLED WATERSHED-ESTUARINE SYSTEMS OF COASTAL ALABAMA

EPA Science Inventory

The processes regulating sources, transport, and fate of nutrients were studied in 3 coupled watershed-estuarine systems that varied mainly by differences in the dominant land use-land cover (LULC), i.e. Weeks Bay -- agriculture, Dog River -- urban, and Fowl River -- forest. Mea...

Duckweed control with over-the-top application of pelargonic acid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant, or slow moving, water surfaces throughout the continental U.S. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendenci...

9 CFR 113.328 - Fowl Laryngotracheitis Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... Disregard all deaths during the first 24 hours post-injection. To be a valid test, at least four embryos in... pathogens by the chicken embryo inoculation test prescribed in § 113.37, except that, if the test is inconclusive because of vaccine virus override, the test may be repeated and if the repeat test is inconclusive...

Ultrafast Physics in Semiconductor Microstructures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-19

1588(1983). (27) Y. Silberger . P. W. Smith, D. JI Eienberger, D. A. B. Miller, A. C. Gossard, and W. Wiegmann. Opt. Lett. 9, 507(1984). S(28) B...and G. R. Fowles, in High Pressure Physic, and Chemistry , and Air Force Office of Scientific Research No. 86-003 1. edited by R. S. Bradley (Academic

Data-Driven Performativity: Neoliberalism's Impact on Drama Education in Western Australian Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Kirsten; Wright, Peter R.; Currie, Jan; Pascoe, Robin

2015-01-01

In recent years, the much touted "difficult economic times" has resulted in a drastic reduction in arts and education funding in western capitalist nations (Fowles 2014; Henwood and Featherstone 2013; Murray and Erridge 2012; Smith 2013). Combined with this "age of austerity," schools have been subjected to decades of…

76 FR 12932 - Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Field Testing Fowl Laryngotracheitis-Marek's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... risk analysis, or to request a copy of the environmental assessment (as well as the risk analysis with... Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2011-0011] Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Field Testing... the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning...

29 CFR 780.125 - Raising of poultry in general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Raising of poultry in general. 780.125 Section 780.125... General Scope of Agriculture Raising of Livestock, Bees, Fur-Bearing Animals, Or Poultry § 780.125 Raising of poultry in general. (a) The term “poultry” includes domesticated fowl and game birds. Ducks and...

9 CFR 113.326 - Avian Pox Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Avian Pox Vaccine. 113.326 Section 113... Vaccines § 113.326 Avian Pox Vaccine. Fowl Pox Vaccine and Pigeon Pox Vaccine shall be prepared from virus... this section shall be used for preparing the production seed virus for vaccine production. All serials...

9 CFR 113.326 - Avian Pox Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Avian Pox Vaccine. 113.326 Section 113... Vaccines § 113.326 Avian Pox Vaccine. Fowl Pox Vaccine and Pigeon Pox Vaccine shall be prepared from virus... this section shall be used for preparing the production seed virus for vaccine production. All serials...

9 CFR 113.326 - Avian Pox Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Avian Pox Vaccine. 113.326 Section 113... Vaccines § 113.326 Avian Pox Vaccine. Fowl Pox Vaccine and Pigeon Pox Vaccine shall be prepared from virus... this section shall be used for preparing the production seed virus for vaccine production. All serials...

9 CFR 113.326 - Avian Pox Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Avian Pox Vaccine. 113.326 Section 113... Vaccines § 113.326 Avian Pox Vaccine. Fowl Pox Vaccine and Pigeon Pox Vaccine shall be prepared from virus... this section shall be used for preparing the production seed virus for vaccine production. All serials...

9 CFR 113.326 - Avian Pox Vaccine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Avian Pox Vaccine. 113.326 Section 113... Vaccines § 113.326 Avian Pox Vaccine. Fowl Pox Vaccine and Pigeon Pox Vaccine shall be prepared from virus... this section shall be used for preparing the production seed virus for vaccine production. All serials...

Host Response in Rabbits to Infection with Pasteurella multocida Serogroup F Strains Originating from Fowl Cholera

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The ability of two avian Pasteurella multocida serogroup F strains to induce disease in rabbits was investigated in this study. Two groups of 18 Pasteurella-free rabbits each were intranasally challenged with strains isolated from chicken and turkey, respectively. Half the animals in each challenge ...

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River, St. Croix River Pool.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-11-01

Poa palustris Fowl meadow-grass P Poa pratensis Blue grass Setaria viridis Green foxtail P P P P D Setaria sp. Bristly foxtail P Spartina pectinata...Juneberry) Crataegus spp. (Thorn-Apple) Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Geum canadense (White Avens) Geum laciniatum (Avens) Geum triflorum (Three

Wildlife Habitat Improvement Guide for Minnesota Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halsey, Clifton

This publication outlines projects to increase wildlife, primarily fowl and deer, and to help rural youth better understand wildlife requirements. The publication outlines six basic steps that are involved in initiating a wildlife project. These are: (1) Determine the types of wild animals for which the land is best suited; (2) Study the life…

Fowl Adenoviruses D and E Cause Inclusion Body Hepatitis Outbreaks in Broiler and Broiler Breeder Pullet Flocks.

PubMed

Morshed, Rima; Hosseini, Hossein; Langeroudi, Arash Ghalyanchi; Fard, Mohammad Hassan Bozorgmehri; Charkhkar, Saeid

2017-06-01

Twenty-four fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) were isolated from broiler and broiler breeder pullet flocks in Iran during 2013-2016 and were identified and characterized. All FAdVs were from inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) cases, showing an enlarged and pale yellow liver with multiple petechial hemorrhages. Phylogenetic analyses of partial hexon gene sequences are an adequate and quick method for differentiation and genotyping. The isolates were subjected to PCR to amplify a 590-bp fragment from the hexon gene. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of two species D and E. Eighty FAdV isolates were genetically related to the strain EU979378 of FAdV-11 (96.5% to 97.6% identity), and six isolates were related to the strain EU979375 of FAdV-8b (97% identity). The results indicated that two FAdV serotypes (11 and 8b) are high prevalence serotypes of FAdVs in Iran and are pathogenic enough to cause IBH in young chicks. Therefore, preventive measures against FAdV infection on poultry farms should be implemented.

☆DNA assembly technique simplifies the construction of infectious clone of fowl adenovirus.

PubMed

Zou, Xiao-Hui; Bi, Zhi-Xiang; Guo, Xiao-Juan; Zhang, Zun; Zhao, Yang; Wang, Min; Zhu, Ya-Lu; Jie, Hong-Ying; Yu, Yang; Hung, Tao; Lu, Zhuo-Zhuang

2018-07-01

Plasmid bearing adenovirus genome is generally constructed with the method of homologous recombination in E. coli BJ5183 strain. Here, we utilized Gibson gene assembly technique to generate infectious clone of fowl adenovirus 4 (FAdV-4). Primers flanked with partial inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequence of FAdV-4 were synthesized to amplify a plasmid backbone containing kanamycin-resistant gene and pBR322 origin (KAN-ORI). DNA assembly was carried out by combining the KAN-ORI fragment, virus genomic DNA and DNA assembly master mix. E. coli competent cells were transformed with the assembled product, and plasmids (pKFAV4) were extracted and confirmed to contain viral genome by restriction analysis and sequencing. Virus was successfully rescued from linear pKFAV4-transfected chicken LMH cells. This approach was further verified in cloning of human adenovirus 5 genome. Our results indicated that DNA assembly technique simplified the construction of infectious clone of adenovirus, suggesting its possible application in virus traditional or reverse genetics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Subcellular distribution of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase in the granulosa cells of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus).

PubMed Central

Armstrong, D G

1979-01-01

1. The distribution of 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase was examined in the subcellular fractions of granulosa cells collected from the ovary of the domestic fowl. 2. 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase activity was observed in the mitochondrial (4000g for 20min) and microsomal (105 000g for 120min) fractions. 3. Approximately three times more 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase activity was associated with the cytochrome oxidase activity (a mitochondrial marker enzyme) in anteovulatory-follicle granulosa cells than with that of the postovulatory follicle. 4. Comparison of the latent properties of mitochondrial 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase with those of cytochrome oxidase and isocitrate dehydrogenase indicated that 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase is located extramitochondrially. 5. This apparent distribution of 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase is explained on the basis that the mitochondrial activity is either an artefact caused by a redistribution in the subcellular location of the enzyme, occurring during homogenization, or by the existence of a functionally heterogeneous endoplasmic reticulum that yields particles of widely differing sedimentation properties. PMID:518548

Fowl adenovirus serotype 4: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic detection, and vaccine strategies.

PubMed

Li, P H; Zheng, P P; Zhang, T F; Wen, G Y; Shao, H B; Luo, Q P

2017-08-01

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) serotype-4 is highly pathogenic for chickens, especially for broilers aged 3 to 5 wk, and it has emerged as one of the foremost causes of economic losses to the poultry industry in the last 30 years. The liver is a major target organ of FAdV-4 infections, and virus-infected chickens usually show symptoms of hydropericardium syndrome. The virus is very contagious, and it is spread both vertically and horizontally. It can be isolated from infected liver homogenates and detected by several laboratory diagnostic methods (including an agar gel immunodiffusion test, indirect immunofluorescence assays, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, restriction endonuclease analyses, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time PCR, and high-resolution melting-curve analyses). Although inactivated vaccines have been deployed widely to control the disease, attenuated live vaccines and subunit vaccines also have been developed, and they are more attractive vaccine candidates. This article provides a comprehensive review of FAdV-4, including its epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic detection, and vaccine strategies. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

The structure and innervation of the saccopleural membrane of the domestic fowl, Gallus gallus: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study.

PubMed Central

Cook, R D; Vaillant, C; King, A S

1987-01-01

Microscopic studies have shown the saccopleural membrane in the respiratory system of the domestic fowl to consist of a sheet of three dense layers of collagen fibres covered dorsally and ventrally by mainly simple squamous epithelium. On the ventral surface, which faces into the caudal thoracic air sac, there are occasional ridges of pseudostratified ciliated epithelium. Many nerve bundles are present throughout the membrane, the larger bundles of myelinated and unmyelinated axons being confined to the lamina propria under the dorsal epithelium (parietal pleura). In addition to axonal profiles with the ultrastructural appearance of cholinergic or adrenergic axons, peptidergic-type axons were identified. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated VIP-, substance P-, somatostatin- and enkephalin-immunoreactive fibres in the membrane. Although it has been suggested that receptors may be present in this region of the respiratory system, none of the axons have features suggestive of sensory terminals, although many axonal profiles are closely associated with the epithelia where no obvious effector cells are present. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 PMID:3654325

Immune responses to in ovo vaccine formulations containing inactivated fowl adenovirus 8b with poly[di(sodium carboxylatoethylphenoxy)]phosphazene (PCEP) and avian beta defensin as adjuvants in chickens.

PubMed

Sarfraz, Mishal; Suleman, Muhammed; Tikoo, Suresh K; Wheler, Colette; Potter, Andrew A; Gerdts, Volker; Dar, Arshud

2017-02-07

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is one of the major viral infections causing substantial economic loss to the global poultry industry. The disease is characterized by a sudden onset of mortality (2-30%) and high morbidity (60-70%). IBH is caused by a number of serotypes of fowl adenovirus with substantially low levels of serotype cross protection. Thus far, there is no effective and safe vaccine commercially available in the North America for the control of IBH in chickens. Poly[di(sodium carboxylatoethylphenoxy)]phosphazene (PCEP) is a high molecular weight, biodegradable water soluble polymer that has been well characterized as a safe and effective adjuvant for a number of experimental veterinary vaccines. Similarly, host defence peptides, including β-defensins, have also been shown to exhibit strong adjuvant potential. In this study, we evaluated the adjuvant activity of PCEP and avian beta defensin (ABD) in a vaccine formulation containing inactivated fowl adenovirus (FAdV) serotype 8b administered in ovo. Our data showed that a combination of PCEP and inactivated virus is capable of inducing a robust and long lasting antibody response. Moreover, significant enhancement of IFN-γ, IFN-α, IL-12(p40) and IL-6 gene expression under the influence of PCEP suggests that as an in ovo adjuvant PCEP has the ability to activate a substantial balanced immune response in chickens. To our knowledge, these are the first studies in which PCEP and ABD have been characterized as adjuvants for the development of an in ovo poultry vaccine. It is expected that these preliminary studies will be helpful in the development of safer and more effective in ovo vaccine against IBH and other infectious diseases affecting chickens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Military Chemical/Biological Agents and Compounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

synonym: fowl plague) Bluetongue virus Fungi Foot and mouth disease virus Colletorichum coffeanum var Goat pox virus Cochiliobolus...Swine vesicular disease virus) Virus Rinderpest virus (synonym: Cattle plague Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus Sheep pox virus Teschen disease virus...2) Occurrence. Infection has been documented throughout the US, in Canada, western and central Mexico , Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina

A Place for Individual Enquiry? Why We Would Miss Controlled Assessments in History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowle, Mark; Egelnick, Ben

2013-01-01

Most history teachers will, at some point, recognise the tension between teaching an engaging history course while at the same time meeting the requirements of an exam specification. Mark Fowle and Ben Egelnick reflect here on how they approached teaching a formal requirement of an exam specification. Rather than see "controlled…

21 CFR 520.2220a - Sulfadimethoxine oral solution and soluble powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... containing 12.5 percent (3.75 grams per ounce) sulfadimethoxine, see Nos. 000010, 000069, 054925, 057561, and 059130 in § 510.600(c). (2) For soluble powder, each 107 grams contain the equivalent of 94.6 grams of... percent) grams per gallon. (ii) Indications for use. Treatment of disease outbreaks of coccidiosis, fowl...

21 CFR 520.2220a - Sulfadimethoxine oral solution and soluble powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... containing 12.5 percent (3.75 grams per ounce) sulfadimethoxine, see Nos. 000069, 000859, 054628, 054925, and 057561 in § 510.600(c). (2) For soluble powder, each 107 grams contain the equivalent of 94.6 grams of... percent) grams per gallon. (ii) Indications for use. Treatment of disease outbreaks of coccidiosis, fowl...

21 CFR 520.2220a - Sulfadimethoxine oral solution and soluble powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... containing 12.5 percent (3.75 grams per ounce) sulfadimethoxine, see Nos. 000010, 000069, 054925, 057561, and 059130 in § 510.600(c). (2) For soluble powder, each 107 grams contain the equivalent of 94.6 grams of... percent) grams per gallon. (ii) Indications for use. Treatment of disease outbreaks of coccidiosis, fowl...

21 CFR 520.2220a - Sulfadimethoxine oral solution and soluble powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... containing 12.5 percent (3.75 grams per ounce) sulfadimethoxine, see Nos. 000010, 000069, 000859, 054925, and 057561 in § 510.600(c). (2) For soluble powder, each 107 grams contain the equivalent of 94.6 grams of... percent) grams per gallon. (ii) Indications for use. Treatment of disease outbreaks of coccidiosis, fowl...

21 CFR 520.2220a - Sulfadimethoxine oral solution and soluble powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... containing 12.5 percent (3.75 grams per ounce) sulfadimethoxine, see Nos. 000010, 000069, 054925, 057561, and 059130 in § 510.600(c). (2) For soluble powder, each 107 grams contain the equivalent of 94.6 grams of... percent) grams per gallon. (ii) Indications for use. Treatment of disease outbreaks of coccidiosis, fowl...

Presence of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum in commercial laying hens diagnosed with Fowl Typhoid Disease in Colombia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

: A severe outbreak of salmonellosis in commercial brown table egg layers first occurred in Colombia in 2006. From 2008 to 2012, 35 samples collected from commercial layers farms in the states of Cundinamarca, Santander, Bolivar and San Andres, were positive to Salmonella enterica. Salmonella (S) wa...

General Models for Automated Essay Scoring: Exploring an Alternative to the Status Quo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, P. Adam

2005-01-01

Powers, Burstein, Chodorow, Fowles, and Kukich (2002) suggested that automated essay scoring (AES) may benefit from the use of "general" scoring models designed to score essays irrespective of the prompt for which an essay was written. They reasoned that such models may enhance score credibility by signifying that an AES system measures the same…

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

Economic comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow moving, water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make the...

Histopathological characterization and shedding dynamics of LPAI H6N2 in Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) infected experimentally

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Guineafowl of different ages were inoculated intravenously with a H6N2 wild waterfowl-origin low-pathogenicity type A influenza virus. No evidence of clinical disease was observed. The examined infected birds had atrophy of the spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius when compared to the non-infect...

Nonlinear Waves in a Rod. Results for Incompressible Elastic Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

C4- 0 0 *0 0 4) ’ 4 CAO tn- Ccd I coN ------------------------------------------ ’ - )4j REFERENCES 1. Antman , S. S., "The Theory of Rods," Handbuch...of Mathematics Department of Physics ATTN: Prof. S. Antman ATTN: Dr. R. Fowles College Park, MD 20740 Dr. G. Duvall Pullman, WA 99163 University of

Comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free-floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow moving water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl. But their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them...

Economic comparison of two application methods for potential organic control of duckweed utilizing pelargonic acid as an aquatic herbicide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are small, free-floating, aquatic plants that flourish on stagnant or slow-moving water surfaces throughout the world. Members of the genus are among the smallest flowering plants, providing food for fish and fowl, but their aggressive growth and invasive tendencies make them...

Establishment patterns of water-elm at Catahoula Lake, Louisiana

Treesearch

Karen S. Doerr; Sanjeev Joshi; Richard F. Keim

2015-01-01

At Catahoula Lake in central Louisiana, an internationally important lake for water fowl, hydrologic alterations to the surrounding rivers and the lake itself have led to an expansion of water-elm (Planera aquatic J.F. Gmel.) into the lake bed. In this study, we used dendrochronology and aerial photography to quantify the expansion of water-elm in the lake and identify...

Basrah Modern Slaughterhouse, Basrah, Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-27

pigs (for pork) goats (for chevon) fowl (chickens, turkeys, and ducks for poultry meat ) Slaughtering animals poses significant public health...techniques result in the unnecessary loss of meat and meat by- products. Slaughtering facilities are frequently contaminated and may not be protected...from dogs, rodents, and insects. Meat products coming from such conditions are often deteriorated due to bacterial infection or contamination, which

Hazards of domestic pets. Ringworm and other skin conditions.

PubMed

Keep, J M

1977-12-01

Domestic pets may be responsible for a number of skin eruptions in man. Whilst ringworm due to Microsporum canis is one of the most common of these conditions in this country, trichophyton infection, flea bite dermatitis, cheyletiella dermatitis, canine scabies and traumatic dermatitis are by no means rare. Less frequently encountered conditions include creeping eruption, favus, fowl-mite dermatitis and allergic dermatitis.

9 CFR 145.34 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid-Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

9 CFR 145.24 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

9 CFR 145.34 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid-Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

9 CFR 145.24 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

9 CFR 145.34 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid-Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

9 CFR 145.24 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with... § 145.93(b)(3)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have...

Comparative genome analysis of an avirulent and two virulent strains of avian Pasteurella multocida reveals candidate genes involved in fitness and pathogenicity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fowl cholera is a highly contagious systemic disease affecting wild and domestic birds, frequently resulting in high morbidity and mortality. The causative agent is Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida). The completed genome of P. multocida strain Pm70 has been available for over eleven years and has...

Testosterone: from initiating change to modulating social organisation in domestic fowl ( Gallus gallus domesticus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, John P.; Murphy, Kenneth J.; Bannon, Finian J.; Hynes, Niamh M.; Hayden, Thomas J.

2009-07-01

Testosterone (T) concentrations in many species are sensitive to seasonal changes and to changes in social conditions. However, the effect of the natural or endogenous T increase in the juvenile on their social behaviour is not well understood. In this study, T and behaviour were measured from the pro-social juvenile to the adult stage in semi-feral domestic fowl. During the pro-social phase T levels and the distance chicks maintained between each other, i.e. inter-individual distance (IID) were low. Then, as T increased, a corresponding increase in IID occurred and continued in males until dispersal to individual adult male territories. In the new and initially stable adult social structure, T declined and IID remained high, indicating a new behavioural mechanism was in place. Males first mated as T levels were declining. They were then challenged; then T increased, and then IID increased again. Adult male T levels fluctuate, being low or declining in a socially stable environment and increasing following a challenge, suggesting a regulatory or modulating role for T. The results are consistent with T having an endogenous role: in the juvenile, driving behavioural change towards adulthood, and in adulthood, a modulating role regulating social organisation.

Shapes of Differential Pulse Voltammograms and Level of Metallothionein at Different Animal Species.

PubMed

Adam, Vojtech; Beklova, Miroslava; Pikula, Jiri; Hubalek, Jaromir; Trnkova, Libuse; Kizek, Rene

2007-10-19

Metallothioneins play a key role in maintaining homeostasis of essential metalsand in protecting of cells against metal toxicity as well as oxidative damaging. Exceptinghumans, blood levels of metallothionein have not yet been reported from any animalspecies. Blood plasma samples of 9 animal species were analysed by the adsorptive transferstripping technique to obtain species specific voltammograms. Quite distinct records wereobtained from the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), while other interesting records were observedin samples from the European Bison (Bison bonasus bonasus) and the Red-eared Slider(Trachemys scripta elegans). To quantify metallothionein the catalytic peak Cat2 was used,well developed in the Domestic Fowl (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and showing a very lowsignal in the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). The highest levels of metallothionein reachingover 20 μM were found in the Domestic Fowl. High levels of MT were also found in theBearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus). The lowestvalues of about 1-3 μM were determined in the Red-eared Slider, Takin and Red Deer. Employing a simple electrochemical detection it was possible to examine variation in blood metallothionein in different species of vertebrates.

Shapes of Differential Pulse Voltammograms and Level of Metallothionein at Different Animal Species

PubMed Central

Adam, Vojtech; Beklova, Miroslava; Pikula, Jiri; Hubalek, Jaromir; Trnkova, Libuse; Kizek, Rene

2007-01-01

Metallothioneins play a key role in maintaining homeostasis of essential metals and in protecting of cells against metal toxicity as well as oxidative damaging. Excepting humans, blood levels of metallothionein have not yet been reported from any animal species. Blood plasma samples of 9 animal species were analysed by the adsorptive transfer stripping technique to obtain species specific voltammograms. Quite distinct records were obtained from the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), while other interesting records were observed in samples from the European Bison (Bison bonasus bonasus) and the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). To quantify metallothionein the catalytic peak Cat2 was used, well developed in the Domestic Fowl (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and showing a very low signal in the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). The highest levels of metallothionein reaching over 20 µM were found in the Domestic Fowl. High levels of MT were also found in the Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus). The lowest values of about 1-3 µM were determined in the Red-eared Slider, Takin and Red Deer. Employing a simple electrochemical detection it was possible to examine variation in blood metallothionein in different species of vertebrates. PMID:28903235

Polymerase chain reaction assay for verifying the labeling of meat and commercial meat products from game birds targeting specific sequences from the mitochondrial D-loop region.

PubMed

Rojas, M; González, I; Pavón, M A; Pegels, N; Hernández, P E; García, T; Martín, R

2010-05-01

A PCR assay was developed for the identification of meats and commercial meat products from quail (Coturnix coturnix), pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), partridge (Alectoris spp.), guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), pigeon (Columba spp.), Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), and song thrush (Turdus philomelos) based on oligonucleotide primers targeting specific sequences from the mitochondrial D-loop region. The primers designed generated specific fragments of 96, 100, 104, 106, 147, 127, and 154 bp in length for quail, pheasant, partridge, guinea fowl, pigeon, Eurasian woodcock, and song thrush tissues, respectively. The specificity of each primer pair was tested against DNA from various game and domestic species. In this work, satisfactory amplification was accomplished in the analysis of experimentally pasteurized (72 degrees C for 30 min) and sterilized (121 degrees C for 20 min) meats, as well as in commercial meat products from the target species. The technique was also applied to raw and sterilized muscular binary mixtures, with a detection limit of 0.1% (wt/wt) for each of the targeted species. The proposed PCR assay represents a rapid and straightforward method for the detection of possible mislabeling in game bird meat products.

Endogenous avian leukosis viral loci in the Red Jungle Fowl genome assembly.

PubMed

Benkel, Bernhard; Rutherford, Katherine

2014-12-01

The current build (galGal4) of the genome of the ancestor of the modern chicken, the Red Jungle Fowl, contains a single endogenous avian leukosis viral element (ALVE) on chromosome 1 (designated RSV-LTR; family ERVK). The assembly shows the ALVE provirus juxtaposed with a member of a second family of avian endogenous retroviruses (designated GGERV20; family ERVL); however, the status of the 3' end of the ALVE element as well as its flanking region remain unclear due to a gap in the reference genome sequence. In this study, we filled the gap in the assembly using a combination of long-range PCR (LR-PCR) and a short contig present in the unassembled portion of the reference genome database. Our results demonstrate that the ALVE element (ALVE-JFevB) is inserted into the putative envelope region of a GGERV20 element, roughly 1 kbp from its 3' end, and that ALVE-JFevB is complete, and depending on its expression status, potentially capable of directing the production of virus. Moreover, the unassembled portion of the genome database contains junction fragments for a second, previously characterized endogenous proviral element, ALVE-6. ©2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Genetic trend in economic traits in Iranian native fowl.

PubMed

Ghorbani, S H; Kamali, M A

2007-09-15

Genetic parameters were estimated in base population of a closed experimental strain fowl, from data issued from 13 successive generations of selection. This population had been selected for body weight at 12 weeks of age (BW12) and egg number during the first 12 weeks of laying period (EN), mean egg weight at 28th, 30th, 32nd weeks and Age at Sexual Maturity (ASM). Data were obtained on 35461 Iranian native hens belonging to breeding center for Fars province in Iran. The method of multi-traits restricted maximum likelihood with an animal model was used to estimate genetic parameters. Resulting heritabilities for BW12, EN, EW and ASM were 0.58, 0.34, 0.62 and 0.49, respectively. Genetic correlations between BW12 and EN, EW and ASM were -0.06, 0.49 and 0.02, respectively. Genetic correlations between EN and EW and ASM were -0.26 and-0.77, respectively, while between EW and ASM, it was 0.20. The overall predicted genetic gains, after 13 generations of selection, estimated by the regression coefficients of the breeding value on generation number were equal to 9.55, 0.99, 0.05 and -1.66, for BW12, EN, EW and ASM, respectively.

Worldwide Report, Epidemiology

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-28

California, Yucatan AIDS 36 AIDS Contracted in U.S. 36 MOZAMBIQUE Briefs NETHERLANDS I o7 Polio, Measles Vaccinations J/ Government on Spread of AIDS...CALIFORNIA, YUCATAN AIDS—It has been confirmed that three persons have died in Baja California and Yucatan as a result of acquired Immune deficiency...breeds and nutrition . Grazing schemes could be initiated. Fridges would hold vaccines for rabies, anthrax, quarter evil and fowl pox and the list

Biotransformation and accumulation of selenium inside organisms in an engineered aquatic ecosystem designed for bioremediation of Se from agriculture drainage water and brine shrimp production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Excessive selenium (Se) in soils and waters present in the westside of central California was determined to be responsible for ecotoxicities observed in water fowl frequenting large bodies of water, i.e., evaporation ponds. In order to monitor the fate and potentially design an aquatic Se remediatio...

Molecular differentiation and pathogenicity of Aviadenoviruses isolated during an outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis in South Africa.

PubMed

Joubert, Hilda W; Aitchison, Henry; Maartens, Louis H; Venter, Estelle H

2014-11-05

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) is a member of the genus Aviadenovirus and causes a number of economically important poultry diseases. One of these diseases, inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), has a worldwide distribution and is characterised by acute mortality (5% - 20%) in production chickens. The disease was first described in the United States of America in 1963 and has also been reported in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France and Ireland, but until now, not in South Africa. Adenoviruses isolated from the first outbreak of IBH in South Africa were able to reproduce the disease in chicken embryo livers. The aim of the present study was to characterise the viruses and determine the pathogenicity of the FAdV strains responsible for the first reported case of IBH in South Africa. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the L1 loop region of the fowl adenovirus hexon gene using degenerate primer pair hexon A/B was used to identify the viruses that were isolated. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the amplification products was used for the differentiation of 14 isolates of fowl adenovirus. Sequencing of the PCR products followed by amino acid comparison and phylogenetic analysis using the L1 loop region of the hexon protein was done to determine the identity of the isolates. Amino acid sequences of the hexon genes of all the South African isolates were compared with those of reference strains representing FAdV species. Amino acid comparison of 12 South Africa field isolates to FAdV reference strains revealed a high sequence identity (> 93.33%) with reference strains T8-A and 764. Two of the isolates had high sequence identity (93.40%) with reference strains P7-A, C2B and SR48. Phylogenetic analysis of the L1 loop region of the hexon protein of all 14 South African isolates was consistent with their RFLP clusters. The mortality rates of embryos challenged with 106 egg infective doses (EID50) FAdV 2 were 80% - 87% and mortality rates for embryos challenged with 105.95 (EID50) FAdV 8b were 65% - 80%.

Comparative analysis of the development of wing-flapping and flight in the fowl.

PubMed

Provine, R R; Strawbridge, C L; Harrison, B J

1984-01-01

The development of wing-flapping rate, lateral flight, wing area, and the ratio of wing area to body weight are described in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and three chickens (Gallus gallus) to determine common developmental phenomena and to assess the effects of domestication. The chickens were the White Leghorn (a commercial egg producer), the Cornish X Rock (a commercial meat producer), and the Red Jungle fowl (the probable ancestor of domestic chickens). All birds performed drop-evoked wing-flapping on the day of hatching, at least 1 week before lateral flight was possible. Flapping rate of chickens doubled between hatching (approximately 4-6 Hz) and 13 days (approximately 9-12 Hz), after which it leveled off. Japanese quail (JQ) maintained a high flapping rate (approximately 11-13 Hz) during the 21 days after hatching. The Jungle fowl (JF) and JQ flapped the fastest and the White Leghorn (WL) and Cornish X Rock (CR) chickens flapped the slowest. The JF, WL, and JQ developed lateral flight at 7-9 days. The CR first flew 1-2 weeks later but subsequently became flightless. The WL, JF, and JQ had similar ratios of wing area to body weight; the ratios increased to a peak at 11-15 days and later declined. The ratio of the very heavy, essentially flightless, CR was approximately one-half that of the flighted JQ, WL, and JF. The wing-flapping frequencies of the domestic WL and CR chickens approximated that of the JF, suggesting that domestication did not affect the motor pattern generator for flight. The artificial selection of the CR for high body weight drastically diminished its flight performance by producing an unfavorable ratio of wing area to body weight. The JF and the domestic WL both flew well and had similar ratios. Domestication affected flight performance but not the neural circuitry producing wing-flapping. The central nervous system is much more conservative in its response to selection than the peripheral effector structures that it drives.

Inactivation of Viruses by Benzalkonium Chloride

PubMed Central

Armstrong, J. A.; Froelich, E. J.

1964-01-01

Benzalkonium chloride (as Roccal or Zephiran) was found to inactivate influenza, measles, canine distemper, rabies, fowl laryngotracheitis, vaccinia, Semliki Forest, feline pneumonitis, meningopneumonitis, and herpes simplex viruses after 10 min of exposure at 30 C or at room temperature. Poliovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus were not inactivated under the same conditions. It was concluded that all viruses tested were sensitive except members of the picorna group. The literature was reviewed. PMID:4288740

Pathotypic and molecular characterization of a fowl adenovirus associated with inclusion body hepatitis in Saskatchewan chickens.

PubMed

Dar, Arshud; Gomis, Susantha; Shirley, Ian; Mutwiri, George; Brownlie, Robert; Potter, Andrew; Gerdts, Volker; Tikoo, Suresh K

2012-03-01

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is one of the major global disease problems, causing significant economic losses to poultry industry of the United States and Canada. The disease is characterized by its sudden onset and high mortalities. Amongst different serotypes of fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) associated with IBH, serotype 8 of group I FAdV has been isolated from majority of IBH cases. In present studies, we isolated a FAdV from morbid liver of a 17-day-old broiler from a Saskatchewan broiler farm. This newly isolated virus was designated as IBHV(SK). However, based on the sequence analysis of the L1 region of the hexon gene, the IBHV(SK) may be classified as FAdV 8b strain 764. These studies describe for the first time the complete hexon gene sequence of FAdV serotype 8b. Experimental infection of 2-day-old (n = 48) and 2-wk-old (n = 56) chicks caused 83% and 43% mortalities, respectively. Determination of the complete hexon gene sequence of IBHV(SK) with establishment of a disease model in chickens will facilitate the development of type-specific diagnostic reagents and assays for the evaluation of potential experimental vaccines against pathogenic FAdV infections.

Escape and surveillance asymmetries in locusts exposed to a Guinea fowl-mimicking robot predator.

PubMed

Romano, Donato; Benelli, Giovanni; Stefanini, Cesare

2017-10-09

Escape and surveillance responses to predators are lateralized in several vertebrate species. However, little is known on the laterality of escapes and predator surveillance in arthropods. In this study, we investigated the lateralization of escape and surveillance responses in young instars and adults of Locusta migratoria during biomimetic interactions with a robot-predator inspired to the Guinea fowl, Numida meleagris. Results showed individual-level lateralization in the jumping escape of locusts exposed to the robot-predator attack. The laterality of this response was higher in L. migratoria adults over young instars. Furthermore, population-level lateralization of predator surveillance was found testing both L. migratoria adults and young instars; locusts used the right compound eye to oversee the robot-predator. Right-biased individuals were more stationary over left-biased ones during surveillance of the robot-predator. Individual-level lateralization could avoid predictability during the jumping escape. Population-level lateralization may improve coordination in the swarm during specific group tasks such as predator surveillance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of lateralized predator-prey interactions in insects. Our findings outline the possibility of using biomimetic robots to study predator-prey interaction, avoiding the use of real predators, thus achieving standardized experimental conditions to investigate complex and flexible behaviours.

Molecular epidemiology of hydropericardium syndrome outbreak-associated serotype 4 fowl adenovirus isolates in central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Teng; Jin, Qianyue; Ding, Peiyang; Wang, Yinbiao; Chai, Yongxiao; Li, Yafei; Liu, Xiao; Luo, Jun; Zhang, Gaiping

2016-11-18

In several parts of China, there have been a large number of hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) outbreaks caused by serotype 4 fowl adenovirus (FAdV-4) in broiler chickens since 2015. These outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains were distinct from previous circulating strains which did not lead to severe HPS outbreaks. To better understand the molecular epidemiology of the currently circulating FAdV strains for effective diagnosis and treatment of HPS, we isolated 12 HPS outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains from different regions in central China and investigated their molecular characteristics by performing phylogenetic analyses based on the hexon genes. Our results indicated the FAdV-4 strains in this study all belonged to serotype FAdV-4, species FAdV-C. And in comparison with ON1, KR5, MX-SHP95, PK-01, PJ-06 strains within the cluster where outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains were located, the nucleotide sequence divergence were 1.31, 1.10, 1.42, 2.77 and 2.84%, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the hexon genes of the 12 outbreak-associated strains clustered to a relatively independent branch of the tree, and evolved from the same ancestor and we suggested that these outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains originate from earlier strains in India.

Processing temperature and moisture content effects on the texture and microscopic appearance of cooked fowl meat gels.

PubMed

Voller, L M; Dawson, P L; Han, I Y

1996-12-01

New aseptic processes are being used and refined to produce convenient, shelf stable liquid products containing meat particles. These processes utilize high temperature, short time thermal treatments to minimize food quality change; however, little research has been conducted on the effects of this process on the texture of meat from mature hens traditionally used for canning. The objective of this study was to examine textural and structural changes in meat structure due to different high temperature (HT) heat treatments and meat moisture contents were examined by use of electron microscopy and torsion analyses. Cooked gels of different moisture contents (71.2 to 74.8%) were formulated from spent fowl breast meat and exposed to processing temperatures of 120 or 124 C. The HT processing resulted in stronger (tougher) meat gels that were more deformable (more chewy) than gels that were not processed by HT. Water added prior to cooking was not retained in samples that were cooked and then processed at 124 C, but was retained in the samples processed at 120 C. Electron micrographs showed a more organized and open gel structure in the samples with higher moisture content and lower temperature (120 C) processing compared to the lower moisture and higher (124 C) temperature treatments.

Comparison of the structure, crystallography and composition of eggshells of the guinea fowl and graylag goose.

PubMed

Pérez-Huerta, Alberto; Dauphin, Yannicke

2016-02-01

The structure and composition of the eggshells of two commercial species (guinea fowl and greylag goose) have been studied. Thin sections and scanning electron microcopy show the similarity of the overall structure, but the relative thickness of the layers differs in these two taxa. Atomic force microscopy shows that the different layers are composed of rounded, heterogeneous granules, the diameter of which is between 50 and 100 nm, with a thin cortex. Infrared data and thermogravimetric analyses show that both eggshells are made of calcite, but differing on the quality and quantity when the organic component is considered. Chemical maps show that chemical element distribution is not uniform within a sample, and differs between the species, but with low magnesium content. Electron back scattered diffraction confirms the eggshells are calcite, but the microtexture strongly differs between the two species. Based on the chemical-structural differences, a species-specific biological control on the biomineralization is found, despite the rapid formation of an eggshell. Overall results indicate that to estimate the quality of eggshells, such as resistance to breakage, is not a straightforward process because of the high complexity of avian eggshell biomineralization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Detection of four important Eimeria species by multiplex PCR in a single assay.

PubMed

You, Myung-Jo

2014-06-01

The oocysts of some of the recognized species of chicken coccidiosis are difficult to distinguish morphologically. Diagnostic laboratories are increasingly utilizing DNA-based technologies for the specific identification of Eimeria species. This study reports a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) for the simultaneous diagnosis of the Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria necatrix species, which infect domestic fowl. Primer pairs specific to each species were designed in order to generate a ladder of amplification products ranging from 20 to 25 bp, and a common optimum annealing temperature for these species was determined to be 52.5 °C. Sensitivity tests were performed for each species, showing a detection threshold of 1-5 pg. All the species were amplified homogeneously, and a homogenous band ladder was observed, indicating that the assay permitted the simultaneous detection of all the species in a single-tube reaction. In the phylogenic study, there was a clear species clustering, which was irrespective of geographical location, for all the ITS-1 sequences used. This multiplex PCR assay represents a rapid and potential cost-effective diagnostic method for the detection of some key Eimeria species that infect domestic fowl. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study of Waste Management within the COL Florence A. Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

besnoiti Borna disease virus Bovine infectious petechial fever virus Camel pox virus Ephemeral fever virus Fowl plague virus Goat pox virus Hog...Varicella virus Vole rickettsia Yellow fever virus, 17D vaccine strain 69 Class 3 Alastrun, smallpox, monkeypox, and whitepox, when used in vitro Arbovirus...animal inoculation experiments Vesicular stomatitis virus Yellow fever virus - wild when used in vitro Class 4 Alastrun, smallpox, monkeypox, and

Great River Environmental Action team (GREAT II). Literature Review of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

and found that high water and impoundment conditions stimulated increased growth . Growth rates within as well as among pools were similar and growth ...water- fowl and waterbirds; other birds were included in the category General Wildlife. Bacteria were included in the category General Water Quality...Spawning and Reproduction b. Age and Growth c. Feeding Habits d. Distribution, Movement and Abundance e. Management Techniques f. Parasites and Diseases 2

USSR Report. Consumer Goods and Domestic Trade, No. 78.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-10

Supplies (Moscow Domestic Service, 12 Oct 83) 50 Expanding Trade in Collective Farm Markets (M. Malyshenko; SOVETSKAYA TORGOVLYA, No 7 , Jul 83...current concerns of our party is the improvement in the quality of life of the Soviet people . This is clearly evident in the Food Program of the USSR...the agricultural organizations must provide the people with stocks of young animals and fowl. Today the collective and state farms sell to the

Chesapeake Bay Low Freshwater Inflow Study. Biota Assessment. Phase I. Volume I.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

Percentage as Larvae Containing Food Item . . . 70 111-9. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Found in Maryland and Virginia Waters of the Chesapeake Bay ... .... 74...Composition or the 1977 and 1978 Water - fowl Hunting Kill for Maryland and Virginia. . . . 117 IV-1. Annual Mean Freshwater Inflow to Chesapeake Bay...15C IV-3. Sumary of Water Quality Factors Impacting the Low Freshwater Inflow on Biota .. ............. 163 IV-4. Ranked Relative Importance of

The physiology and biochemistry of total body immobilization in animals: A compendium of research. [bibliographies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorchak, K. J.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1976-01-01

Major studies that describe the physiological and biochemical mechanisms which operate during total body restraint (confinement in cages for example) are presented. The metabolism and behavior of various animals used in medical research (dogs, monkeys, rats, fowl) was investigated and wherever possible a detailed annotation for each study is provided under the subheadings: (a) purposes, (b) procedures and methods, (c) results, and (d) conclusions. Selected references are also included.

Concentrations of pituitary, gonadal and adrenal hormones in serum of laying and broody white rock hens (Gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Bedrak, E; Harvey, S; Chadwick, A

1981-05-01

Diurnal variations in circulating concentrations of LH, GH, prolactin, corticosterone, oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone were followed in laying and broody White Rock domestic fowl. Throughout the 24 h study prolactin concentrations in serum were consistently (two- to fourfold) higher in broody than in laying birds, in which the prolactin level varied with the light:darkness or ovulatory cycles. Concentrations of GH in serum tended to be lower in broody birds but in both groups were very variable and showed no obvious relationship with either the lighting or ovulatory cycles. Broodiness was also characterized by low LH and gonadal steroid levels and by the absence of preovulatory peaks in the serum concentrations of these hormones. A diurnal rhythm in corticosterone was observed in both the laying and broody birds, with high levels during the period of darkness. Corticosterone concentrations were markedly higher in the broody birds than in laying birds during most of the 24 h study. No diurnal rhythm in the blood haematocrit level was observed in either group, although the level was generally lower in broody birds. This difference, however, was insufficient to account for the lower LH and gonadal steroid levels in the broody birds. The results suggest that prolactin is involved in the initiation or maintenance of broodiness in the fowl and the possibility of an antigonadal role for the hormone is discussed.

Specific-pathogen-free chickens vaccinated with a live FAdV-4 vaccine are fully protected against a severe challenge even in the absence of neutralizing antibodies.

PubMed

Schonewille, Esther; Jaspers, Ron; Paul, Guntram; Hess, Michael

2010-06-01

By adapting a very virulent fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) to a fibroblast cell line (QT35) instead of growing the virus in chicken embryo liver cells or chicken kidney cells, it was possible to attenuate the virus. Birds infected with the attenuated virus (FAdV-4/QT35) on the first day of life expressed no adverse clinical signs and no mortality. Intramuscular challenge with the virulent virus grown on chicken embryo liver cells (FAdV-4/CEL) at 21 days of life induced high mortality in previously nonvaccinated birds, whereas none of the birds vaccinated at 1 day old with FAdV-4/QT35 died due to this challenge. Applying enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and virus neutralization assay, only a weak antibody response could be detected in some birds following vaccination, a response that increased directly after challenge. Nonvaccinated birds displayed a delayed development of antibodies after challenge as compared to previously vaccinated birds. Even birds that did not develop a measurable neutralizing antibody titer prior to challenge were protected from the adverse effects of the virulent FAdV-4/CEL, a phenomenon not described so far for FAdVs. Altogether, the present investigation underlines that neutralizing antibodies are not needed to protect chickens against a severe infection with a virulent fowl adenovirus.

Assessment of antimicrobial usage and residues in commercial chicken eggs from smallholder poultry keepers in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania.

PubMed

Nonga, H E; Simon, C; Karimuribo, E D; Mdegela, R H

2010-08-01

Occurrence of antimicrobial residues in commercial chicken eggs was determined in Morogoro municipality between January and February 2007. Twenty smallholder farmers were interviewed on the types of antimicrobials, reasons of use and their awareness on antimicrobial withdrawal period. Seventy egg samples were collected for qualitative antimicrobial drug residues analysis by use of agar well diffusion and Delvotest SP assays. It was found that farmers use antimicrobial drugs as prophylaxis and treatment of common chicken diseases namely fowl typhoid (85%), infectious bursa disease (Gumboro) (65%) infectious coryza (65%), collibacilosis (55%), coccidiosis (54%), Newcastle disease (50%), helminthosis (20%) and fowl pox (15%). Antimicrobials accounted for 85% of the drugs commonly used. It was also found that 65% of the farmers treat their chicken themselves. The common drugs were oxytetracycline (75%), egg booster (50%), amprolium (35%), sulphamethoxypyridazine (35%), sulphanilamide (25%), chlortetracyclines (10%), chloramphenicol (10%), sulphadiazine-trimethoprim (20%), duoxycycline (20%), sulphadiazine (25%) and flumequine (10%). Eighty per cent of the farmers had knowledge on antimicrobial withdrawal period sold eggs before withdrawal period and almost 85% were unaware of possible effects of antimicrobial residues in humans. All 70 eggs were positive to antimicrobial residues by Delvotest kit, but 21.4% positive with agar well diffusion test. It was concluded that the presence of antimicrobial residues in table eggs could be of public health significance to the egg consumers in Morogoro municipality.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis between Indian red jungle fowl and domestic chicken using microsatellite markers.

PubMed

Kumar, Vinay; Shukla, Sanjeev K; Mathew, Jose; Sharma, Deepak

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity, population structure, and relatedness in Indian red jungle fowl (RJF, Gallus gallus murgi) from northern India and three domestic chicken populations (gallus gallus domesticus), maintained at the institute farms, namely White Leghorn (WL), Aseel (AS) and Red Cornish (RC) using 25 microsatellite markers. All the markers were polymorphic, the number of alleles at each locus ranged from five (MCW0111) to forty-three (LEI0212) with an average number of 19 alleles per locus. Across all loci, the mean expected heterozygosity and polymorphic information content were 0.883 and 0.872, respectively. Population-specific alleles were found in each population. A UPGMA dendrogram based on shared allele distances clearly revealed two major clusters among the four populations; cluster I had genotypes from RJF and WL whereas cluster II had AS and RC genotypes. Furthermore, the estimation of population structure was performed to understand how genetic variation is partitioned within and among populations. The maximum ▵K value was observed for K = 4 with four identified clusters. Furthermore, factorial analysis clearly showed four clustering; each cluster represented the four types of population used in the study. These results clearly, demonstrate the potential of microsatellite markers in elucidating the genetic diversity, relationships, and population structure analysis in RJF and domestic chicken populations.

Engineering Tough Materials: Biomimetic Eggshell

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-30

as for chicke , go se, turkey, duck, guinea fowl, pheasant[21], nd ostrich[41], rhea and emu[42]. There are differences in the amino acid sequences of...modified  to  incorporate  a  wide   range  of  organic  molecules  [ Meldrum  2003],  both  natural  and  synthetic,  to...by a 24-h soak in 5% by weight ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution, pH 7.4, made from powdered EDTA and NaOH pellets (Sigma- Aldrich

Influence of the ambient acceleration field upon acute acceleration tolerance in chickens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, A. H.; Spangler, W. L.; Rhode, E. A.; Burton, R. R.

1979-01-01

The paper measured the acceleration tolerance of domestic fowl (Rhode Island Red cocks), acutely exposed to a 6 Gz field, as the time over which a normal heart rate can be maintained. This period of circulatory adjustment ends abruptly with pronounced bradycardia. For chickens which previously have been physiologically adapted to 2.5 -G field, the acute acceleration tolerance is greatly increased. The influence of the ambient acceleration field on the adjustment of the circulatory system appears to be a general phenomenon.

Public-Private Partnerships: Critical to Combatting the Next Pandemic Influenza in the State of Kansas

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

Influenza A (H5N1), also known as Avian Flu or Bird Flu because it primarily affects chickens , turkeys, guinea fowls, migratory waterfowl, and other avian...difficult to predict. The 1918 "Spanish Flu ," the deadliest pandemic in history, is estimated to have killed more than 50 million people worldwide...overlooks influenza. As Dorothy Pettit and Janice Bailie suggested in their book, A Cruel Wind: Pandemic Flu in America, the general population in

Characterization of a T7-like lytic bacteriophage (phiSG-JL2) of Salmonella enterica serovar gallinarum biovar gallinarum.

PubMed

Kwon, Hyuk-Joon; Cho, Sun-Hee; Kim, Tae-Eun; Won, Yong-Jin; Jeong, Jihye; Park, Se Chang; Kim, Jae-Hong; Yoo, Han-Sang; Park, Yong-Ho; Kim, Sun-Joong

2008-11-01

PhiSG-JL2 is a newly discovered lytic bacteriophage infecting Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum but is nonlytic to a rough vaccine strain of serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum (SG-9R), S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and S. enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Pullorum. The phiSG-JL2 genome is 38,815 bp in length (GC content, 50.9%; 230-bp-long direct terminal repeats), and 55 putative genes may be transcribed from the same strand. Functions were assigned to 30 genes based on high amino acid similarity to known proteins. Most of the expected proteins except tail fiber (31.9%) and the overall organization of the genomes were similar to those of yersiniophage phiYeO3-12. phiSG-JL2 could be classified as a new T7-like virus and represents the first serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum phage genome to be sequenced. On the basis of intraspecific ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous nucleotide changes (Pi[a]/Pi[s]), gene 2 encoding the host RNA polymerase inhibitor displayed Darwinian positive selection. Pretreatment of chickens with phiSG-JL2 before intratracheal challenge with wild-type serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum protected most birds from fowl typhoid. Therefore, phiSG-JL2 may be useful for the differentiation of serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum from other Salmonella serotypes, prophylactic application in fowl typhoid control, and understanding of the vertical evolution of T7-like viruses.

Molecular cloning, expression and characterization of 100K gene of fowl adenovirus-4 for prevention and control of hydropericardium syndrome.

PubMed

Shah, M S; Ashraf, A; Khan, M I; Rahman, M; Habib, M; Qureshi, J A

2016-01-01

Fowl adenovirus-4 is an infectious agent causing Hydropericardium syndrome in chickens. Adenovirus are non-enveloped virions having linear, double stranded DNA. Viral genome codes for few structural and non structural proteins. 100K is an important non-structural viral protein. Open reading frame for coding sequence of 100K protein was cloned with oligo histidine tag and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein. Nucleotide sequence of the gene revealed that 100K gene of FAdV-4 has high homology (98%) with the respective gene of FAdV-10. Recombinant 100K protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. Immunization of chickens with recombinant 100K protein elicited significant serum antibody titers. However challenge protection test revealed that 100K protein conferred little protection (40%) to the immunized chicken against pathogenic viral challenge. So it was concluded that 100K gene has 2397 bp length and recombinant 100K protein has molecular weight of 95 kDa. It was also found that the recombinant protein has little capacity to affect the immune response because in-spite of having an important role in intracellular transport & folding of viral capsid proteins during viral replication, it is not exposed on the surface of the virus at any stage. Copyright © 2015 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. All rights reserved.

Cardiac Pathology and Molecular Epidemiology by Avian Leukosis Viruses in Japan

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Sayuri; Ochiai, Kenji; Ochi, Akihiro; Yabushita, Hiroki; Abe, Asumi; Kishi, Sayaka; Sunden, Yuji; Umemura, Takashi

2014-01-01

Epidemiological studies suggest that retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1, are associated with cardiomyopathy and myocarditis, but a causal relationship remains to be established. We encountered unusual cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and mitosis in Japanese native fowls infected with subgroup A of the avian leukosis viruses (ALVs-A), which belong to the genus Alpharetrovirus of the family Retroviridae and mainly induce lymphoid neoplasm in chickens. The affected hearts were evaluated by histopathology and immunohistochemistry, viral isolation, viral genome sequencing and experimental infection. There was non-suppurative myocarditis in eighteen fowls and seven of them had abnormal cardiomyocytes, which were distributed predominantly in the left ventricular wall and showed hypertrophic cytoplasm and atypical large nuclei. Nuclear chains and mitosis were frequently noted in these cardiomyocytes and immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen supported the enhancement of mitotic activity. ALVs were isolated from all affected cases and phylogenic analysis of envSU genes showed that the isolates were mainly classified into two different clusters, suggesting viral genome diversity. In ovo experimental infection with two of the isolates was demonstrated to cause myocarditis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy similar to those in the naturally occurring lesions and cardiac hamartoma (rhabdomyoma) in a shorter period of time (at 70 days of age) than expected. These results indicate that ALVs cause myocarditis as well as cardiomyocyte abnormality in chickens, implying a pathogenetic mechanism different from insertional mutagenesis and the existence of retrovirus-induced heart disorder. PMID:24466146

A recombinant fowl adenovirus expressing the S1 gene of infectious bronchitis virus protects against challenge with infectious bronchitis virus.

PubMed

Johnson, Michael A; Pooley, Catherine; Ignjatovic, Jagoda; Tyack, Scott G

2003-06-20

The spike peplomer S1 subunit sequence from avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) Vic S strain was expressed in a plasmid under the control of the fowl adenovirus (FAV) major late promoter (MLP). Two recombinants were constructed in FAV serotype 8 (FAV 8) by inserting the expression cassette between the SnaBI and XbaI restriction enzyme sites (clone DA3) or between the SpeI sites (clone CA6-20). Expression of the S1 gene in the recombinants was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by 20h post-infection. Commercial broiler chickens were orally vaccinated at day 0 or day 6 post-hatch and challenged at day 35 post-hatch. FAV antibody ELISA confirmed that maternal antibody directed against inclusion body hepatitis (serotype 8) had decayed in control birds and that FAV specific serum IgG responses were produced in vaccinated birds at the time of challenge. Further, an S1 specific antibody response was detected prior to challenge. Birds were challenged with either Vic S (serotype B) or N1/62 (serotype C) strains of IBV. The tracheas of challenged birds were analyzed by RT-PCR and re-isolation of virus. In birds vaccinated at day 6, 90-100% protection at the trachea was induced against either homologous or heterologous challenge. The construction of a recombinant FAV expressing S1 of IBV demonstrates the potential of an alternative vaccination strategy against IBV.

A Survey of Chinese Citizens’ Perceptions on Farm Animal Welfare

PubMed Central

You, Xiaolin; Li, Yibo; Zhang, Min; Yan, Huoqi; Zhao, Ruqian

2014-01-01

Farm animal welfare has been gradually recognized as an important issue in most parts of the world. In China, domestic animals were traditionally raised in backyard and treated as an important component of family wealth. Industrialization of animal production brings forth the farm animal welfare concerns recently in China, yet the modern concept of animal welfare has not been publicized and a comprehensive recognition on how consumers and farmers perceive animal welfare is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a survey on public opinions toward farm animal welfare in China, based on pigs (including sows, piglets, and fattening pigs), domestic fowls (including layers and broilers) and their products. From 6,006 effective questionnaires approximately two thirds of the respondents had never heard of ‘animal welfare’; 72.9% of the respondents claimed that, for the sake of animal derived food safety, human beings should improve the rearing conditions for pigs and domestic fowls; 65.8% of the respondents totally or partly agreed on establishing laws to improve animal welfare; more than half of the respondents were willing, or to some extent willing, to pay more for high-welfare animal products, whereas 45.5% of the respondents were not willing or reluctant to pay more. In summary, farm animal welfare is still in its early stage of development and more efforts are needed to improve the public conception to animal welfare in the process of establishing farm animal welfare standards and legislations in China. PMID:25314159

A comparison of the oral application and injection routes using the onderstepoort biological products fowl typhoid vaccine, its safety, efficacy and duration of protection in commercial laying hens.

PubMed

Purchase, C; Picard, J; McDonald, R; Bisschop, S P R

2008-03-01

This study was undertaken to establish whether the Onderstepoort Biological Products Fowl Typhoid (OBPft) vaccine registered as an injectable vaccine was effective and safe when administered orally to commercial layers. Its efficacy and duration of protection were compared with application by intramuscular injection. Commercial brown layer hens were used as they were found to be highly susceptible to Salmonella gallinarum infections. In the vaccine safety trial birds were euthanased at timed intervals spanning 4 weeks postvaccination. Necropsies were performed and samples were taken and tested. No clinical signs or mortalities could be attributed to the OBPft vaccine nor could active shedding of the vaccine strain be detected. Slight pathological changes were noted with both routes of vaccination; however, these changes were transient, returning to normal within the observation period. The injected groups showed a better serological response with the rapid serum plate agglutination (RSPA) test than the orally vaccinated groups. In the duration of protection trial, birds were challenged at 3-8-week intervals post-vaccination. All unvaccinated birds died. Protection 8 and 16 weeks after vaccination was above 60 %,by 24 weeks after challenge, the vaccine protection was below 30 %. It was found that there was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in the protection offered by either the oral or injected route of vaccination with the OBPft vaccine.

Hexon based PCRs combined with restriction enzyme analysis for rapid detection and differentiation of fowl adenoviruses and egg drop syndrome virus.

PubMed

Raue, R; Hess, M

1998-08-01

Three different polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), two of them combined with restriction enzyme analysis (REA), were developed for detection and differentiation of all 12 fowl adenovirus (FAV) serotypes and the egg drop syndrome (EDS) virus. For primer construction FAV1, FAV10 and EDS virus hexon proteins were aligned and conserved and variable regions were determined. Two primer sets (H1/H2 and H3/H4) for single use were constructed which hybridize in three conserved regions of hexon genes. Each primer pair amplifies approximately half of the hexon gene including two loop regions. An amplification product was detected with both primer sets using purified DNA from all FAV1-12 reference strains. Viral EDS DNA was negative using the H1/H2 or H3/H4 primer pair. HaeII digestion of the H1/H2 amplification products differentiates between all viruses except FAV4 and FAV5. In comparison, much more clustering among genomic closely related FAV serotypes was seen after HpaII digestion of the H3/H4 PCR products. Oligonucleotides H5/H6 located in the variable regions of EDS virus hexon gene do not detect any of the FAV serotypes. The PCRs and REA described are suitable to detect all avian adenoviruses infecting chickens, to distinguish all 12 FAV reference strains and to differentiate FAVs from the EDS virus.

Housing and dustbathing effects on northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and chicken body lice (Menacanthus stramineus) on hens.

PubMed

Martin, C D; Mullens, B A

2012-09-01

Hen housing (cage or cage-free) did not impact overall abundances of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Macronyssidae), or chicken body lice, Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae). Cage-free hens received a dustbox with sand plus diatomaceous earth (DE), kaolin clay or sulphur. Weekly use varied from none to 100% of hens; 73% of hens used the dustbox at least once. Ectoparasite populations on dustbathing hens (users) were compared with those on non-user cage-free and caged hens. All materials reduced ectoparasites on user hens by 80-100% after 1 week of dustbox use. Diatomaceous earth and kaolin failed to reduce ectoparasites on non-user hens, and ectoparasites on user hens recovered after dustbox removal. A sulphur dustbox eliminated mites from all hens (including non-users) within 2-4 weeks. Residual sulphur controlled mites until the end of the experiment (up to 9 weeks), even after the dustbox was removed. Louse populations on hens using the sulphur dustbox were reduced in 1-2 weeks. Residual sulphur effects were less evident in lice, but the use of a sulphur dustbox by a higher proportion of hens extended louse control to all hens. This is the first experimental study to show that bird dustbathing in naturally and widely available dust materials (particularly kaolin) can suppress ectoparasites and thus the behaviour is probably adaptive. © 2012 The Authors. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.

Premises for fowl sperm preservation based on applied bioenergetics.

PubMed

Froman, D P

2014-02-01

The primary goal of this work was to test whether the sperm mobility assay could be used to derive mathematical relationships from which predictions could be made about sperm cell function. A precondition was random sampling from a pool of sperm. This precondition was met by centrifuging mobile sperm through 12% (wt/vol) Accudenz containing the Ca(2+) chelator 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) and then holding washed sperm at 20°C within buffered potassium chloride. These 2 conditions rendered washed sperm immobile at 20°C. Resumption of sperm mobility was independent of time (P > 0.8558) when sperm were reactivated at body temperature with 2 mM Ca(2+) in isotonic sodium chloride at pH 7.4. Reactivated sperm mobility was 93% of the prewash control. Subsequent experiments served to define a dose response, predict optimal conditions for in vitro sperm mobility, and show how sperm can recover from an imposed non-physiological condition. Thus, functions were derived from which predictions were made. Whereas the utility of BAPTA treatment was confirmed in a new context, such utility did not address the question of whole-cell Ca(2+) flux during sperm cell manipulation. This issue is pivotal for the application of bioenergetics to fowl sperm preservation. Therefore, the secondary goal of this research was to investigate sperm cell Ca(2+) flux using a simulation of conditions encountered by sperm during centrifugation through 12% (wt/vol) Accudenz. These conditions included a temperature of 30°C, a Ca(2+) sink, and no exogenous substrate. Sperm motion was measured with a Hobson SpermTracker. Data points conformed to parabolic functions when motile concentration and velocity were plotted as functions of time. In each case, maximums were observed, e.g., 26 min for motile concentration. The upswing was attributed to a redistribution of intracellular Ca(2+) whereas the downswing was attributed to sperm cell Ca(2+) depletion. A pronounced isothermal increase was observed for each variable when the Ca(2+) sink was overcome with exogenous Ca(2+). Experimental outcomes supported four testable premises applicable to fowl sperm preservation research: 1) the importance of sperm mobility phenotype, 2) the relationship between mitochondrial Ca(2+) cycling and sperm mobility, 3) the utility of the sperm mobility assay for predicting experimental outcomes, and 4) understanding mitochondrial Ca(2+) cycling in terms of whole-cell Ca(2+) flux.

Water Resources Investigation. St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Missouri and Illinois. Maline Creek, Missouri Survey Report. Volume 1. Main Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

ILLINOIS MALINE CREEK, MISSOURI SURVEY REPORT 00 C); 7 - ELECTE MADISON,~’ MAY 3 %8 CONT S D ’ a RAKI CUT MAIN REPORT - %" DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY ST...Investigation St. Louis Metropolitan Area, S. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER y~~> Missouri and Illinois Vol One, Main Report 7 .AUTNOR(s) 8 OTATO RN UBRq S...characteristics thereby significantly improving the area’s plant, animal, fish and fowl habitats while also improving the human habitation

Serological survey of the infectious disease status of Old English Game fowl in the lower North Island, New Zealand.

PubMed

Christensen, N H

2006-08-01

To investigate the serological status of Old English Game (OEG) cockerels for a range of infectious diseases of poultry. Standard methods were used to screen serum collected from approximately 200 birds during routine dubbing operations, in 2004 and 2005. There was no serological evidence of infection with Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, or Salmonella Pullorum. Antibodies to infectious bronchitis virus, avian encephalomyelitis (AE) virus, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae were detected. The disease status of OEG birds is similar to that of commercial poultry.

The effects of partial defeathering on energy metabolism in the laying fowl.

PubMed

Tullett, S G; MacLeod, M G; Jewitt, T R

1980-05-01

1. The effects of a complete removal of feathers from the neck and/or breast on the energy metabolism of laying hens were measured by indirect calorimetry. 2. The daily heat production of fed birds was significantly increased if feathers were removed from the entire neck plus breast region but not if the neck only or breast only were denuded. 3. Removal of feathers from neck plus breast led to a 10% increase in food consumption. 4. The partially-defeathered birds laid more eggs.

Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni in poultry reared under different management systems in Nigeria.

PubMed

Adekeye, J O; Abdu, P A; Bawa, E K

1989-01-01

Cloacal swabs from 487 live birds in 36 flocks and 70 poultry carcasses were cultured for Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni. It was isolated from 12.3% of the birds in 19 flocks. Chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowl differed from one another in isolation rates of the organism. Management system affected its occurrence, and only 7.1% of eviscerated carcasses yielded it. It was concluded that bird species, management system, and immersing slaughtered poultry in boiling water before dressing affect recovery of C. fetus subsp. jejuni from live birds and carcasses.

Microsomal P-450 induction by some secondary products from thermal oxidation of dietary lipids: epidermal hyperplasia, mutagenicity and cytochrome P-450 activities.

PubMed

Crawford, L; Wheeler, E L

1983-12-01

Distillable secondary products from roasted fowl were found to be cytotoxic but not mutagenic when assayed with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100 and TA1537. A crudely separated fraction of the volatiles produced focal hyperplasia and damage to the epidermis of the backs of mice. The volatiles also caused an apparent synthesis of non-constitutive forms of rat hepatic cytochromes P-450 which metabolize benzo[a]pyrene B [a]P differently from the constitutive P-450.

Naïve Chicks Prefer Hollow Objects

PubMed Central

Schill, Jana; Nencini, Andrea Maria; Vallortigara, Giorgio

2016-01-01

Biological predispositions influence approach and avoid responses from the time of birth or hatching. Neonates of species that require parental care (e.g. human babies and chicks of the domestic fowl) are attracted by stimuli associated with animate social partners, such as face-like configurations, biological motion and self-propulsion. The property of being filled is used as a cue of animacy by 8-month-old human infants but it is not known whether this reflects the effect of previous experience. We used chicks of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) to investigate whether the property of being filled vs. hollow elicits spontaneous or learned preferences. To this aim we tested preferences of naïve and imprinted chicks for hollow and closed cylinders. Contrary to our expectations, we documented an unlearned attraction for hollow stimuli. The preference for hollow stimuli decreased when chicks were imprinted on filled stimuli but did not increase when chicks were imprinted on hollow stimuli, suggesting that hollowness is not crucial to determine affiliative responses for imprinting objects. When chicks were imprinted on occluded stimuli that could be either filled or hollow, the preference for hollow stimuli emerged again, showing that imprinting does not disrupt the spontaneous preference for hollow objects. Further experiments revealed that hollow objects were mainly attractive by means of depth cues such as darker innards, more than as places to hide or as objects with high contrast. Our findings point to predisposed preferences for hollow objects, and suggest that early predispositions might be driven by factors different from animacy cues. PMID:27851773

FTA liver impressions as DNA template for detecting and genotyping fowl adenovirus.

PubMed

Moscoso, Hugo; Bruzual, Jose J; Sellers, Holly; Hofacre, Charles L

2007-03-01

The feasibility of using liver impressions on Flinders Technology Associates (FTA filter paper for the collection, inactivation, and molecular analysis of fowl adenovirus (FAV) was evaluated. FAV I European Union (EU) serotype 1 spotted on FTA was shown to be inactivated using specific-pathogen-free (SPF) primary chicken embryo liver cell culture as indicated by absence of cytopathic effect. Sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test using tenfold dilutions of allantoic fluid from 100 to 10-4 for the detection of adenovirus serotype 1 on FTA cards was determined to be 0.0005 mean tissue culture infectious dose per FTA spot. The stability of the DNA from liver impressions on the FTA was found to be 198 days when stored at -20 degrees C. In a trial, inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) was experimentally reproduced in SPF chickens inoculated with FAV I EU serogroup 1, 4, 8, or 11, which presented weakness, pallor, depression, dehydration, and mortality within 6 days after inoculation. PCR performed on FTA liver impressions from the inoculated birds was able to detect all four viruses, and the nucleotide sequence analysis of the amplified PCR products (1219 bp of the hexone gene) revealed the expected serotypes. In addition to the trial, 55 clinical samples were analyzed from liver impressions on FTA cards, and FAV was detected in 11 of 55 (20%). Sequencing analysis showed that the viruses were EU serotypes 4, 5, 9, and 10. The results demonstrate that FTA filter paper inactivates the FAV I and maintains the DNA template for molecular analysis.

Selected clinical chemistry analytes correlate with the pathogenesis of inclusion body hepatitis experimentally induced by fowl aviadenoviruses.

PubMed

Matos, Miguel; Grafl, Beatrice; Liebhart, Dieter; Schwendenwein, Ilse; Hess, Michael

2016-10-01

In the present study, clinical chemistry was applied to assess the pathogenesis and progression of experimentally induced inclusion body hepatitis (IBH). For this, five fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV) strains from recent IBH field outbreaks were used to orally inoculate different groups of day-old specific pathogen-free chickens, which were weighed, sampled and examined during necropsy by sequential killing. Mortalities of 50% and 30% were recorded in two groups between 6 and 9 days post-infection (dpi), along with a decreased weight of 23% and 20%, respectively, compared to the control group. Macroscopical changes were seen in the liver and kidney between 6 and 10 dpi, with no lesions being observed in the other organs. Histological lesions were observed in the liver and pancreas during the same period. Plasma was collected from killed birds of each group at each time point and the following clinical chemistry analytes were investigated: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), bile acids, total protein, albumin, uric acid and lipase. Plasma protein profile, AST and GLDH, together with bile acids values paralleled the macroscopical and histopathological lesions in the liver, while plasma lipase activity levels coincided with lesions observed in pancreas. In agreement with the histology and clinical chemistry, viral load in the target organs, liver and pancreas, was highest at 7 dpi. Thus, clinical chemistry was found to be a valuable tool in evaluating and monitoring the progression of IBH in experimentally infected birds, providing a deeper knowledge of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of a FAdV infection in chickens.

Application of ecological, geological and oceanographic ERTS-1 imagery to Delaware's coastal resources planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator)

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant events. Coastal vegetation species appearing in the ERTS-1 image taken of the Southern Coast of Delaware, during orbit 333 on August 16, 1972, have been correlated with ground truth vegetation maps, and imagery obtained from high altitude RB-57 and U-2 overflights. The vegetation maps of the entire Delaware Coast were prepared using data collected on foot, in small boats, and from low altitude aircraft. Multispectral analysis of high altitude RB-57 and U-2 photographs indicated that five vegetation species could be clearly discriminated from 60,000 feet altitude, including: (1) salt marsh cord grass (Spartina alterniflora); (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass (Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata); (3) reed grass (Phragmites communis); (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle (Iva species and Baccharus halimifolia); and (5) a group of fresh water species found in impounded areas built to attract water fowl. Major Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens communities within the tidal marshes can be identified in the ERTS-1 imagery. Phragmites, and other species however, occur in smaller, more dispersed groupings and are difficult to discriminate within the resolution capability of the ERTS-1 scanner. Similarly, major impounded areas, built to attract water fowl can be detected; however, mosquito drainage ditches, covering many of Delaware's marshes, are too narrow and not long enough to be resolved by ERTS-1 sensors. High-marsh and dune communities dominated by high tide bush (Iva frutescens) and sea myrtle (Baccharus halimifolia) can be distinguished from adjacent maritime forest and beach grass communities.

Molecular characterization of chicken infectious anemia virus from contaminated live-virus vaccines.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Hu, Yan; Cui, Shuai; Fu, Jiayuan; Wang, Yixin; Cui, Zhizhong; Fang, Lichun; Chang, Shuang; Zhao, Peng

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate possible causes of the pervasiveness of chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) infection in chickens in recent years in China. A total of 14 batches of live-virus vaccines were examined using PCR to detect CIAV contamination, of which only 2 samples (a Newcastle disease vaccine and a fowl pox vaccine) tested positive for CIAV. These Newcastle and fowl pox vaccines were then inoculated into 1-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens. Serum samples were collected from chickens infected with the PCR-positive vaccines, and these tested positive for CIAV-specific antibodies as tested using ELISA. In addition, DNA samples isolated from the serum samples also tested positive by PCR. The results indicated that the samples were contaminated with CIAV and identified 2 exogenous CIAV strains, designated CIAV-N22 and CIAV-F10, in the respective samples. The full genome sequences of these novel CIAV strains were sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that the CIAV-F10 strain might represent a recombinant viral strain arising from the parental CIAV strains JQ690762 and KJ728816. Overall, the results suggested that vaccination with CIAV-contaminated vaccines contributed to the prevalence and spread of CIAV infection in chickens. Furthermore, the CIAV contaminant was likely subsequently transmitted to commercial chickens through congenital transmission. Our findings therefore highlight the need for more extensive screening of live-virus vaccines for poultry in China to reduce the threat of contamination with exogenous viruses. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Running over rough terrain reveals limb control for intrinsic stability.

PubMed

Daley, Monica A; Biewener, Andrew A

2006-10-17

Legged animals routinely negotiate rough, unpredictable terrain with agility and stability that outmatches any human-built machine. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how animals accomplish this. Current knowledge is largely limited to studies of steady movement. These studies have revealed fundamental mechanisms used by terrestrial animals for steady locomotion. However, it is unclear whether these models provide an appropriate framework for the neuromuscular and mechanical strategies used to achieve dynamic stability over rough terrain. Perturbation experiments shed light on this issue, revealing the interplay between mechanics and neuromuscular control. We measured limb mechanics of helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) running over an unexpected drop in terrain, comparing their response to predictions of the mass-spring running model. Adjustment of limb contact angle explains 80% of the variation in stance-phase limb loading following the perturbation. Surprisingly, although limb stiffness varies dramatically, it does not influence the response. This result agrees with a mass-spring model, although it differs from previous findings on humans running over surfaces of varying compliance. However, guinea fowl sometimes deviate from mass-spring dynamics through posture-dependent work performance of the limb, leading to substantial energy absorption following the perturbation. This posture-dependent actuation allows the animal to absorb energy and maintain desired velocity on a sudden substrate drop. Thus, posture-dependent work performance of the limb provides inherent velocity control over rough terrain. These findings highlight how simple mechanical models extend to unsteady conditions, providing fundamental insights into neuromuscular control of movement and the design of dynamically stable legged robots and prosthetic devices.

Calcified cartilage shape in archosaur long bones reflects overlying joint shape in stress-bearing elements: Implications for nonavian dinosaur locomotion.

PubMed

Bonnan, Matthew F; Sandrik, Jennifer L; Nishiwaki, Takahiko; Wilhite, D Ray; Elsey, Ruth M; Vittore, Christopher

2010-12-01

In nonavian dinosaur long bones, the once-living chondroepiphysis (joint surface) overlay a now-fossilized calcified cartilage zone. Although the shape of this zone is used to infer nonavian dinosaur locomotion, it remains unclear how much it reflects chondroepiphysis shape. We tested the hypothesis that calcified cartilage shape reflects the overlying chondroepiphysis in extant archosaurs. Long bones with intact epiphyses from American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), and juvenile ostriches (Struthio camelus) were measured and digitized for geometric morphometric (GM) analyses before and after chondroepiphysis removal. Removal of the chondroepiphysis resulted in significant element truncation in all examined taxa, but the amount of truncation decreased with increasing size. GM analyses revealed that Alligator show significant differences between chondroepiphysis shape and the calcified cartilage zone in the humerus, but display nonsignificant differences in femora of large individuals. In Numida, GM analysis shows significant shape differences in juvenile humeri, but humeri of adults and the femora of all guinea fowl show no significant shape difference. The juvenile Struthio sample showed significant differences in both long bones, which diminish with increasing size, a pattern confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging scans in an adult. Our data suggest that differences in extant archosaur long bone shape are greater in elements not utilized in locomotion and related stress-inducing activities. Based on our data, we propose tentative ranges of error for nonavian dinosaur long bone dimensional measurements. We also predict that calcified cartilage shape in adult, stress-bearing nonavian dinosaur long bones grossly reflects chondroepiphysis shape.

Pathogenicity of fowl adenovirus in specific pathogen free chicken embryos.

PubMed

Alemnesh, W; Hair-Bejo, M; Aini, I; Omar, A R

2012-01-01

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) associated with fowl adenovirus (FAdV) infection has a worldwide distribution. The aim of the present study was to determine the pathogenicity of Malaysian FAdV serotype 9 (UPM04217) in specific pathogen free (SPF) embryonated chicken embryos. FAdV (titre 10(5.8)/ml) was inoculated into SPF embryonated chicken eggs (0.1 ml per egg) via the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). There was 100% embryo mortality within 4-11 days post infection (dpi). The gross and microscopical lesions of the embryo were confined to the liver and were noted at 5, 7, 9 and 11 dpi. The liver was pale with multifocal areas of necrosis, fibrosis and haemorrhage. Microscopically, there was moderate to severe congestion and haemorrhage and severe and diffuse hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, with intranuclear inclusion bodies (INIBs) and associated inflammation. Haemorrhage, congestion, degeneration, necrosis and hyperplasia of the CAM with INIBs were observed at 5, 7, 9 and 11 dpi. Varying degrees of congestion, haemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis were also observed in the yolk sac, kidney, spleen, heart and bursa of Fabricius. Ultrastructurally, numerous viral particles in the nucleus of hepatocytes were recorded at 7, 9 and 11 dpi, whereas at 5 dpi, fine granular and filamentous INIBs were observed. The INIBs in the CAM were present either as fine granular filamentous structures or as large viral inclusions. FAdV (UPM04217) is therefore highly pathogenic to SPF chicken embryos and the embryonic liver should be used for isolation and propagation of the virus. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Avian olfactory receptor gene repertoires: evidence for a well-developed sense of smell in birds?

PubMed Central

Steiger, Silke S; Fidler, Andrew E; Valcu, Mihai; Kempenaers, Bart

2008-01-01

Among vertebrates, the sense of smell is mediated by olfactory receptors (ORs) expressed in sensory neurons within the olfactory epithelium. Comparative genomic studies suggest that the olfactory acuity of mammalian species correlates positively with both the total number and the proportion of functional OR genes encoded in their genomes. In contrast to mammals, avian olfaction is poorly understood, with birds widely regarded as relying primarily on visual and auditory inputs. Here, we show that in nine bird species from seven orders (blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus; black coucal, Centropus grillii; brown kiwi, Apteryx australis; canary, Serinus canaria; galah, Eolophus roseicapillus; red jungle fowl, Gallus gallus; kakapo, Strigops habroptilus; mallard, Anas platyrhynchos; snow petrel, Pagodroma nivea), the majority of amplified OR sequences are predicted to be from potentially functional genes. This finding is somewhat surprising as one previous report suggested that the majority of OR genes in an avian (red jungle fowl) genomic sequence are non-functional pseudogenes. We also show that it is not the estimated proportion of potentially functional OR genes, but rather the estimated total number of OR genes that correlates positively with relative olfactory bulb size, an anatomical correlate of olfactory capability. We further demonstrate that all the nine bird genomes examined encode OR genes belonging to a large gene clade, termed γ-c, the expansion of which appears to be a shared characteristic of class Aves. In summary, our findings suggest that olfaction in birds may be a more important sense than generally believed. PMID:18628122

Evaluation of the efficacy of the crude extracts of Capsicum frutescens, Citrus limon and Opuntia vulgaris against Newcastle disease in domestic fowl in Tanzania.

PubMed

Mtambo, M M; Mushi, E J; Kinabo, L D; Maeda-Machang'u, A; Mwamengele, G L; Yongolo, M G; Temu, R P

1999-12-15

Prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of a combination of Capsicum frutescens (red pepper), Citrus limon (lemon) and Opuntia vulgaris (prickly pear) against Newcastle disease (ND) in domestic fowl were evaluated. Eighty-eight broiler chickens were divided into five groups. Birds from three groups were inoculated with velogenic ND virus strain, whereas birds from two groups were left as controls. Two groups received a mixture of the plant extract three days prior to inoculation and birds from one group were given the plant extract for two days following development of clinical signs. Blood samples were collected for haemaglutination inhibition tests (HI) for detection of ND virus antibodies. Body weights were monitored during the experiment. Three birds died from the group that was inoculated with ND virus and treated with the plant extract; two died from the group that received the plant extract as a prophylaxis and inoculated with ND virus; and one bird died from the group that was inoculated with ND virus but not given the plant extract. No death was observed in any of the birds in the control groups. Antibody titers for ND virus rose four-fold in the inoculated birds but remained low in the un-inoculated groups. Mean body weights of birds in group B declined markedly compared to the other groups. The results indicated that there was no prophylactic or therapeutic value of the plant extract against ND. The plant extract showed a negative effect on body weights in birds with ND.

Effects of load carrying on metabolic cost and hindlimb muscle dynamics in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

PubMed Central

McGowan, C. P.; Duarte, H. A.; Main, J. B.; Biewener, A. A.

2008-01-01

The goal of this study was to test whether the contractile patterns of two major hindlimb extensors of guinea fowl are altered by load-carrying exercise. We hypothesized that changes in contractile pattern, specifically a decrease in muscle shortening velocity or enhanced stretch activation, would result in a reduction in locomotor energy cost relative to the load carried. We also anticipated that changes in kinematics would reflect underlying changes in muscle strain. Oxygen consumption, muscle activation intensity, and fascicle strain rate were measured over a range of speeds while animals ran unloaded vs. when they carried a trunk load equal to 22% of their body mass. Our results showed that loading produced no significant (P > 0.05) changes in kinematic patterns at any speed. In vivo muscle contractile strain patterns in the iliotibialis lateralis pars postacetabularis and the medial head of the gastrocnemius showed a significant increase in active stretch early in stance (P < 0.01), but muscle fascicle shortening velocity was not significantly affected by load carrying. The rate of oxygen consumption increased by 17% (P < 0.01) during loaded conditions, equivalent to 77% of the relative increase in mass. Additionally, relative increases in EMG intensity (quantified as mean spike amplitude) indicated less than proportional recruitment, consistent with force enhancement via stretch activation, in the proximal iliotibialis lateralis pars postacetabularis; however, a greater than proportional increase in the medial gastrocnemius was observed. As a result, when averaged for the two muscles, EMG intensity increased in direct proportion to the fractional increase in load carried. PMID:16809624

Fructose 1,6-diphosphatase in striated muscle

PubMed Central

Krebs, H. A.; Woodford, Muriel

1965-01-01

1. The occurrence of fructose diphosphatase in muscle tissue was investigated with reference to the question whether lactate can be converted into glycogen in muscle, as postulated by Meyerhof (1930), fructose diphosphatase being one of the enzymes required for this conversion. 2. Fructose diphosphatase was found in skeletal muscle of man, dog, cat, rat, mouse, rabbit, guinea pig, cattle, sheep, pigeon, fowl and frog. Under the test conditions between 5 and 60 μmoles of substrate were split/g. fresh wt./hr. at 22°. 3. Like liver fructose diphosphatase, the muscle enzyme is inhibited by substrate concentrations above 0·1 mm, by AMP and by trace quantities of Zn2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+; it is `activated' by EDTA. Inhibitions by the above agents may account for the failure of previous authors to detect the enzyme. 4. Heart muscle of several vertebrate species and the smooth muscle of pigeon and fowl gizzard had no measurable activity. 5. The presence of fructose diphosphatase and the virtual absence of the enzyme systems converting pyruvate into phosphopyruvate means that lactate and pyruvate cannot be converted into glycogen in muscle, whereas the phosphorylated C3 compounds can. The reconversion into carbohydrate of lactate (which readily diffuses out of muscle) occurs in liver and kidney only. The reconversion of phosphorylated C3 intermediates (which cannot diffuse out of the tissue) can occur only within the muscle. 6. α-Glycerophosphate is probably the main intermediate requiring conversion into glycogen. The possible role of α-glycerophosphate formation in vertebrate muscle, already well established in insect muscle, is discussed. PMID:14346089

NOTES UPON AN EPIDEMIC OF FOWL CHOLERA AND UPON THE COMPARATIVE PRODUCTION OF ACID BY ALLIED BACTERIA

PubMed Central

Higgins, Charles H.

1898-01-01

(a). The bacillus isolated by me from the outbreak of choleraic diarrhœa corresponds closely in all essential particulars with that of European chicken cholera. (b). It differs, consequently, from that isolated from previous outbreaks of choleraic diarrhœa in the United States. (c). A study of the acid production by this and allied bacilli would seem to show that the amount of acid produced by so variable a microbe varies greatly and is incapable of affording a further means of distinguishing between allied forms. PMID:19866887

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus infection in birds: field investigations in Senegal.

PubMed

Zeller, H G; Cornet, J P; Camicas, J L

1994-01-01

In Senegal, wild ground-feeding birds are frequently infested with immature ticks. In two areas where numerous Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus isolations were obtained from Hyalomma marginatum rufipes adult ticks collected on ungulates, 175 birds were captured and sera collected. CCHF antibodies were detected by ELISA in 6/22 red-beaked hornbills (Tockus erythrorhynchus), 2/11 glossy starlings (Lamprotornis sp.) and 1/3 guinea fowls. The virus was isolated from H. m. rufipes nymphs collected on a hornbill. The role of wild ground-feeding birds in CCHF virus ecology in West Africa is discussed.

Developmental changes in the histological structure of the testes, and testosterone profiles in male guinea fowls (Numida meleagris).

PubMed

Abdul-Rahman, Iddriss I; Obese, Frederick Y; Jeffcoate, Ian A

2017-10-01

Owing to the paucity of information on the reproductive biology of guinea fowls, a study involving a total of 66 males was conducted, and documented the developmental changes in histological structure of the testes of guinea cocks from hatching until adulthood. Changes in testosterone synthesis during sexual development were also determined. Age-related changes were analysed using univariate analysis for completely randomised design and means separated using Tukey's test/Kruskal-Wallis test and medians separated by Mann-Whitney U test. Total germ cell population per testis and testicular histological morphometric parameters increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 12 weeks of age (WOA), and stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA. Peripheral testosterone concentrations increased gradually from 4 WOA, and peaked at 20 WOA. Correlations among all the testicular morphometric parameters were positive and highly significant (p < 0.01). Similarly, significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations existed between testicular weight and testicular sperm production, tubular diameter, Sertoli cell population, tubular length and peripheral testosterone concentration. Testicular sperm production was positively correlated with meiotic index (p < 0.01) and round spermatids population (p < 0.05). The correlations between peripheral testosterone concentrations, tubular diameter and Sertoli efficiency were also significant (p < 0.05) and positive. Testicular morphometric parameters stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA, while peripheral testosterone concentrations showed two patterns of secretion, initial and final phases of increasing and decreasing testosterone secretions, respectively, and may be implicated in the development of histological structures of the testes and spermatogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wesselsbron virus antibody in domestic animals in Nigeria: retrospective and prospective studies.

PubMed

Baba, S S; Fagbami, A H; Ojeh, C K; Olaleye, O D; Omilabu, S A

1995-04-01

Retrospective and prospective serological surveys to determine the prevalence of Wesslsbron (WSL) virus infections in animal populations were carried out in different vegetational zones in Nigeria. Sera from 1,492 animals comprising 292 camels, 81 horses, 4 donkeys, 320 cattle, 235 sheep, 260 goats, 114 pigs, 101 dogs and 85 domestic fowls were assayed by haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test for presence of antibodies to WSL virus and other flavivirus antigens: Yellow Fever (YF), Potiskum (POT), Banzi (BAN), Uganda S (UGS) and West Nile (WN) viruses. Four hundred and eighty one (32%) of the total sera tested were positive for the presence of flavivirus antibodies. The prevalence rates among animals varied with species and vegetational zones of the country. The highest prevalence was noted in animals from a swamp forest zone and was higher among camels, horses, donkeys and sheep when compared with goats, pigs and fowls in different zones. Although monotypic reactions with WSL virus antigen were observed in positive sera, the majority of the WSL virus positive sera cross-reacted with more than two other flavivirus antigens. Serological cross-reactions were most extensive in WSL virus positive horse sera. A ten month sentinel survey among 28 cattle, 68 sheep and 30 goats revealed considerable activity of WSL virus in Nigeria. Of these, 11 cattle and 12 sheep showed antibody conversion to WSL virus antigen. None of the goats seroconverted. Although, there are no records of outbreak of WSL disease in Nigeria, this study revealed that WSL virus is actively circulating among livestock populations in this environment. Flavivirus nucleotide data are needed for final determination of genetic relatedness in this group of viruses.

The acaricidal efficacy of peracetic acid and deltamethrin against the fowl tick, Argas persicus, infesting laying hens.

PubMed

Khater, Hanem F; Seddiek, Shaker A; El-Shorbagy, Mohamed M; Ali, Ali M

2013-01-01

The fowl tick, Argas persicus (Oken), is of veterinary importance as a parasite of poultry and wild birds. The antitick efficacy, in vitro and in vivo, of peracetic acid (PAA) and deltamethrin (DMT) was tested separately against A. persicus through the dipping technique. PAA (0.5 %) was highly efficient against soft tick larvae (A. persicus), resulting in 100 % mortality after 2 min. The lethal concentrations LC(50) and LC(95) were 0.310 and 0.503 %, respectively. The lethal time values LT(50) and LT(95) were 5.34 and 40.00 min, respectively, after treatment with PAA (0.25 %). Two minutes after exposure to DMT, LC(50) and LC(95) values were 0.033 and 0.052 % (33.204 and 51.527 mg/L), respectively. The LT(50) and LT(95) values were 27.03 and 305.46 min, respectively, after treatment with 0.025 % DMT (25 mg/L). After dipping in PAA (0.5 %), the chickens did not show respiratory signs or inflammation on the eyes and/or skin. By contrast, temporary coughing, sneezing, and ocular inflammations without dermatitis were observed in chickens dipped in DMT (0.05 % or 50 mg /L). Seven days posttreatment (PT), the reduction in the percentages of A. persicus infesting laying hens were 99.15 and 63.42 % after dipping in PAA and DMT, respectively. However, complete elimination of the number of ticks occurred after 28 days PT with DMT. PAA inhibits molting effectively (28 %) when compared with that of DMT (52 %). Results indicated that PAA is a more potent and promising acaricide against A. persicus (in vitro and in vivo) than DMT.

Erratum to: the acaricidal efficacy of peracetic acid and deltamethrin against the fowl tick, Argas persicus, infesting laying hens.

PubMed

Khater, Hanem F; Seddiek, Shaker A; El-Shorbagy, Mohamed M; Ali, Ali M

2013-10-01

The fowl tick, Argas persicus (Oken), is of veterinary importance as a parasite of poultry and wild birds. The antitick efficacy, in vitro and in vivo, of peracetic acid (PAA) and deltamethrin (DMT) was tested separately against A. persicus through the dipping technique. PAA (0.5%) was highly efficient against soft tick larvae (A. persicus), resulting in 100 % mortality after 2 min. The lethal concentrations LC₅₀ and LC₉₅ were 0.310 and 0.503 %, respectively. The lethal time values LT₅₀ and LT₉₅ were 5.34 and 40.00 min, respectively, after treatment with PAA (0.25%). Two minutes after exposure to DMT, LC₅₀ and LC₉₅ values were 0.0033 and 0.0052% (33.204 and 51.527 mg/L), respectively. The LT₅₀ and LT₉₅ values were 27.03 and 305.46 min, respectively, after treatment with 0.0025% DMT (25 mg/L). After dipping in PAA (0.5%), the chickens did not show respiratory signs or inflammation on the eyes and/or skin. By contrast, temporary coughing, sneezing, and ocular inflammations without dermatitis were observed in chickens dipped in DMT (0.005 % or 50 mg /L). Seven days posttreatment (PT), the reduction in the percentages of A. persicus infesting laying hens were 99.15 and 63.42% after dipping in PAA and DMT, respectively. However, complete elimination of the number of ticks occurred after 28 days PT with DMT. PAA inhibits molting effectively (28%) when compared with that of DMT (52%). Results indicated that PAA is a more potent and promising acaricide against A. persicus (in vitro and in vivo) than DMT.

Epidemiological and pathological investigation of fowl aviadenovirus serotypes 8b and 11 isolated from chickens with inclusion body hepatitis in Spain (2011-2013).

PubMed

Oliver-Ferrando, S; Dolz, R; Calderón, C; Valle, R; Rivas, R; Pérez, M; Biarnés, M; Blanco, A; Bertran, K; Ramis, A; Busquets, N; Majó, N

2017-04-01

Inclusion body hepatitis caused by different fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV) serotypes has been described in several countries in recent years. In Spain, from the spring of 2011 to 2013, an increased number of outbreaks in broiler and broiler breeder flocks from different regions occurred. The objectives of the present work were to carry out the molecular characterization of FAdV strains from Spanish inclusion body hepatitis cases and to study the pathogenicity and viral dynamics of these strains in specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. A total of 52 inclusion body hepatitis clinical cases, including 45 from broiler farms and seven from broiler breeder farms, were analysed by conventional polymerase chain reaction and sequencing targeting the FAdV hexon gene. From these, 37 strains were classified as FAdV type 8b, while the remaining 15 were classified as FAdV types 11 (n = 10), 2 (n = 4) and 8a (n = 1). In addition, two different FAdVs belonging to the genotypes 8b and 11 were used for experimental infection. Specific pathogen-free five-day-old birds were inoculated intramuscularly with a high (10 6.5 tissue culture infective dose (TCID) 50 /ml) or low (10 4 TCID 50 /ml) dose of the above-mentioned FAdVs. No mortality was observed in any of the experimental groups, and only one bird showed evident clinical signs. However, macroscopic and microscopic hepatic lesions, as well as viral DNA, were detected in birds from all infection groups. Inclusion bodies and viral DNA were also detected in the pancreas and in the small and the large intestine in some birds. Long-lasting shedding and transmission to contact birds were confirmed in all infected groups.

Survival and reproductive rate of mites in relation to resistance of their barn swallow hosts.

PubMed

Møller, A P

2000-08-01

Parasite resistance may act via a number of different mechanisms that regulate or control the survival and the reproductive rate of parasites. Observations and experiments were used to test for effects of host resistance on parasite survival and rate of reproduction. Natural levels of infestation of barn swallow Hirundo rustica nests by the tropical fowl mite Ornithonyssus bursa were positively related to brood size, inversely related to the length of the outermost tail feathers of male nest owners (a secondary sexual character) and affected by time of reproduction by the host. A mite inoculation experiment, in which 50 adult mites were introduced into nests during the laying period of the host, was used to test for differential survival and reproduction of mites as a function of host resistance. The relationship between survival and reproduction of parasites, male tail length and host resistance was investigated. There was a negative relationship between mite numbers per nest after fledging of nestlings and male tail length. This relationship was mainly caused by a reduction in the number of mites in the first and second nymph stage with increasing tail length of male hosts, implying a reduction in rate of reproduction of mites. The proportion of mites that had recently fed was inversely related to tail length of male hosts. The proportion of nymph stages was positively related to the proportion of mites that had recently had a blood meal. Parasite resistance of barn swallows to the tropical fowl mite thus appeared to act through increased mortality rate of adult and nymph stages of mites, and through reduced reproductive rates of mites on resistant hosts. This is the first study demonstating a direct relationship between fitness components of a parasite and the expression of a secondary sexual character of a host.

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in meat.

PubMed

de Boer, E; Zwartkruis-Nahuis, J T M; Wit, B; Huijsdens, X W; de Neeling, A J; Bosch, T; van Oosterom, R A A; Vila, A; Heuvelink, A E

2009-08-31

Recently the isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from several food-producing animals has been reported. During slaughtering of MRSA-positive animals, contamination of carcasses with MRSA may occur and consequently the meat of these animals may get contaminated. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MRSA in raw meat samples from the retail trade. Samples of raw beef, pork, veal, lamb/mutton, chicken, turkey, fowl and game were collected from the retail trade. A detection method including a two-step enrichment in Mueller-Hinton broth+6.5% NaCl and phenol red mannitol broth containing ceftizoxime and aztreonam, followed by isolation on MRSA ID agar (bioMérieux) was evaluated and subsequently applied for the detection of MRSA in samples of raw meats. MRSA strains were isolated from 264 (11.9%) of 2217 samples analyzed. Isolation percentages for the meat species were: beef (10.6%), veal (15.2%), lamb and mutton (6.2%), pork (10.7%), chicken (16.0%), turkey (35.3%), fowl (3.4%) and game (2.2%). The majority (85%) of the isolated strains belonged to spa-types of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) non-typeable (NT)-MRSA, corresponding to the multilocus sequence type ST398, a type also recently isolated in the Netherlands from pigs. However, a smaller part of these strains were found to be of other ST's, possibly of human origin. Further studies are needed to elucidate transmission routes of MRSA in relation to meat and other foods and to provide the tools for preventing the spread of MRSA. At present the high prevalence of MRSA in meat has not been shown to contribute significantly to the dissemination of MRSA to humans and the possible health hazard for consumers of the presence of MRSA in foods should be further elucidated.

Hyperpigmentation Results in Aberrant Immune Development in Silky Fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson)

PubMed Central

Han, Deping; Wang, Shuxiang; Hu, Yanxin; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Dong, Xianggui; Yang, Zu; Wang, Jiankui; Li, Junying; Deng, Xuemei

2015-01-01

The Silky Fowl (SF) is known for its special phenotypes and atypical distribution of melanocytes among internal organs. Although the genes associated with melanocyte migration have been investigated substantially, there is little information on the postnatal distribution of melanocytes in inner organs and the effect of hyperpigmentation on the development of SF. Here, we analyzed melanocyte distribution in 26 tissues or organs on postnatal day 1 and weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, and 23. Except for the liver, pancreas, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland, melanocytes were distributed throughout the body, primarily around blood vessels. Interaction between melanocytes and the tissue cells was observed, and melanin was transported by filopodia delivery through engulfed and internalized membrane-encapsulated melanosomes. SFs less than 10 weeks old have lower indices of spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius than White Leghorns (WLs). The expression levels of interferon-γ and interlukin-4 genes in the spleen, and serum antibody levels against H5N1 and infectious bursal disease virus were lower in SF than in WL. We also found immune organ developmental difference between Black-boned and non-Black- boned chickens from SFs and WLs hybrid F2 population. However, degeneration of the thymus and bursa of Fabricius occurred later in SF than in WL after sexual maturity. Analysis of apoptotic cells and apoptosis-associated Bax and Bcl-2 proteins indicated that apoptosis is involved in degeneration of the thymus and bursa of Fabricius. Therefore, these results suggest that hyperpigmentation in SF may have a close relationship with immune development in SF, which can provide an important animal model to investigate the roles of melanocyte. PMID:26047316

Genome-Wide Analyses Reveal Genes Subject to Positive Selection in Pasteurella multocida

PubMed Central

Cao, Peili; Guo, Dongchun; Liu, Jiasen; Jiang, Qian; Xu, Zhuofei; Qu, Liandong

2017-01-01

Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, has led to a broad range of diseases in mammals and birds, including fowl cholera in poultry, pneumonia and atrophic rhinitis in swine and rabbit, hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle, and bite infections in humans. In order to better interpret the genetic diversity and adaptation evolution of this pathogen, seven genomes of P. multocida strains isolated from fowls, rabbit and pigs were determined by using high-throughput sequencing approach. Together with publicly available P. multocida genomes, evolutionary features were systematically analyzed in this study. Clustering of 70,565 protein-coding genes showed that the pangenome of 33 P. multocida strains was composed of 1,602 core genes, 1,364 dispensable genes, and 1,070 strain-specific genes. Of these, we identified a full spectrum of genes related to virulence factors and revealed genetic diversity of these potential virulence markers across P. multocida strains, e.g., bcbAB, fcbC, lipA, bexDCA, ctrCD, lgtA, lgtC, lic2A involved in biogenesis of surface polysaccharides, hsf encoding autotransporter adhesin, and fhaB encoding filamentous haemagglutinin. Furthermore, based on genome-wide positive selection scanning, a total of 35 genes were subject to strong selection pressure. Extensive analyses of protein subcellular location indicated that membrane-associated genes were highly abundant among all positively selected genes. The detected amino acid sites undergoing adaptive selection were preferably located in extracellular space, perhaps associated with bacterial evasion of host immune responses. Our findings shed more light on conservation and distribution of virulence-associated genes across P. multocida strains. Meanwhile, this study provides a genetic context for future researches on the mechanism of adaptive evolution in P. multocida. PMID:28611758

The evolution of giant flightless birds and novel phylogenetic relationships for extinct fowl (Aves, Galloanseres)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worthy, Trevor H.; Degrange, Federico J.; Handley, Warren D.; Lee, Michael S. Y.

2017-10-01

The extinct dromornithids, gastornithids and phorusrhacids are among the most spectacular birds to have ever lived, with some giants exceeding 500 kg. The affinities and evolution of these and other related extinct birds remain contentious, with previous phylogenetic analyses being affected by widespread convergence and limited taxon sampling. We address these problems using both parsimony and tip-dated Bayesian approaches on an expansive taxon set that includes all key extinct flightless and flighted (e.g. Vegavis and lithornithids) forms, an extensive array of extant fowl (Galloanseres), representative Neoaves and palaeognaths. The Paleogene volant Lithornithidae are recovered as stem palaeognaths in the Bayesian analyses. The Galloanseres comprise four clades inferred to have diverged in the Late Cretaceous on Gondwana. In addition to Anseriformes and Galliformes, we recognize a robust new clade (Gastornithiformes) for the giant flightless Dromornithidae (Australia) and Gastornithidae (Eurasia, North America). This clade exhibits parallels to ratite palaeognaths in that flight presumably was lost and giant size attained multiple times. A fourth clade is represented by the Cretaceous Vegavis (Antarctica), which was strongly excluded from Anseriformes; thus, a crucial molecular calibration point needs to be reconsidered. The presbyornithids Wilaru (Australia) and Presbyornis (Northern Hemisphere) are robustly found to be the sister group to Anatoidea (Anseranatidae + Anatidae), a relatively more basal position than hitherto recognized. South America's largest bird, Brontornis, is not a galloansere, but a member of Neoaves related to Cariamiformes; therefore, giant Galloanseres remain unknown from this continent. Trait analyses showed that while gigantism and flightlessness evolved repeatedly in groups, diet is constrained by phylogeny: all giant Galloanseres and palaeognaths are herbivores or mainly herbivorous, and giant neoavians are zoophagous or omnivorous.

Newcastle disease virus-attenuated vaccine co-contaminated with fowl adenovirus and chicken infectious anemia virus results in inclusion body hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome in poultry.

PubMed

Su, Qi; Li, Yang; Meng, Fanfeng; Cui, Zhizhong; Chang, Shuang; Zhao, Peng

2018-05-01

Inclusion body hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome (IBH-HPS) induced by fowl adenovirus type 4 (FAdV-4) has caused huge economic losses to the poultry industry of China, but the source of infection for different flocks, especially flocks with high biological safety conditions, has remained unclear. This study tested the pathogenicity of Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-attenuated vaccine from a large-scale poultry farm in China where IBH-HPS had appeared with high mortality. Analysis revealed that the NDV-attenuated vaccine in use from the abovementioned poultry farm was simultaneously contaminated with FAdV-4 and chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV). The FAdV and CIAV isolated from the vaccine were purified for the artificial preparation of an NDV-attenuated vaccine singly contaminated with FAdV or CIAV, or simultaneously contaminated with both of them. Seven-day-old specific pathogen-free chicks were inoculated with the artificially prepared contaminated vaccines and tested for corresponding indices. The experiments showed that no hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) and corresponding death occurred after administering the NDV-attenuated vaccine singly contaminated with FAdV or CIAV, but a mortality of 75% with IBH-HPS was commonly found in birds after administering the NDV-attenuated vaccine co-contaminated with FAdV and CIAV. In conclusion, this study found the co-contamination of FAdV-4 and CIAV in the same attenuated vaccine and confirmed that such a contaminated attenuated vaccine was a significant source of infection for outbreaks of IBH-HPS in some flocks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Classification of Fowl Adenovirus Serotypes by Use of High-Resolution Melting-Curve Analysis of the Hexon Gene Region▿

PubMed Central

Steer, Penelope A.; Kirkpatrick, Naomi C.; O'Rourke, Denise; Noormohammadi, Amir H.

2009-01-01

Identification of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) serotypes is of importance in epidemiological studies of disease outbreaks and the adoption of vaccination strategies. In this study, real-time PCR and subsequent high-resolution melting (HRM)-curve analysis of three regions of the hexon gene were developed and assessed for their potential in differentiating 12 FAdV reference serotypes. The results were compared to previously described PCR and restriction enzyme analyses of the hexon gene. Both HRM-curve analysis of a 191-bp region of the hexon gene and restriction enzyme analysis failed to distinguish a number of serotypes used in this study. In addition, PCR of the region spanning nucleotides (nt) 144 to 1040 failed to amplify FAdV-5 in sufficient quantities for further analysis. However, HRM-curve analysis of the region spanning nt 301 to 890 proved a sensitive and specific method of differentiating all 12 serotypes. All melt curves were highly reproducible, and replicates of each serotype were correctly genotyped with a mean confidence value of more than 99% using normalized HRM curves. Sequencing analysis revealed that each profile was related to a unique sequence, with some sequences sharing greater than 94% identity. Melting-curve profiles were found to be related mainly to GC composition and distribution throughout the amplicons, regardless of sequence identity. The results presented in this study show that the closed-tube method of PCR and HRM-curve analysis provides an accurate, rapid, and robust genotyping technique for the identification of FAdV serotypes and can be used as a model for developing genotyping techniques for other pathogens. PMID:19036935

Pock forming ability of fowl pox virus isolated from layer chicken and its adaptation in chicken embryo fibroblast cell culture

PubMed Central

Gilhare, Varsha Rani; Hirpurkar, S. D.; Kumar, Ashish; Naik, Surendra Kumar; Sahu, Tarini

2015-01-01

Aim: The objective of the present study was to examine pock forming ability of field strain and vaccine strain of fowl pox virus (FPV) in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs and its adaptation in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell culture. Materials and Methods: Dry scabs were collected from 25 affected birds in glycerin-saline and preserved at 4°C until processed. Virus was isolated in 10-day-old embryonated chicken eggs by dropped CAM method. The identity of the virus is confirmed by clinical findings of affected birds, pock morphology and histopathology of infected CAM. In addition one field isolate and vaccine strain of FPV was adapted to CEF cell culture. CEF cell culture was prepared from 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. Result: Clinical symptoms observed in affected birds include pox lesion on comb, wattle, eyelids and legs, no internal lesions were observed. All field isolates produced similar findings in CAM. Pocks produced by field isolates ranged from 3 mm to 5 mm at the third passage while initial passages edematous thickening and necrosis of CAM was observed. Pocks formed by lyophilized strain were ranges from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm in diameter scattered all over the membrane at the first passage. Intra-cytoplasmic inclusion bodies are found on histopathology of CAM. At third passage level, the CEF inoculated with FPV showed characteristic cytopathic effect (CPE) included aggregation of cells, syncytia and plaque formation. Conclusion: FPV field isolates and vaccine strain produced distinct pock lesions on CAMs. Infected CAM showed intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The CEF inoculated with FPV field isolate as well as a vaccine strain showed characteristic CPE at third passage level. PMID:27047081

Pock forming ability of fowl pox virus isolated from layer chicken and its adaptation in chicken embryo fibroblast cell culture.

PubMed

Gilhare, Varsha Rani; Hirpurkar, S D; Kumar, Ashish; Naik, Surendra Kumar; Sahu, Tarini

2015-03-01

The objective of the present study was to examine pock forming ability of field strain and vaccine strain of fowl pox virus (FPV) in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs and its adaptation in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell culture. Dry scabs were collected from 25 affected birds in glycerin-saline and preserved at 4°C until processed. Virus was isolated in 10-day-old embryonated chicken eggs by dropped CAM method. The identity of the virus is confirmed by clinical findings of affected birds, pock morphology and histopathology of infected CAM. In addition one field isolate and vaccine strain of FPV was adapted to CEF cell culture. CEF cell culture was prepared from 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. Clinical symptoms observed in affected birds include pox lesion on comb, wattle, eyelids and legs, no internal lesions were observed. All field isolates produced similar findings in CAM. Pocks produced by field isolates ranged from 3 mm to 5 mm at the third passage while initial passages edematous thickening and necrosis of CAM was observed. Pocks formed by lyophilized strain were ranges from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm in diameter scattered all over the membrane at the first passage. Intra-cytoplasmic inclusion bodies are found on histopathology of CAM. At third passage level, the CEF inoculated with FPV showed characteristic cytopathic effect (CPE) included aggregation of cells, syncytia and plaque formation. FPV field isolates and vaccine strain produced distinct pock lesions on CAMs. Infected CAM showed intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The CEF inoculated with FPV field isolate as well as a vaccine strain showed characteristic CPE at third passage level.

Mapping QTL affecting a systemic sclerosis-like disorder in a cross between UCD-200 and red jungle fowl chickens.

PubMed

Ek, Weronica; Sahlqvist, Anna-Stina; Crooks, Lucy; Sgonc, Roswitha; Dietrich, Hermann; Wick, Georg; Ekwall, Olov; Andersson, Leif; Carlborg, Örjan; Kämpe, Olle; Kerje, Susanne

2012-10-01

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is a rare, autoimmune, multi-factorial disease characterized by early microvascular alterations, inflammation, and fibrosis. Chickens from the UCD-200 line develop a hereditary SSc-like disease, showing all the hallmarks of the human disorder, which makes this line a promising model to study genetic factors underlying the disease. A backcross was generated between UCD-200 chickens and its wild ancestor - the red jungle fowl and a genome-scan was performed to identify loci affecting early (21 days of age) and late (175 days of age) ischemic lesions of the comb. A significant difference in frequency of disease was observed between sexes in the BC population, where the homogametic males were more affected than females, and there was evidence for a protective W chromosome effect. Three suggestive disease predisposing loci were mapped to chromosomes 2, 12 and 14. Three orthologues of genes implicated in human SSc are located in the QTL region on chromosome 2, TGFRB1, EXOC2-IRF4 and COL1A2, as well as CCR8, which is more generally related to immune function. IGFBP3 is also located within the QTL on chromosome 2 and earlier studies have showed increased IGFBP3 serum levels in SSc patients. To our knowledge, this study is the first to reveal a potential genetic association between IGFBP3 and SSc. Another gene with an immunological function, SOCS1, is located in the QTL region on chromosome 14. These results illustrate the usefulness of the UCD-200 chicken as a model of human SSc and motivate further in-depth functional studies of the implicated candidate genes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beak condition and cage density determine abundance and spatial distribution of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum, and chicken body lice, Menacanthus stramineus, on caged laying hens.

PubMed

Mullens, B A; Chen, B L; Owen, J P

2010-12-01

Adult White Leghorn hens (Hy-Line strain W-36) were inoculated with either northern fowl mites or chicken body lice, and the ectoparasite populations were monitored over periods of 9 to 16 wk. Two beak conditions (beak trimmed or beak intact) and 2 housing densities (1 or 2 hens per 25 × 31 cm suspended wire cage) were tested. Populations of both ectoparasites were at least 10 times lower on beak-intact hens compared with populations on beak-trimmed hens. Cage density did not influence mite numbers, but higher numbers of lice (2 to 3 times) developed on hens held at the higher cage density. Louse distribution on the body and louse population age structure were also influenced by host beak condition. Beak-intact hens had a higher proportion of lice under the wings, whereas beak-trimmed hens had the majority of lice on the lower abdomen. Louse populations on beak-trimmed hens also comprised relatively more immature stages than populations found on beak-intact hens. The effects are likely related to decreased grooming efficiency by beak-trimmed hens and, in the case of lice, the higher host density. The high mite and louse populations on most commercial caged laying hens are probably a direct result of beak trimming. However, selection of more docile breeds that can be held without trimming may allow the hens themselves to reduce ectoparasites below economically damaging levels. This could benefit producers, animal welfare advocates, and human health by reducing 1) costs of beak trimming, 2) pesticide treatment costs (including human and bird chemical exposure concerns), and 3) objections to beak trimming from the animal welfare community.

Banding cytogenetics of the Barbary partridge Alectoris barbara and the Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar (Phasianidae): a large conservation with Domestic fowl Gallus domesticus revealed by high resolution chromosomes

PubMed Central

Ouchia-Benissad, Siham; Ladjali-Mohammedi, Kafia

2018-01-01

Abstract The development of avian cytogenetics is significantly behind that of mammals. In fact, since the advent of cytogenetic techniques, fewer than 1500 karyotypes have been established. The Barbary partridge Alectoris barbara Bonnaterre, 1790 is a bird of economic interest but its genome has not been studied so far. This species is endemic to North Africa and globally declining. The Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar Gray, 1830 is an introduced species which shares the same habitat area as the Barbary partridge and so there could be introgressive hybridisation. A cytogenetic study has been initiated in order to contribute to the Barbary partridge and the Chukar partridge genome analyses. The GTG, RBG and RHG-banded karyotypes of these species have been described. Primary fibroblast cell lines obtained from embryos were harvested after simple and double thymidine synchronisation. The first eight autosomal pairs and Z sex chromosome have been described at high resolution and compared to those of the domestic fowl Gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758. The diploid number was established as 2n = 78 for both partridges, as well as for most species belonging to the Galliformes order, underlying the stability of chromosome number in avian karyotypes. Wide homologies were observed for macrochromosomes and gonosome except for chromosome 4, 7, 8 and Z which present differences in morphology and/or banding pattern. Neocentromere occurrence was suggested for both partridges chromosome 4 with an assumed paracentric inversion in the Chukar partridge chromosome 4. Terminal inversion in the long arm of the Barbary partridge chromosome Z was also found. These rearrangements confirm that the avian karyotypes structure is conserved interchromosomally, but not at the intrachromosomal scale. PMID:29896323

Banding cytogenetics of the Barbary partridge Alectoris barbara and the Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar (Phasianidae): a large conservation with Domestic fowl Gallus domesticus revealed by high resolution chromosomes.

PubMed

Ouchia-Benissad, Siham; Ladjali-Mohammedi, Kafia

2018-01-01

The development of avian cytogenetics is significantly behind that of mammals. In fact, since the advent of cytogenetic techniques, fewer than 1500 karyotypes have been established. The Barbary partridge Alectoris barbara Bonnaterre, 1790 is a bird of economic interest but its genome has not been studied so far. This species is endemic to North Africa and globally declining. The Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar Gray, 1830 is an introduced species which shares the same habitat area as the Barbary partridge and so there could be introgressive hybridisation. A cytogenetic study has been initiated in order to contribute to the Barbary partridge and the Chukar partridge genome analyses. The GTG, RBG and RHG-banded karyotypes of these species have been described. Primary fibroblast cell lines obtained from embryos were harvested after simple and double thymidine synchronisation. The first eight autosomal pairs and Z sex chromosome have been described at high resolution and compared to those of the domestic fowl Gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758. The diploid number was established as 2n = 78 for both partridges, as well as for most species belonging to the Galliformes order, underlying the stability of chromosome number in avian karyotypes. Wide homologies were observed for macrochromosomes and gonosome except for chromosome 4, 7, 8 and Z which present differences in morphology and/or banding pattern. Neocentromere occurrence was suggested for both partridges chromosome 4 with an assumed paracentric inversion in the Chukar partridge chromosome 4. Terminal inversion in the long arm of the Barbary partridge chromosome Z was also found. These rearrangements confirm that the avian karyotypes structure is conserved interchromosomally, but not at the intrachromosomal scale.

Fauna, flora, fowl, and fruit: effects of the Columbian Exchange on the allergic response of New and Old World inhabitants.

PubMed

Salvaggio, J E

1992-01-01

The Columbian Exchange has been described as "the most important event in human history since the end of the Ice Age." This interchange of many species of fauna, flora, fowl, and fruits resulted in new encounters between New and Old World inhabitants. Prominent among these were manifestations of allergic reactions to many of the new substances. Little imagination is required to reflect on what these substances, added to or detracted from both the New and Old World lifestyles, habits, and diets. The numerous peas, vegetable seeds, and grasses, such as sugarcane, introduced during Columbus' later voyages, made an enormous difference in the lives of New World inhabitants, as did the introduction of the cow and horse, not to mention substances such as coconuts and bananas, that are now intimately associated with the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This article focuses on some the more important exchange substances and emphasizes many forms of anaphylaxis: asthma, food allergy, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, serum sickness, and other conditions that developed in both New and Old World inhabitants. To mention only a few examples, the Europeans introduced to the New World potential dangers such as honeybees (anaphylaxis). It also gave the New World the cow and the horse (serum sickness), which became the constant companion of Columbus' Indians and the American cowboy. It gave the Italians their thick red gravy, and the New World its pizza (food allergy). The Caribbean received bananas and coconuts and the New World embraced coffee (caffeine addiction). On the other hand, the exchange also caused Europeans to begin puffing away on tobacco.

Fowl adenovirus-induced diseases and strategies for their control - a review on the current global situation.

PubMed

Schachner, Anna; Matos, Miguel; Grafl, Beatrice; Hess, Michael

2018-04-01

The stand-alone pathogenicity of fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) had long been disputed, given the ubiquity of the viruses versus sporadic outbreaks, and variation between experimental studies. However, a globally emerging trend of FAdV-associated diseases has marked the past two decades, with hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome mainly in Asia besides Arabian and Latin American countries, and geographically more disseminated outbreaks of inclusion body hepatitis. Finally, the appearance of FAdV-induced gizzard erosion (AGE) in Asia and Europe completed the range of diseases. Epidemiological studies confirmed serotype FAdV-4 as agent of hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome, whereas inclusion body hepatitis is related to FAdV-2, -8a, -8b and -11. Members of the biologically more distant serotype FAdV-1 induce AGE. Urged by increasing problems in the field, numerous pathogenicity studies with FAdVs from outbreaks substantiated the primary aetiologic role of particular strains for distinct clinical conditions. Developments in the poultry industry towards highly specialized genetic breeds and rigorous biosecurity additionally contribute to the growing incidence of FAdV-related diseases. Confirming field observations, recent studies connected a higher susceptibility of broilers with their distinct physiology, implying the choice of bird type as a factor to be considered in infection studies. Furthermore, elevated biosecurity standards have generated immunologically naïve breeding stocks, putting broilers at risk in face of vertical FAdV transmission. Therefore, future prevention strategies should include adequate antibodies in breeders prior to production and - if necessary - vaccination, in order to protect progenies. This review aims to deliver a detailed overview on the current global situation about FAdV-induced diseases, their reproduction in vivo and vaccination strategies.

PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF INFLUENZA VIRUS COMPONENTS OBTAINED AFTER ETHER TREATMENT

PubMed Central

Davenport, Fred M.; Rott, Rudolf; Schäfer, Werner

1960-01-01

The Rostock strain of fowl plague, the swine, A, A', and Asian strains of influenza A as well as their hemagglutinin and internal s antigen subunits obtained after ether splitting, were found to be morphologically indistinguishable when examined simultaneously. Hemagglutinin fractions reacted in a highly strain specific manner when tested by hemagglutination inhibition or by complement fixation using sera obtained after infection. With the same sera internal s antigen fractions were shown to be serologically distinguishable by complement fixation. This observation may stimulate interest in the feasibility of employing immunologic techniques for the study of nucleoproteins. The significance of the findings reported is discussed. PMID:13719952

Avians as a Model System of Vascular Development

PubMed Central

Bressan, Michael; Mikawa, Takashi

2015-01-01

Summary For more then 2000 years philosophers and scientists have turned to the avian embryo with questions of how life begins (Aristotle; Needham, 1959). Then, as now, the unique accessibility of the embryo both in terms of acquisition of eggs from domesticated fowl, and ease at which the embryo can be visualized by simply opening the shell, have made avians an appealing and powerful model system for the study of development. Thus, as the field of embryology has evolved through observational, comparative, and experimental embryology, into its current iteration as the cellular and molecular biology of development, avians have remained a useful and practical system of study. PMID:25468608

Right Müllerian duct in the domestic fowl during postnatal ontogenesis.

PubMed

Hlozánková, E; Zelenka, J

1978-01-01

In this study the postembryonal changes of the right Müllerian duct are investigated. This structure was found in all female broilers of the hybrid combination Ross 1 as well as in hens of the female line of parent stock for the production of this hybrid. A thready structure of the length of several millimeters observed in one-day-old females develops in chicks into a long, thin-walled ampula filled up with clear liquid. In mature hens this rudiment is markedly long and its shape is rather different. In some cases the Müllerian duct was divided into several parts which might be compared with individual parts of the left oviduct.

The nature of the virus receptors of red cells; evidence on the chemical nature of the virus receptors of red cells and of the existence of a closely analogous substance in normal serum.

PubMed

HIRST, G K

1948-04-01

THE INFLUENZA VIRUS RECEPTORS OF FOWL RED CELLS AND THE INFLUENZA VIRUS INHIBITOR OF NORMAL RABBIT SERUM HAVE THE FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES IN COMMON: They are stable at high temperatures and in solutions of pH as high as 10.0. They both resist destruction by a number of oxidizing agents but are readily destroyed by sodium periodate, trypsin, and influenza virus. These facts suggest that the red cell receptor and the normal serum inhibitor are either the same or analogous substances and that they may belong to the mucoprotein class of compounds.

Genetic evidence from Indian red jungle fowl corroborates multiple domestication of modern day chicken.

PubMed

Kanginakudru, Sriramana; Metta, Muralidhar; Jakati, R D; Nagaraju, J

2008-06-10

Domestication of chicken is believed to have occurred in Southeast Asia, especially in Indus valley. However, non-inclusion of Indian red jungle fowl (RJF), Gallus gallus murghi in previous studies has left a big gap in understanding the relationship of this major group of birds. In the present study, we addressed this issue by analyzing 76 Indian birds that included 56 G. g. murghi (RJF), 16 G. g. domesticus (domestic chicken) and 4 G. sonneratii (Grey JF) using both microsatellite markers and mitochondrial D-loop sequences. We also compared the D-loop sequences of Indian birds with those of 779 birds obtained from GenBank. Microsatellite marker analyses of Indian birds indicated an average FST of 0.126 within G. g. murghi, and 0.154 within G. g. domesticus while it was more than 0.2 between the two groups. The microsatellite-based phylogenetic trees showed a clear separation of G. g. domesticus from G. g. murghi, and G. sonneratii. Mitochondrial DNA based mismatch distribution analyses showed a lower Harpending's raggedness index in both G. g. murghi (0.001515) and in Indian G. g. domesticus (0.0149) birds indicating population expansion. When meta analysis of global populations of 855 birds was carried out using median joining haplotype network, 43 Indian birds of G. g. domesticus (19 haplotypes) were distributed throughout the network sharing haplotypes with the RJFs of different origins. Our results suggest that the domestication of chicken has occurred independently in different locations of Asia including India. We found evidence for domestication of Indian birds from G. g. spadiceus and G. g. gallus as well as from G. g. murghi, corroborating multiple domestication of Indian and other domestic chicken. In contrast to the commonly held view that RJF and domestic birds hybridize in nature, the present study shows that G. g. murghi is relatively pure. Further, the study also suggested that the chicken populations have undergone population expansion, especially in the Indus valley.

Detailed molecular analyses of the hexon loop-1 and fibers of fowl aviadenoviruses reveal new insights into the antigenic relationship and confirm that specific genotypes are involved in field outbreaks of inclusion body hepatitis.

PubMed

Schachner, Anna; Marek, Ana; Grafl, Beatrice; Hess, Michael

2016-04-15

Forty-eight fowl aviadenoviruses (FAdVs) isolated from recent IBH outbreaks across Europe were investigated, by utilizing for the first time the two major adenoviral antigenic domains, hexon loop-1 and fiber, for compound molecular characterization of IBH-associated FAdVs. Successful target gene amplification, following virus isolation in cell culture or from FTA-card samples, demonstrated presence of FAdVs in all cases indicative for IBH. Based on hexon loop-1 analysis, 31 European field isolates exhibited highest nucleotide identity (>97.2%) to reference strains FAdV-2 or -11 representing FAdV-D, while 16 and one European isolates shared >96.0% nucleotide identity with FAdV-8a and -8b, or FAdV-7, the prototype strains representing FAdV-E. These results extend recognition of specific FAdV-D and FAdV-E affiliate genotypes as causative agents of IBH to the European continent. In all isolates, species specificity determined by fiber gene analysis correlated with hexon-based typing. A threshold of 72.0% intraspecies nucleotide identity between fibers from investigated prototype and field strains corresponded with demarcation criteria proposed for hexon, suggesting fiber-based analysis as a complementary tool for molecular FAdV typing. A limited number of strains exhibited inconsistencies between hexon and fiber subclustering, indicating potential constraints for single-gene based typing of those FAdVs. Within FAdV-D, field isolate fibers shared a high degree of nucleotide (>96.7%) and aa (>95.8%) identity, while FAdV-E field isolate fibers displayed greater nucleotide divergence of up to 22.6%, resulting in lower aa identities of >81.7%. Furthermore, comparison with FAdVs from IBH outbreaks outside Europe revealed close genetic relationship in the fiber, independent of the strains' geographic origin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) infestation on hen physiology, physical condition, and egg quality.

PubMed

Vezzoli, Giuseppe; King, Annie J; Mench, Joy A

2016-05-01

The northern fowl mite (NFM),Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is the most common ectoparasite of laying hens in North America. Infestation can cause a reduction in egg production, egg weights, and feed conversion efficiency. However, there is a lack of information on the effects of NFM on hen physiology, physical condition, and egg quality. Singly caged beak-trimmed White Leghorn hens (N=32) were infested with mites at 25 wk of age. The condition of each hen was assessed at wk 0 (infestation) and wk 5 and 7 post-infestation to determine comb temperatures and feather, skin, and comb condition. Heterophil-lymphocyte (H/L) ratios and body weight (BW) were evaluated at wk 0 and wk 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infestation. Egg weight, egg specific gravity, yolk color, Haugh unit (HU), and eggshell thickness were determined prior to infestation (wk -1) and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 wk post-infestation. The H/L ratio (P<0.0001), HU (P<0.0001), and egg specific gravity (P=0.001) were lowest, and the egg yolk color was lightest (P=0.087) at wk 5, the peak of infestation. At wk 5 and 7, more than 65% of the hens had red skin and more than 75% had scabs on the vent; in addition more than 84% had grey-black vent feathers. There were no effects of infestation on comb color, comb temperature, feather cover, BW, or eggshell thickness. It was concluded that infestation with NFM has negative effects on interior egg quality and hen integument. A decrease in H/L ratio was also observed at the peak of infestation. However, the effects of NFM on the immune system are unclear, and H/L ratio might not be a good stress measure in hens highly infested with NFM. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Construction of a Salmonella Gallinarum ghost as a novel inactivated vaccine candidate and its protective efficacy against fowl typhoid in chickens

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In order to develop a novel, safe and immunogenic fowl typhoid (FT) vaccine candidate, a Salmonella Gallinarum ghost with controlled expression of the bacteriophage PhiX174 lysis gene E was constructed using pMMP99 plasmid in this study. The formation of the Salmonella Gallinarum ghost with tunnel formation and loss of cytoplasmic contents was observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. No viable cells were detectable 24 h after the induction of gene E expression by an increase in temperature from 37 °C to 42 °C. The safety and protective efficacy of the Salmonella Gallinarum ghost vaccine was tested in chickens that were divided into four groups: group A (non-immunized control), group B (orally immunized), group C (subcutaneously immunized) and group D (intramuscularly immunized). The birds were immunized at day 7 of age. None of the immunized animals showed any adverse reactions such as abnormal behavior, mortality, or signs of FT such as anorexia, depression, or diarrhea. These birds were subsequently challenged with a virulent Salmonella Gallinarum strain at 3 weeks post-immunization (wpi). Significant protection against the virulent challenge was observed in all immunized groups based on mortality and post-mortem lesions compared to the non-immunized control group. In addition, immunization with the Salmonella Gallinarum ghosts induced significantly high systemic IgG response in all immunized groups. Among the groups, orally-vaccinated group B showed significantly higher levels of secreted IgA. A potent antigen-specific lymphocyte activation response along with significantly increased percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes found in all immunized groups clearly indicate the induction of cellular immune responses. Overall, these findings suggest that the newly constructed Salmonella Gallinarum ghost appears to be a safe, highly immunogenic, and efficient non-living bacterial vaccine candidate that protects against FT. PMID:22620989

Breeding of tomorrow's chickens to improve well-being.

PubMed

Cheng, H-W

2010-04-01

Chickens, as well as other animals, have the ability to change their behavior (behavioral plasticity) and physiology (physiological plasticity) based on the costs and benefits to fit their environment (adaptation). Through natural selection, the population preserves and accumulates traits that are beneficial and rejects those that are detrimental in their prevailing environments. The surviving populations are able to contribute more genes associated with beneficial traits for increased fitness to subsequent generations. Natural selection is slow but constant; working over multiple generations, the changes to the population often appear silent or undetectable at a given point in history. Chickens were domesticated from the wild red jungle fowl. The principle of domestication of chickens, as well as other farm animals, by humans is similar to that of natural selection: selecting the best animals with the highest survivability and reproducibility (artificial selection). Compared with natural selection, the process of artificial selection is motivated by human needs and acts more rapidly with more visible results over a short time period. This process has been further accelerated following the development of current breeding programs and the emergence of specialized breeding companies. A laying hen, for example, produces more than 300 hundred eggs a year, whereas a jungle fowl lays 4 to 6 eggs in a year. During the domestication process, chickens retained their capability to adapt to their housing environments, which is usually achieved by genetic changes occurring with each subsequent generation. Genes control the behavioral, physiological, immunological, and psychological responses of animals to stressors, including environmental stimulations. With advances in understanding of genetic mediation of animal physiology and behavior and the discovery of the genome sequences of many species, animal production breeding programs can be improved in both speed and efficiency. Modern chicken breeding programs have the potential to be operated successfully in the breeding of tomorrow's chickens with high production efficiency and optimal welfare, resulting from resistance to stress, disease, or both.

Field trial in commercial broilers with a multivalent in ovo vaccine comprising a mixture of live viral vaccines against Marek's disease, infectious bursal disease, Newcastle disease, and fowl pox.

PubMed

Sharma, J M; Zhang, Y; Jensen, D; Rautenschlein, Silke; Yeh, H Y

2002-01-01

A multivalent in ovo vaccine (MIV) was tested for safety and efficacy in a commercial broiler complex. The MIV comprised five replicating live viruses including serotypes 1, 2, and 3 of Marek's disease virus (MDV), an intermediate infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and a recombinant fowl poxvirus (FPV) vector vaccine containing HN and F genes of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The performance of MIV-vaccinated broilers was compared with that of hatchmates that received turkey herpesvirus (HVT) alone (routinely used in ovo vaccine in the broiler complex). The chickens that hatched from the MIV-injected and HVT-injected eggs were raised under commercial conditions in six barns. Barn 1 housed 17,853 MIV-vaccinated chickens and each of the barns 2-6 housed 18,472-22,798 HVT-vaccinated chickens. The HVT-vaccinated chickens were given infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and NDV vaccines at hatch and at 2 wk of age. The MIV-vaccinated chickens received IBV vaccine at hatch and IBV + NDV at 2 wk of age. The relative values of hatchability of eggs, livability and weight gain of chickens, and condemnation rates at processing were comparable between the MIV and the HVT groups (P > 0.05). Chickens from the MIV- and the HVT-vaccinated groups were challenged with virulent viruses under laboratory conditions. The resistance of vaccinated chickens against Marek's disease could not be assessed because of high natural resistance of unvaccinated commercial broilers to virulent MDV. The relative resistances of the MIV- and the HVT-vaccinated groups, respectively, against other virulent viruses were as follows: IBDV, 100% for both groups; NDV, 81% vs. 19%; FPV, 86% vs. 0%. The successful use of MIV under field conditions expands the usefulness of the in ovo technology for poultry.

Protection and synergism by recombinant fowl pox vaccines expressing multiple genes from Marek's disease virus.

PubMed

Lee, Lucy E; Witter, R L; Reddy, S M; Wu, P; Yanagida, N; Yoshida, S

2003-01-01

Recombinant fowl poxviruses (rFPVs) were constructed to express genes from serotype 1 Marek's disease virus (MDV) coding for glycoproteins B, E, I, H, and UL32 (gB1, gE, gI, gH, and UL32). An additional rFPV was constructed to contain four MDV genes (gB1, gE, gI, and UL32). These rFPVs were evaluated for their ability to protect maternal antibody-positive chickens against challenge with highly virulent MDV isolates. The protection induced by a single rFPV/gB1 (42%) confirmed our previous finding. The protection induced by rFPV/gI (43%), rFPV/gB1UL32 (46%), rFPV/gB1gEgI (72%), and rFPV/gB1gEgIUL32 (70%) contributed to additional knowledge on MDV genes involved in protective immunity. In contrast, the rFPV containing gE, gH, or UL32 did not induce significant protection compared with turkey herpesvirus (HVT). Levels of protection by rFPV/gB1 and rFPV/gl were comparable with that of HVT. Only gB1 and gI conferred synergism in rFPV containing these two genes. Protection by both rFPV/gB1gEgI (72%) and rFPV/gB1gEgIUL32(70%) against Marek's disease was significantly enhanced compared with a single gB1 or gI gene (40%). This protective synergism between gB1 and gI in rFPVs may be the basis for better protection when bivalent vaccines between serotypes 2 and 3 were used. When rFPV/gB1gIgEUL32 + HVT were used as vaccine against Md5 challenge, the protection was significantly enhanced (94%). This synergism between rFPV/gB1gIgEUL32 and HVT indicates additional genes yet to be discovered in HVT may be responsible for the enhancement.

Molecular epidemiology of Avian Rotaviruses Group A and D shed by different bird species in Nigeria.

PubMed

Pauly, Maude; Oni, Oluwole O; Sausy, Aurélie; Owoade, Ademola A; Adeyefa, Christopher A O; Muller, Claude P; Hübschen, Judith M; Snoeck, Chantal J

2017-06-12

Avian rotaviruses (RVs) cause gastrointestinal diseases of birds worldwide. However, prevalence, diversity, epidemiology and phylogeny of RVs remain largely under-investigated in Africa. Fecal samples from 349 birds (158 symptomatic, 107 asymptomatic and 84 birds without recorded health status) were screened by reverse transcription PCR to detect RV groups A and D (RVA and RVD). Partial gene sequences of VP4, VP6, VP7 and NSP4 for RVA, and of VP6 and VP7 for RVD were obtained and analyzed to infer phylogenetic relationship. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were applied to identify factors potentially influencing virus shedding in chickens. A high prevalence of RVA (36.1%; 126/349) and RVD (31.8%; 111/349) shedding was revealed in birds. In chickens, RV shedding was age-dependent and highest RVD shedding rates were found in commercial farms. No negative health effect could be shown, and RVA and RVD shedding was significantly more likely in asymptomatic chickens: RVA/RVD were detected in 51.9/48.1% of the asymptomatic chickens, compared to 18.9/29.7% of the symptomatic chickens (p < 0.001/p = 0.01). First RVA sequences were obtained from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and guinea fowls (Numida meleagris). Phylogenetic analyses illustrated the high genetic diversity of RVA and RVD in Nigerian birds and suggested cross-species transmission of RVA, especially at live bird markets. Indeed, RVA strains highly similar to a recently published fox rotavirus (RVA/Fox-tc/ITA/288356/2011/G18P[17]) and distantly related to other avian RVs were detected in different bird species, including pigeons, ducks, guinea fowls, quails and chickens. This study provides new insights into epidemiology, diversity and classification of avian RVA and RVD in Nigeria. We show that cross-species transmission of host permissive RV strains occurs when different bird species are mixed.

Genetic evidence from Indian red jungle fowl corroborates multiple domestication of modern day chicken

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Domestication of chicken is believed to have occurred in Southeast Asia, especially in Indus valley. However, non-inclusion of Indian red jungle fowl (RJF), Gallus gallus murghi in previous studies has left a big gap in understanding the relationship of this major group of birds. In the present study, we addressed this issue by analyzing 76 Indian birds that included 56 G. g. murghi (RJF), 16 G. g. domesticus (domestic chicken) and 4 G. sonneratii (Grey JF) using both microsatellite markers and mitochondrial D-loop sequences. We also compared the D-loop sequences of Indian birds with those of 779 birds obtained from GenBank. Results Microsatellite marker analyses of Indian birds indicated an average FST of 0.126 within G. g. murghi, and 0.154 within G. g. domesticus while it was more than 0.2 between the two groups. The microsatellite-based phylogenetic trees showed a clear separation of G. g. domesticus from G. g. murghi, and G. sonneratii. Mitochondrial DNA based mismatch distribution analyses showed a lower Harpending's raggedness index in both G. g. murghi (0.001515) and in Indian G. g. domesticus (0.0149) birds indicating population expansion. When meta analysis of global populations of 855 birds was carried out using median joining haplotype network, 43 Indian birds of G. g. domesticus (19 haplotypes) were distributed throughout the network sharing haplotypes with the RJFs of different origins. Conclusion Our results suggest that the domestication of chicken has occurred independently in different locations of Asia including India. We found evidence for domestication of Indian birds from G. g. spadiceus and G. g. gallus as well as from G. g. murghi, corroborating multiple domestication of Indian and other domestic chicken. In contrast to the commonly held view that RJF and domestic birds hybridize in nature, the present study shows that G. g. murghi is relatively pure. Further, the study also suggested that the chicken populations have undergone population expansion, especially in the Indus valley. PMID:18544161

STUDIES ON FOWL PARALYSIS (NEUROLYMPHOMATOSIS GALLINARUM)

PubMed Central

Pappenheimer, Alwin M.; Dunn, Leslie C.; Cone, Vernon

1929-01-01

1. Fowl paralysis (neurolymphomatosis gallinarum) is a disease entity, with characteristic clinical and pathological features. 2. The disease occurs in all parts of the United States, Holland, Austria and probably South America. 3. The disease appears to be endemic in certain foci. Having once appeared, the disease tends to persist through successive years. 4. It occurs with about equal frequency in both sexes; all common breeds may be affected. 5. Symptoms appear between the 3rd and 18th months. Typical clinical cases have not been observed outside of these limits. 6. The conspicuous symptoms are (a) asymmetrical, partial and progressive paralysis of the wings and both legs, and rarely of neck muscles; (b) occasional grey discoloration of iris, with blindness. Nutrition is usually preserved. 7. The duration is variable; the outcome is usually fatal, but spontaneous recovery may rarely occur. 8. The principal pathological changes are found in the nervous system. In the peripheral nerves, the essential feature is an intense infiltration of lymphoid, plasma cells, and large mononuclears. This is accompanied by a myelin degeneration in the more advanced lesions, but the cellular infiltrations appear to precede the degenerative changes. In brain, cord and meninges, there are similar infiltrations predominantly perivascular. Infiltrations of the iris with lymphoid and plasma cells are found in the cases showing gross discoloration of the iris. Visceral lymphomata, originating usually in the ovary, are associated in a certain percentage of the cases. Evidence is presented in favor of the view that this association is not accidental, and that the lymphomata are a manifestation of the disease. 9. Infiltrations of the spinal cord and brain, rarely of the peripheral nerves, are frequently present in birds showing no clinical symptoms. These are interpreted as mild cases of the same disease. 10. No microorganisms of etiological significance have been demonstrated in the tissues or by cultural methods. PMID:19869538

Heritabilities and genetic correlations of economic traits in Iranian native fowl and estimated genetic trend and inbreeding coefficients.

PubMed

Kamali, M A; Ghorbani, S H; Sharbabak, M Moradi; Zamiri, M J

2007-08-01

1. Genetic parameters were estimated in a base population of a closed experimental strain of fowl. Data were obtained on 21 245 Iranian native hens (breeding centre for Fars province) subject to 8 successive generations of selection. This population had been selected for body weight at 12 weeks of age (BW12) and egg number during the first 12 weeks of the laying period (EN), mean egg weight (EW) at weeks 28, 30 and 32, and age at sexual maturity (ASM). 2. The method of multi-traits restricted maximum likelihood with an animal model was used to estimate genetic parameters. Resulting heritabilities for BW12, EN, EW and ASM were 0.68 +/- 0.02, 0.40 +/- 0.02, 0.64 +/- 0.02 and 0.49 +/- 0.02, respectively. 3. Genetic correlations between BW12 and EN, EW and ASM were 0.11 +/- 0.33, 0.54 +/- 0.21 and -0.12 +/- 0.03, respectively. Genetic correlations between EN and EW and ASM were -0.09 +/- 0.03 and -0.85 +/- 0.01, respectively, while between EW and ASM, it was 0.05 +/- 0.03. 4. The overall predicted genetic gains, after 7 generations of selection, estimated by the regression coefficients of the breeding value on generation number were equal to 22.7, 0.17, 0.04 and -1.38, for BW12, EN, EW and ASM, respectively. 5. A pedigree file of 21 245 female and male birds was used to calculate inbreeding coefficients and their influence on production and reproduction traits. Average inbreeding coefficients for all birds, inbred birds, female birds and male birds were 0.048, 0.673, 0.055 and 0.047%, respectively. Regression coefficients of BW12, ASM, EN and EW on inbreeding coefficient for all birds were equal to 0.51 +/- 0.001, 0.31 +/- 0.003, -0.51 +/- 0.003 and 0.03 +/- 0.001, respectively.

Habitat association, size, stomach contents, and reproductive condition of Puerto Rican boas (Epicrates inornatus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, J.W.

2003-01-01

The Puerto Rican boa occurs in a variety of habitats, including wet montane forest, lowland wet forest, mangrove forest, wet limestone karst, and offshore cays, and from sea level to 480 m. Mean SVL of 49 encountered boas (live and road-killed) was 136.9 ?? 35.1 (range = 38.8-205 cm), with a mean mass of 952.1 ?? 349.0 g (n = 47; range = 140-1662 g). Prey in digestive tracts (n = 29) included remains of black rats, house mice, three species of anoles, bats, common ground-doves, domestic fowl chicks, and invertebrates. Females were in reproductive condition in late April through mid-August and had an average brood size of 21.8 ?? 6.0 (n = 9, range = 13-30 ).

Chlamydial infections in free-living birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brand, C.J.

1989-01-01

Most studies of chlamydial infections in free-living wild birds have been limited to surveys for the presence of Chlamydia psittaci or antibody to C psittaci and have largely been done in association with the identification of chlamydiosis in human beings, commercial fowl, or pet birds. The emphasis of these studies has been to determine the prevalence of infection and the potential role of wild birds in the spread of chlamydiae to domestic birds and human beings. Little is known about the epizootiology of chlamydiosis in free-living birds or its affect on their population dynamics. The following article is a summary of reported studies of chlamydiosis in free-living wild birds in relation to host range, ecologic aspects of transmission and maintenance, and the prevalence of disease.

Response of spermatozoa to hyposmotic stress reflects cryopreservation success

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, P.F.; Curry, M.R.; Noiles, E.E.

1992-01-01

Spermatozoa of several species were washed and then subjected to dilution in hyposmotic Tyrode's based solutions. The cells were stained with fluorescent viability stains, carboxyfluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide, and proportions with intact plasma membranes determined by flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy. Fowl spermatozoa remained almost 100% intact until very low osmolality, and then ruptured. Human spermatozoa showed a similar response with only a small decrease in intact cells before the precipitous decline at low osmolality. Bull spermatozoa were more readily disrupted at higher osmolality, some 40% being damaged before the sudden decline at low osmolality. Ram and boar spermatozoamore » were progressively disrupted even at mild hyposmotic stress, showing approximately 50% of cells ruptured at 150 mOsm.« less

Response of spermatozoa to hyposmotic stress reflects cryopreservation success

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watson, P.F.; Curry, M.R.; Noiles, E.E.

1992-06-01

Spermatozoa of several species were washed and then subjected to dilution in hyposmotic Tyrode`s based solutions. The cells were stained with fluorescent viability stains, carboxyfluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide, and proportions with intact plasma membranes determined by flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy. Fowl spermatozoa remained almost 100% intact until very low osmolality, and then ruptured. Human spermatozoa showed a similar response with only a small decrease in intact cells before the precipitous decline at low osmolality. Bull spermatozoa were more readily disrupted at higher osmolality, some 40% being damaged before the sudden decline at low osmolality. Ram and boar spermatozoamore » were progressively disrupted even at mild hyposmotic stress, showing approximately 50% of cells ruptured at 150 mOsm.« less

Water resources of the Two Rivers Watershed, Northwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maclay, R.W.; Winter, Thomas C.; Pike, G.M.

1967-01-01

It lies in parts of Kittson and Roseau counties and includes the drainage basins of the Two Rivers and Joe River. The flat lake plain which extends 15 to 20 miles east of the Red River of the North is extensively cultivated for small grains and sugar beets. The gently undulating till plain is cultivated largely for small grains and hay. The areas not under cultivation support a forest of poplar with some maple and oak. Oak is the predominate tree on the sandy ridges. The large peat areas are covered with brush and marsh grasslands. Outdoor recreational facilities in the watershed consist principally of the Lake Bronson Park, water-fowl hunting in the extensive marshlands, and deer and small game hunting in the forested areas.

Avians as a model system of vascular development.

PubMed

Bressan, Michael; Mikawa, Takashi

2015-01-01

For more than 2,000 years, philosophers and scientists have turned to the avian embryo with questions of how life begins (Aristotle and Peck Generations of Animals. Loeb Classics, vol. XIII. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1943; Needham, A history of embryology. Abelard-Schuman, New York, 1959). Then, as now, the unique accessibility of the embryo both in terms of acquisition of eggs from domesticated fowl and ease at which the embryo can be visualized by simply opening the shell has made avians an appealing and powerful model system for the study of development. Thus, as the field of embryology has evolved through observational, comparative, and experimental embryology into its current iteration as the cellular and molecular biology of development, avians have remained a useful and practical system of study.

The colour of domestication and the designer chicken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheppy, Andrew

2011-03-01

Colour is an important feature of most living organisms. In the wild, colour has great significance affecting the survival and reproductive success of the species. The environmental constraints which lead to the specific colours of birds and animals are very strong and individuals of novel colours tend not to survive. Under domestication, mankind has transformed all the species involved which have thus been freed from environmental pressures to a large extent. Early colour variants were mostly selected for utility reasons or religious practices. In more recent centuries colour varieties have been created purely for ornament and pleasure, fashion playing a surprisingly large part in their development. A bewildering array of colours and patterns can now be found in all our commensal species, especially the Domestic Fowl ( Gallus gallus domesticus).

Pathobiology of avian influenza virus infection in minor gallinaceous species: a review.

PubMed

Bertran, Kateri; Dolz, Roser; Majó, Natàlia

2014-01-01

Susceptibility to avian influenza viruses (AIVs) can vary greatly among bird species. Chickens and turkeys are major avian species that, like ducks, have been extensively studied for avian influenza. To a lesser extent, minor avian species such as quail, partridges, and pheasants have also been investigated for avian influenza. Usually, such game fowl species are highly susceptible to highly pathogenic AIVs and may consistently spread both highly pathogenic AIVs and low-pathogenic AIVs. These findings, together with the fact that game birds are considered bridge species in the poultry-wildlife interface, highlight their interest from the transmission and biosecurity points of view. Here, the general pathobiological features of low-pathogenic AIV and highly pathogenic AIV infections in this group of avian species have been covered.

Detection of egg drop syndrome 1976 virus by polymerase chain reaction and study of its persistence in experimentally infected layer birds.

PubMed

Kumar, N S; Kataria, J M; Koti, M; Dhama, K; Toroghi, R

2003-01-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the detection of Egg drop syndrome 1976 (EDS-76) virus in tissues, namely in the uterus, spleen and buffy coat. It was also used to study the persistence of the virus in tissues of experimentally infected layer birds. The PCR assay could detect as little as 10 fg of purified EDS-76 viral DNA. It also amplified the DNA of Fowl adenovirus serotypes 4 (FAV-4) and 8 (FAV-8). The virus persisted in the uterus up to day 21 post infection (p.i.). Detection of EDS-76 viral DNA in the buffy coat could be useful for studying the occurrence of the respective disease in layer bird flocks.

Effect of varying dietary concentrations of lysine on growth performance of the Pearl Grey guinea fowl.

PubMed

Bhogoju, S; Nahashon, S N; Donkor, J; Kimathi, B; Johnson, D; Khwatenge, C; Bowden-Taylor, T

2017-05-01

Lysine is the second limiting essential amino acid in poultry nutrition after methionine. Understanding the lysine requirement of poultry is necessary in guiding formulation of least cost diets that effectively meet the nutritional needs of individual birds. The lysine requirement of the Pearl Grey guinea fowl (PGGF) is not known. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the appropriate lysine levels required for optimal growth attributes of the PGGF. In a 12-week study, 512 one-day-old Pearl Grey guinea keets were weighed individually and randomly assigned to electrically heated battery brooders. Each battery contained 12 compartments housing 15 birds each. Eight diets fed to the experimental birds consisted of corn-soybean meal and contained 0.80 to 1.22 digestible lysine in 0.06% increments. Feed and water were provided at free choice and the diets were replicated twice. Experimental diets contained 3,100 Kcal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg diet and 23% crude protein (CP), 3,150 ME Kcal ME/kg diet and 21% CP, and 3,100 ME/kg and 17% CP, at zero to 4, 5 to 10, and 11 to 12 weeks of age (WOA), respectively. Birds were provided water ad libitum and a 23:1 and 8:16-hr (light:dark) regimen at zero to 8 and 9 to 12 WOA, respectively. Birds were weighed weekly, and body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversions were determined. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedures of SAS (2002) with dietary lysine as treatment effect. Females responded better to diets containing 1.04 and 0.8% lysine from hatch to 4 and 5 to 12 WOA, respectively. Males responded better to diets containing 1.10 and 0.8% lysine at hatch to 4 WOA and 5 to 12 WOA, respectively. Therefore, we recommend that PGGF females and males be fed diets containing 1.04 and 1.10%, respectively, at hatch to 4 WOA and 0.80% lysine at 5 to 12 WOA. The diets should be supplied in phases. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Application of high-resolution melting curve analysis for typing of fowl adenoviruses in field cases of inclusion body hepatitis.

PubMed

Steer, P A; O'Rourke, D; Ghorashi, S A; Noormohammadi, A H

2011-05-01

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) cause inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in chickens. In this study, clinical cases of IBH from Australian broiler flocks were screened for the presence and genotype of FAdVs. Twenty-six IBH cases from commercial poultry farms were screened. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with high-resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis (PCR/HRM genotyping) was used to determine the presence and genotype of FAdVs. For comparison, field isolates were also assessed by virus microneutralisation and nucleotide sequence analysis of the hexon loop 1 (Hex L1) gene. PCR detection of chicken anaemia virus (CAV) and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was also employed. FAdV-8b and FAdV-11 were identified in 13 cases each. In one case, FAdV-1 was also identified. Cross-neutralisation was observed between the FAdV-11 field strain and the reference FAdV-2 and 11 antisera, a result also seen with the type 2 and 11 reference FAdVs. Field strains 1 and 8b were neutralised only by their respective type antisera. The FAdV-8b field strain was identical to the Australian FAdV vaccine strain (type 8b) in the Hex L1 region. The Hex L1 sequence of the FAdV-11 field strain had the highest identity to FAdV-11 (93.2%) and FAdV-2 (92.7%) reference strains. In the five cases tested for CAV and IBDV, neither virus was detected. The evidence suggested the presence of sufficient antibodies against CAV and IBD in the parent flocks and there was no indication of immunosuppression caused by these viruses. These results indicate that PCR/HRM genotyping is a reliable diagnostic method for FAdV identification and is more rapid than virus neutralisation and direct sequence analysis. Furthermore, they suggest that IBH in Australian broiler flocks is a primary disease resulting from two alternative FAdV strains from different species. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2011 Australian Veterinary Association.

Broad spectrum protection of broiler chickens against inclusion body hepatitis by immunizing their broiler breeder parents with a bivalent live fowl adenovirus vaccine.

PubMed

Popowich, Shelly; Gupta, Ashish; Chow-Lockerbie, Betty; Ayalew, Lisanework; Ambrose, Neil; Ojkic, Davor; Gunawardana, Thushari; Kurukulasuriya, Shanika; Willson, Philip; Tikoo, Suresh K; Gomis, Susantha

2018-06-01

Historically, fowl adenovirus (FAdV) associated inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) was considered a secondary disease in broiler chickens associated with immunosuppression. However, we previously reported the occurrence of IBH as a primary disease in the broiler chicken industry in Canada as a result of infections with various FAdV serotypes. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to develop an immunization strategy in broiler breeders using live FAdV 11-1047 and FAdV8a-TR59 to confer homologous and heterologous protection in broiler progeny against IBH and to study the efficacy of natural exposure of naïve broiler breeders to a vaccine virus from live FAdV vaccinated birds as an immunization technique. Broiler breeders vaccinated orally with FAdV8a-TR59 (1 × 10 4 TCID 50 /bird) and FAdV11-1047 (1 × 10 4 TCID 50 /bird), FAdV8a-TR59 (1 × 10 6 TCID 50 /bird) and FAdV11-1047 (1 × 10 6 TCID 50 /bird) or FAdV8b (1 × 10 6 TCID 50 /bird) transferred substantial levels of neutralizing antibodies to their progeny. The efficacy of maternal antibodies was studied by challenging 14-day old broiler chickens with 1 × 10 7 TCID 50 of FAdV2-685, FAdV7-x11a like, FAdV8a-TR59, FAdV8b-SK or FAdV11-1047 which are the dominant serotypes causing IBH outbreaks in Canada. Broiler chickens from the low and high dose vaccinated breeders were significantly protected against all serotypes of FAdV (P < 0.05). Comingling of unvaccinated broiler breeders with FAdV-vaccinated broiler breeders was an effective immunization technique for in-contact naïve birds. This study confirms that IBH can be effectively controlled in Canada by vaccination of broiler breeder parents with a bivalent vaccine containing live FAdV8a-TR59 and FAdV11-1047. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Running stability is enhanced by a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control.

PubMed

Daley, M A; Felix, G; Biewener, A A

2007-02-01

We currently know little about how animals achieve dynamic stability when running over uneven and unpredictable terrain, often characteristic of their natural environment. Here we investigate how limb and joint mechanics of an avian biped, the helmeted guinea fowl Numida meleagris, respond to an unexpected drop in terrain during running. In particular, we address how joint mechanics are coordinated to achieve whole limb dynamics. Based on muscle-tendon architecture and previous studies of steady and incline locomotion, we hypothesize a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control. In this motor control strategy, (1) proximal muscles at the hip and knee joints are controlled primarily in a feedforward manner and exhibit load-insensitive mechanical performance, and (2) distal muscles at the ankle and tarsometatarso-phalangeal (TMP) joints are highly load-sensitive, due to intrinsic mechanical effects and rapid, higher gain proprioceptive feedback. Limb kinematics and kinetics during the unexpected perturbation reveal that limb retraction, controlled largely by the hip, remains similar to level running throughout the perturbed step, despite altered limb loading. Individual joints produce or absorb energy during both level and perturbed running steps, such that the net limb work depends on the balance of energy among the joints. The hip maintains the same mechanical role regardless of limb loading, whereas the ankle and TMP switch between spring-like or damping function depending on limb posture at ground contact. Initial knee angle sets limb posture and alters the balance of work among the joints, although the knee contributes little work itself. This distribution of joint function results in posture-dependent changes in work performance of the limb, which allow guinea fowl to rapidly produce or absorb energy in response to the perturbation. The results support the hypothesis that a proximo-distal gradient exists in limb neuromuscular performance and motor control. This control strategy allows limb cycling to remain constant, whereas limb posture, loading and energy performance are interdependent. We propose that this control strategy provides simple, rapid mechanisms for managing energy and controlling velocity when running over rough terrain.

Ticks threatening lineage of Anatolian wild sheep (Ovis gmelinii anatolica) and determination of their tick-borne pathogens.

PubMed

Orkun, Ömer; Emir, Hasan; Karaer, Zafer

2016-09-15

We aimed to determine the ticks of the Anatolian wild sheep and to define their tick-borne pathogens while molecularly studying their relationships with those of the domestic sheep. Furthermore, another aim of this study is to investigate tick paralysis resulting in the death of the Anatolian wild sheep. Ticks and blood samples were collected from the wild sheep whilst tick samples were also collected from hares, guinea fowls, chickens, and a turkey living in the Anatolian wild sheep breeding area. While PCR amplification was carried out for the detection of Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Anaplasma spp. in blood samples, CCHF virus was screened in the tick samples in addition to the above-mentioned pathogens. Theileria spp. was detected in blood samples of 45 wild sheep. A total of 3494 ticks were collected from 52 Anatolian wild sheep, 5 hares, 5 guinea fowls, 2 chickens, and 1 turkey whereas 98 ticks were collected from the ground. B. ovis and T. ovis were detected in tick pools (Rh. bursa and H. excavatum) that were collected from the wild sheep. The paralysis was diagnosed in both of the hind legs of the newborn lambs infested with a great number of ticks. We also report that the tick species (H. excavatum and Rh. bursa) are determined to cause tick paralysis and tick toxicosis, which are associated with mortality especially in lambs. T. ovis and B. ovis were detected and studied for the first time in Anatolian wild sheep and in their ticks. The results of phylogenetic analyses showed that T. ovis and B. ovis isolates are genetically very close to the isolates that were previously obtained from the domestic small ruminants. We show that the Anatolian wild sheep can play the role of a reservoir for T. ovis. The presence of the CCHF virus has also been clearly shown and it has been observed that this virus, which is very pathogenic for humans, is anywise circulating in the region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Running stability is enhanced by a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control

PubMed Central

Daley, M. A.; Felix, G.; Biewener, A. A.

2008-01-01

Summary We currently know little about how animals achieve dynamic stability when running over uneven and unpredictable terrain, often characteristic of their natural environment. Here we investigate how limb and joint mechanics of an avian biped, the helmeted guinea fowl Numida meleagris, respond to an unexpected drop in terrain during running. In particular, we address how joint mechanics are coordinated to achieve whole limb dynamics. Based on muscle–tendon architecture and previous studies of steady and incline locomotion, we hypothesize a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control. In this motor control strategy, (1) proximal muscles at the hip and knee joints are controlled primarily in a feedforward manner and exhibit load-insensitive mechanical performance, and (2) distal muscles at the ankle and tarsometatarso-phalangeal (TMP) joints are highly load-sensitive, due to intrinsic mechanical effects and rapid, higher gain proprioceptive feedback. Limb kinematics and kinetics during the unexpected perturbation reveal that limb retraction, controlled largely by the hip, remains similar to level running throughout the perturbed step, despite altered limb loading. Individual joints produce or absorb energy during both level and perturbed running steps, such that the net limb work depends on the balance of energy among the joints. The hip maintains the same mechanical role regardless of limb loading, whereas the ankle and TMP switch between spring-like or damping function depending on limb posture at ground contact. Initial knee angle sets limb posture and alters the balance of work among the joints, although the knee contributes little work itself. This distribution of joint function results in posture-dependent changes in work performance of the limb, which allow guinea fowl to rapidly produce or absorb energy in response to the perturbation. The results support the hypothesis that a proximo-distal gradient exists in limb neuromuscular performance and motor control. This control strategy allows limb cycling to remain constant, whereas limb posture, loading and energy performance are interdependent. We propose that this control strategy provides simple, rapid mechanisms for managing energy and controlling velocity when running over rough terrain. PMID:17234607

Pattern recognition analysis and classification modeling of selenium-producing areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naftz, D.L.

1996-01-01

Established chemometric and geochemical techniques were applied to water quality data from 23 National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP) study areas in the Western United States. These techniques were applied to the NIWQP data set to identify common geochemical processes responsible for mobilization of selenium and to develop a classification model that uses major-ion concentrations to identify areas that contain elevated selenium concentrations in water that could pose a hazard to water fowl. Pattern recognition modeling of the simple-salt data computed with the SNORM geochemical program indicate three principal components that explain 95% of the total variance. A three-dimensional plot of PC 1, 2 and 3 scores shows three distinct clusters that correspond to distinct hydrochemical facies denoted as facies 1, 2 and 3. Facies 1 samples are distinguished by water samples without the CaCO3 simple salt and elevated concentrations of NaCl, CaSO4, MgSO4 and Na2SO4 simple salts relative to water samples in facies 2 and 3. Water samples in facies 2 are distinguished from facies 1 by the absence of the MgSO4 simple salt and the presence of the CaCO3 simple salt. Water samples in facies 3 are similar to samples in facies 2, with the absence of both MgSO4 and CaSO4 simple salts. Water samples in facies 1 have the largest selenium concentration (10 ??gl-1), compared to a median concentration of 2.0 ??gl-1 and less than 1.0 ??gl-1 for samples in facies 2 and 3. A classification model using the soft independent modeling by class analogy (SIMCA) algorithm was constructed with data from the NIWQP study areas. The classification model was successful in identifying water samples with a selenium concentration that is hazardous to some species of water-fowl from a test data set comprised of 2,060 water samples from throughout Utah and Wyoming. Application of chemometric and geochemical techniques during data synthesis analysis of multivariate environmental databases from other national-scale environmental programs such as the NIWQP could also provide useful insights for addressing 'real world' environmental problems.

Longitudinal Study of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease in Village Poultry, Mali, 2009-2011.

PubMed

Molia, Sophie; Grosbois, Vladimir; Kamissoko, Badian; Sidibe, Maimouna Sanogo; Sissoko, Kadiatou Diarra; Traore, Idrissa; Diakite, Adama; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo

2017-06-01

Newcastle disease (ND) is endemic in West Africa, which has also experienced outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) H5N1 since 2006. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and incidence of AI and ND in village poultry in Mali and to identify associated risk factors. A longitudinal serologic study was conducted between November 2009 and February 2011 using ELISA commercial kits to detect antibodies. Sera (5963) were collected from 4890 different poultry. AI was rare, with a seroprevalence of 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-3.5) and a seroincidence rate of 0.7 birds per 100 bird-months at risk (95% CI 0.4-1.0). AI antibodies were short lived, with a seroreversion rate of 25.4 birds per 100 bird-months at risk (95% CI 19.0-31.7). Risk factors for AI were limited: temporal variation occurred, but proximity to a water body was a risk factor only when large populations of wild waterbirds were present. ND was very common, with seroprevalence of 68.9% (95% CI 61.9-76.0) and a seroincidence rate of 15.9 birds per 100 bird-months at risk (95% CI 11.9-19.8). ND seroreversion rate was 6.2 birds per 100 bird-months at risk (95% CI 3.6-8.9). Regarding risk factors for ND, temporal variations occurred, and ND was more likely to be present in the Sudanian agro-ecological zone than in the Sahelian zone, in chickens than in other species, in flocks with higher numbers of Guinea fowl, and in flocks that had access to a waterbody. Control efforts would benefit from further increasing the ND vaccination coverage of village poultry, although this was already quite high (54.9%) for an African country. Seroconversion seemed satisfactory in vaccinated poultry, since 90.0% (95% CI 87.6-92.4) of these had ND antibodies. Further research should investigate the apparent lack of an epidemiologic role of domestic ducks for AI in Mali (unlike in Southeast Asia) and the potential role of Guinea fowl as a reservoir for ND.

Prevention of inclusion body hepatitis/hydropericardium syndrome in progeny chickens by vaccination of breeders with fowl adenovirus and chicken anemia virus.

PubMed

Toro, H; González, C; Cerda, L; Morales, M A; Dooner, P; Salamero, M

2002-01-01

The hypothesis that an effective protection of progeny chickens against inclusion body hepatitis/hydropericardium syndrome (IBH/HP) can be achieved by dual vaccination of breeders with fowl adenovirus (FAV) serotype 4 and chicken anemia virus (CAV) was tested. Thus, 17-wk-old brown leghorn pullet groups were vaccinated by different schemes including single FAV (inactivated), single CAV (attenuated), FAV and CAV dually, or were not vaccinated (controls). Subsequent progenies of these breeders were challenged with the virulent strains FAV-341 and CAV-10343 following three strategies: 1) FAV-341 intramuscularly (i.m.) at day 10 of age (only FAV-vaccinated and control progenies); 2) FAV + CAV i.m. simultaneously at day 10 of age (all progenies); 3) CAV i.m. at day 1 and FAV orally at day 10 of age (all progenies). The induction of IBH/HP in these progenies was evaluated throughout a 10-day period. Both breeder groups vaccinated against FAV and those vaccinated against CAV increased virus neutralizing specific antibodies. Challenge strategy 1 showed 26.6% mortality in control progeny chickens and 13.3% in the progeny of FAV-vaccinated breeders. Presence of lesions in the liver of these groups showed no significant differences (P > 0.05), suggesting a discreet protective effect of the vaccine. Challenge strategy 2 showed 29.4% mortality in controls and 94% of chickens showed hepatic inclusion bodies (HIB). Single CAV vaccination of breeders did not demonstrate a beneficial effect, with both mortality and liver lesions resembling the nonvaccinated controls. FAV vaccination of breeders significantly reduced both mortality (7.4%) and liver lesions (26% HIB) (P < 0.05), providing protection against this challenge strategy. Dual vaccination of breeders with FAV and CAV proved to be necessary to achieve maximum protection of the progeny (no mortality and 7% HIB). Challenge strategy 3 produced no mortality but consistent liver damage in controls (96% HIB). In this case, both CAV and FAV + CAV-vaccinated breeders showed best protection results in terms of liver histopathology (8% and 0% HIB, respectively). FAV vaccination alone produced 24% HIB, similar to challenge strategy 2, demonstrating a lower protective effect.

Population structure of four Thai indigenous chicken breeds.

PubMed

Mekchay, Supamit; Supakankul, Pantaporn; Assawamakin, Anunchai; Wilantho, Alisa; Chareanchim, Wanwisa; Tongsima, Sissades

2014-03-27

In recent years, Thai indigenous chickens have increasingly been bred as an alternative in Thailand poultry market. Due to their popularity, there is a clear need to improve the underlying quality and productivity of these chickens. Studying chicken genetic variation can improve the chicken meat quality as well as conserving rare chicken species. To begin with, a minimal set of molecular markers that can characterize the Thai indigenous chicken breeds is required. Using AFLP-PCR, 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from Thai indigenous chickens were obtained by DNA sequencing. From these SNPs, we genotyped 465 chickens from 7 chicken breeds, comprising four Thai indigenous chicken breeds--Pradhuhangdum (PD), Luenghangkhao (LK), Dang (DA) and Chee (CH), one wild chicken--the red jungle fowls (RJF), and two commercial chicken breeds--the brown egg layer (BL) and commercial broiler (CB). The chicken genotypes reveal unique genetic structures of the four Thai indigenous chicken breeds. The average expected heterozygosities of PD=0.341, LK=0.357, DA=0.349 and CH=0.373, while the references RJF= 0.327, CB=0.324 and BL= 0.285. The F(ST) values among Thai indigenous chicken breeds vary from 0.051 to 0.096. The F(ST) values between the pairs of Thai indigenous chickens and RJF vary from 0.083 to 0.105 and the FST values between the Thai indigenous chickens and the two commercial chicken breeds vary from 0.116 to 0.221. A neighbour-joining tree of all individual chickens showed that the Thai indigenous chickens were clustered into four groups which were closely related to the wild RJF but far from the commercial breeds. Such commercial breeds were split into two closely groups. Using genetic admixture analysis, we observed that the Thai indigenous chicken breeds are likely to share common ancestors with the RJF, while both commercial chicken breeds share the same admixture pattern. These results indicated that the Thai indigenous chicken breeds may descend from the same ancestors. These indigenous chicken breeds were more closely related to red jungle fowls than those of the commercial breeds. These findings showed that the proposed SNP panel can effectively be used to characterize the four Thai indigenous chickens.

Effect of hypothalamic electrolytic lesions in White Leghorn and broiler male cockerels.

PubMed

Arnon, E; Snapir, N; Robinzon, B; Heiblum, R

2004-06-01

1. This study compared the effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions of the basomedial hypothalamus (HL) in broiler and White Leghorn (WL) males. 2. Hypothalamic lesions were placed in WL at 10 weeks of age (body weight 1.1 kg) and in broilers, either at 6 weeks (body weight 1.5kg) or at 10 weeks of age (body weight 3.4kg). They were fed ad libitum until autopsy at 16 and 17 weeks of age for broilers and WL, respectively. 3. Hypothalamic lesions caused obesity (high percentage weight of abdominal adipose tissue) in both strains. Obese fowls with unimpaired reproductive systems were classified as OB and those with functional castration as FC (functionally castrated) or FCLC (functionally castrated with large comb). 4. All post-HL syndromes-OB, FC and FCLC-were present in WL, whereas all obese broilers (which are immature at this age) were classified as OB. 5. The percentage weight of abdominal adipose tissue in OB broilers was lower than in OB WL (3% vs 5%, respectively). 6. Daily food intake of OB broilers was higher than control at 12 to 15 weeks of age, regardless of time of placement of HL, whereas daily food intake of OB WL was significantly higher than that of control WL only during the first 2 weeks following HL. 7. Body weight of OB broilers at autopsy was 20% higher than control broilers, whereas body weight of OB WL was not significantly affected. 8. An additional group of broilers was reared to sexual maturity under food restriction until 28 weeks of age. HL were placed at 10 weeks of age (body weight 1.7 kg). Autopsy was performed after a 4-week period of ad libitum feeding. 9. There were OB as well as FC and FCLC among the HL, food-restricted broilers. Percentage weight of testes and spleen were reduced in OB fowls of both strains, but more so in OB WL. 10. Hyperphagia and weight gain were not observed during the ad libitum feeding period of those obese broilers after HL, indicating that hyperphagia and weight gain are secondary to obesity.

Chronic acceleration and egg production in domestic fowl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, A. H.; Besch, E. L.; Burton, R. R.

1985-01-01

A study of the influence of chronic acceleration on egg production of commercially raised hens placed on a large animal centrifuge at 90 days of age, was performed. S8 generation hens were stepped up from 1.25 G to 2 G, which was maintained for 30 days. Fifty percent ceased to be in the laying condition at 1.5 G, and 10.8 percent suffered oviduct prolapse above 1.8 G. S21 generation hens had no incidents of oviduct prolapse despite 170-day retention at 2 G, and, assuming a 30 percent population not in the laying condition, approximated the commercial production rate. Chronic acceleration did not appear to affect the relative sizes of albumen or yolk, but it did appear to reduce the relative shell size, consistent with a decrease in plasma calcium. Dry matter content was not affected.

Louis Pasteur, from crystals of life to vaccination.

PubMed

Berche, P

2012-10-01

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) is an exceptional scientist who opened a new era in medicine and biology. Starting from studies on crystals of by-products of wine fermentation, he first defined a distinct chemistry between dead and living matters. He then showed the role of living microbes in the fermentation and putrefaction processes. This brought him to challenge the two-millennium-old theory of spontaneous generation, using remarkably well-designed experiments. His observations on epidemics in silkworms allowed him to demonstrate the role of specific germs in infectious diseases. His discovery of the vaccine against fowl cholera can be considered as the birth of immunology. Finally, he became universally recognized through his famous vaccinations against anthrax and rabies. © 2012 The Author. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2012 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Fatal outbreak of botulism in Greenland.

PubMed

Hammer, Tóra Hedinsdottir; Jespersen, Sanne; Kanstrup, Jakob; Ballegaard, Vibe Cecilie; Kjerulf, Anne; Gelvan, Allan

2015-03-01

Botulism commonly occurs when the anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium Clostridium botulinum, under suitable conditions, produces botulinum neurotoxins. Named A-F, these toxins are the immediate causative agent of the clinical symptoms of symmetrical, descending neurological deficits, including respiratory muscle paralysis. We present five cases of foodborne botulism occurring in Greenland, two with fatal outcome, caused by ingestion of tradionally preserved eider fowl. In the cases of the survivors, antitoxin and supportive care, including mechanical ventilation, were administered. In these cases recovery was complete. Microbiological assays, including toxin neutralization bioassay, demonstrated the presence of neurotoxin E in two survivors. The third survivor was shown by PCR to have the BoNT type E gene in faeces. This is the first report of cases of fatal botulism in Greenland. It underscores the importance of prompt coordinated case management effort in a geographically isolated area such as Greenland.

Commensal or pathogen – a challenge to fulfil Koch’s Postulates

PubMed Central

Hess, M.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT 1. Infectious diseases have a large impact on poultry health and economics. Elucidating the pathogenesis of a certain disease is crucial to implement control strategies. 2. Multiplication of a pathogen and its characterisation in vitro are basic requirements to perform experimental studies. However, passaging of the pathogen in vitro can influence the pathogenicity, a process targeted for live vaccine development, but limits the reproduction of clinical signs. 3. Numerous factors can influence the outcome of experimental infections with some importance on the pathogen, application route and host as exemplarily outlined for Histomonas meleagridis, Gallibacterium anatis and fowl aviadenoviruses (FAdVs). 4. In future, more comprehensive and detailed settings are needed to obtain as much information as possible from animal experiments. Processing of samples with modern diagnostic tools provides the option to closely monitor the host–pathogen interaction. PMID:27724044

Novel TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for verifying the authenticity of meat and commercial meat products from game birds.

PubMed

Rojas, María; González, Isabel; Pavón, Miguel Angel; Pegels, Nicolette; Lago, Adriana; Hernández, Pablo E; García, Teresa; Martín, Rosario

2010-06-01

Species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using TaqMan probes have been developed for verifying the labeling of meat and commercial meat products from game birds, including quail, pheasant, partridge, guinea fowl, pigeon, Eurasian woodcock and song thrush. The method combines the use of species-specific primers and TaqMan probes that amplify small fragments (amplicons <150 base pairs) of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, and an endogenous control primer pair that amplifies a 141-bp fragment of the nuclear 18S rRNA gene from eukaryotic DNA. Analysis of experimental raw and heat-treated binary mixtures as well as of commercial meat products from the target species demonstrated the suitability of the assay for the detection of the target DNAs.

[Cloning and sequence analysis of 55 K protein of egg drop syndrome virus].

PubMed

Zhu, L; Jin, Q; Zeng, L

1999-06-30

For understanding the characteristics of genomic structure of egg drop syndrome virus(EDSV). Nucleic acid was extracted using routine method from weak virulent strain AA-2 of EDSV isolated from Chinese sick hens. Construction of the whole genomic library was by hydrolysis with Hind III, strand encoding 55 K gene locating in Hind III--A segment was sequenced and analyzed. The open reading frame has a length of 1,014 nt and codes a polypeptide of 337 amino acids with molecular weight of 38,200. Analysis of the amino acid sequence revealed a homology from 25.5%-32.4% to the 55 K protein of human adenovirus types 2, 12, 40, canine adenovirus and fowl adenoviruses of group 1, whereas to ovine adenovirus is 46.4%. The genomic structure of EDSV has some relationship with adenoviruses.

Genomics meets ethology: a new route to understanding domestication, behavior, and sustainability in animal breeding.

PubMed

Jensen, Per; Andersson, Leif

2005-06-01

Animal behavior is a central part of animal welfare, a keystone in sustainable animal breeding. During domestication, animals have adapted with respect to behavior and an array of other traits. We compared the behavior of junglefowl and White Leghorn layers, selected for egg production (and indirectly for growth). Jungle-fowl had a more active behavior in social, exploratory, anti-predatory, and feeding tests. A genome scan for Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) in a junglefowl x White Leghorn intercross revealed several significant or suggestive QTLs for different traits. Some production QTLs coincided with QTLs for behavior, suggesting that pleiotropic effects may be important for the development of domestication phenotypes. One gene has been located, which has a strong effect on the risk of being a victim of feather pecking, a detrimental behavior disorder. Modern genomics paired with analysis of behavior may help in designing more sustainable and robust breeding in the future.

Neither fish nor fowl: A perceived mismatch in norms and values between oneself, other students, and people back home undermines adaptation to university.

PubMed

de Vreeze, Jort; Matschke, Christina; Cress, Ulrike

2018-03-12

Students from low social-class background often struggle to adapt to university. Previous research shows that perceived incompatibility between social-class background identity and student identity is one reason, but little is known about the underlying causes of identity incompatibility. In three studies, we expected and found that students with low subjective social-class background perceived their values differently from other students, but also differently from people back home, and both increased identity incompatibility. Identity incompatibility negatively affected the student identity. Additionally, the current research also identifies specific patterns of norm and value differences that are prone to perceived identity incompatibility. The findings demonstrate that perceived differences in values from both groups are important mechanisms for identity incompatibility induced by the transition to university that may affect student identities and potentially their university trajectories. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Characterization of an avian cholera epizootic in wild birds in western Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Windingstad, R.M.; Kerr, S.M.; Duncan, R.M.; Brand, C.J.

1988-01-01

Avian cholera killed an estimated 2500 birds in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming from 28 November 1985 to late January 1986. Wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) suffered the most losses. Other wild waterfowl, wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), a few domestic fowl, and a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) also died. Pasteurella multocida serotype 1 was the predominant isolate from these carcasses. Cold, wet weather persisted throughout the outbreak, but daily losses in the flock of 50,000 mallards using the area were low. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from nasal swabs of 35 of 37 cattle from a feedlot in which many of these mallards were feeding. Eighty percent of the cattle isolates had antigenic characteristics of serotype 3 or serotype 3 with cross-reactivity. Isolates from wild mallards, wild turkeys, and the bald eagle were virulent to game-farm mallards when inoculated subcutaneously, but P. multocida isolates from cattle were not.

The health impact of selective breeding in poultry: A probable case of 'creeper' chicken (Gallus gallus) from 16th-century Chester, England.

PubMed

Gordon, Rebecca; Thomas, Richard; Foster, Alison

2015-06-01

Two articulating chicken bones from a feast deposit, dated to the 16th century, from Chester, exhibit lesions consistent with the skeletal disorder chondrodystrophy. While this form of dwarfism has many potential causes, it is also consistent with the presentation of the 'creeper' mutation. In this paper we describe and undertake a differential diagnosis of the two articulating chicken bones, and consider the wider significance of this find in 16th-century Britain. The appearance of these lesions, along with the widespread size increase in chickens, the rise of early modern publications concerning chicken husbandry, and contemporary observations that dwarf fowl were luxury foods, provide indirect support for this diagnosis and adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding the unintended health impact of selective breeding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining the incremental and interactive effects of boldness with meanness and disinhibition within the triarchic model of psychopathy.

PubMed

Gatner, Dylan T; Douglas, Kevin S; Hart, Stephen D

2016-07-01

The triarchic model of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) comprises 3 phenotypic domains: Meanness, Disinhibition, and Boldness. Ongoing controversy surrounds the relevance of Boldness in the conceptualization and assessment of psychopathy. In the current study, undergraduate students (N = 439) completed the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Patrick, 2010) to examine the association between Boldness and a host of theoretically relevant external criteria. Boldness was generally unrelated to either prosocial or harmful criteria. Boldness rarely provided incremental value above or interacted with Meanness and Disinhibition with respect to external criteria. Curvilinear effects of Boldness rarely emerged. The findings suggest that Boldness might not be a central construct in the definition of psychopathic personality disorder. Implications for the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) psychopathic specifier are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Domestic Ducks and H5N1 Influenza Epidemic, Thailand

PubMed Central

Songserm, Thaweesak; Jam-on, Rungroj; Sae-Heng, Numdee; Meemak, Noppadol; Hulse-Post, Diane J.; Sturm-Ramirez, Katharine M.

2006-01-01

In addition to causing 12 human deaths and 17 cases of human infection, the 2004 outbreak of H5N1 influenza virus in Thailand resulted in the death or slaughter of 60 million domestic fowl and the disruption of poultry production and trade. After domestic ducks were recognized as silent carriers of H5N1 influenza virus, government teams went into every village to cull flocks in which virus was detected; these team efforts markedly reduced H5N1 infection. Here we examine the pathobiology and epidemiology of H5N1 influenza virus in the 4 systems of duck raising used in Thailand in 2004. No influenza viruses were detected in ducks raised in "closed" houses with high biosecurity. However, H5N1 influenza virus was prevalent among ducks raised in "open" houses, free-ranging (grazing) ducks, and backyard ducks. PMID:16704804

Preliminary results of scientific research on biosatellite Kosmos-1129

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The first physiological study aimed at deeper examination mechanisms of weightlessness and adaptation/readaptation is described. It dealt with metabolism, support motor changes and nonspecific changes connected with stress reaction. Wistar rats were used in a triple setup: flight/vivarium/biosatellite mockup. Animal condition was assessed on motor activity and body temperature. Extensive tables show weight, blood and enzyme analysis, etc. Animals groups were labeled: stress, behavior, body composition, biorhythm, ontogenesis. The second or biological study dealt with tumorous carrot tissues but humidity control was defective: some indices are reported such as cell membrane permeability, tissue respiration, etc. It also was concerned with a fowl embryogenetic experiment (Japanese quail) but mechanical effects on landing reduced its success. The third study, on radiation dosimetry, presents a little tabulated data but chiefly gives lists of satellite detector units of different kinds and from different countries.

THE BEHAVIOR OF POX VIRUSES IN THE RESPIRATORY TRACT

PubMed Central

Nelson, John B.

1941-01-01

Fowl pox virus from active skin lesions was established in the upper respiratory tract of normal chickens by nasal instillation and maintained for 12 successive passages. The nasal infection was not communicable by direct contact but did afford protection, for at least 6 weeks, against subsequent development of the virus in the skin. Multiplication of the virus in the nasal passages was only irregularly attended by specific mucosal changes and was not accompanied by the vigorous counter-reaction engendered by the causal agents of roup. The same strain of virus on propagation in embryonated eggs also survived and multiplied in the nasal tract but with somewhat reduced activity, the 34th egg transfer failing to afford complete protection. Nasal instillation in mice was followed only by a reaction in the lung from which the virus was recoverable through the 7th day. PMID:19871128

A genetic variation map for chicken with 2.8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wong, G K; Hillier, L; Brandstrom, M

2005-02-20

We describe a genetic variation map for the chicken genome containing 2.8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), based on a comparison of the sequences of 3 domestic chickens (broiler, layer, Silkie) to their wild ancestor Red Jungle Fowl (RJF). Subsequent experiments indicate that at least 90% are true SNPs, and at least 70% are common SNPs that segregate in many domestic breeds. Mean nucleotide diversity is about 5 SNP/kb for almost every possible comparison between RJF and domestic lines, between two different domestic lines, and within domestic lines--contrary to the idea that domestic animals are highly inbred relative to theirmore » wild ancestors. In fact, most of the SNPs originated prior to domestication, and there is little to no evidence of selective sweeps for adaptive alleles on length scales of greater than 100 kb.« less

Injuries in women's basketball.

PubMed

Trojian, Thomas H; Ragle, Rosemary B

2008-03-01

Women's basketball has changed over time. It is a faster paced game than it was 30 years ago. Greatplayers, like Anne Meyers,who was the first, and only, woman to be signed to an NBA contract, would agree today's game is different. The game is played mostly "below the rim" but with players like Candice Parker, Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore able to dunk the ball, the game is still changing. The one thing that remains constant in basketball, especially women's basketball, is injury. The majority of injuries in women's basketball are similar to those in men's basketball. Studies at the high school and college level show similar injury rates between women and men. ACL injuries are one exception, with female athletes having atwo to four times higher rate ofACL injuries. In this article, we review the common injuries in women's basketball. We discuss treatment issues and possible preventive measures.

Physical barrier to reduce WP mortalities of foraging waterfowl

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pochop, P.A.; Cummings, J.L.; Yoder, C.A.

White phosphorus (WP) has been identified as the cause of mortality to certain species of water-fowl at Eagle River Flats, a tidal marsh in Alaska, used as an ordinance impact area by the US Army. A blend of calcium bentonite/organo clays, gravel, and binding polymers was tested for effectiveness as a barrier to reduce duck foraging and mortality. Following the application of the barrier to one of two contaminated ponds, the authors observed greater duck foraging and higher mortality in the untreated pond and no mortality in the treated pond after a year of tidal inundations and ice effects. Emergentmore » vegetation recovered within a year of treatment. WP levels in the barrier were less than the method limit of detection, indicating no migration of WP into the materials. Barrier thickness remained relatively stable over a period of 4 years, and vegetation was found to be important in stabilizing the barrier material.« less

Win some, lose some: parental hypertension and heart rate change in an incentive versus response cost paradigm.

PubMed

Hastrup, J L; Johnson, C A; Hotchkiss, A P; Kraemer, D L

1986-11-01

Fowles (1983), citing evidence from separate studies, suggests that both incentive and response cost paradigms increase heart rate and should be subsumed under Gray's (1975) 'appetitive motivational system'. Shock avoidance and loss of reward (response cost) contingencies, while aversive, appear to evoke this motivational system; consequently both should elicit heart rate increases independent of anxiety. The present investigation compared magnitude of heart rate changes observed under conditions of winning and losing money. Results showed: no differences between incentive and response cost conditions; no effect of state anxiety on heart rate in these conditions, despite an elevation of state anxiety on the task day relative to a subsequent relaxation day assessment; and some evidence for the presence under both such appetitive conditions of cardiovascular hyperresponsivity among offspring of hypertensive parents. The results suggest a need for systematic parametric studies of experimental conditions.

Examining the Relationships Between the Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs and Behavioral Deviance in a Community Sample.

PubMed

Coffey, C Adam; Cox, Jennifer; Kopkin, Megan R

2018-02-01

Few studies have examined the extent to which psychopathic traits relate to the commission of mild to moderate acts of deviance, such as vandalism and minor traffic violations. Given that psychopathy is now studied in community populations, the relationship between psychopathic traits and less severe deviant behaviors, which are more normative among noninstitutionalized samples, warrants investigation. The current study examined the relationships between the triarchic model of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles & Krueger, 2009) and seven forms of deviant behavior (drug use, alcohol use, theft, vandalism, school misconduct, assault, and general deviance) in a nationally representative sample. Triarchic disinhibition positively predicted each form of normative deviance. Boldness positively predicted drug and alcohol use as well as general deviance, while meanness negatively predicted school misconduct. Boldness and disinhibition also positively predicted overall lifetime engagement in deviant behavior. Implications are discussed, including support of the role of boldness within the psychopathy construct.

Preliminary results of scientific research on biosatellite KOSMOS-1129

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-08-01

The first physiological study aimed at deeper examination mechanisms of weightlessness and adaptation/readaptation is described. It dealt with metabolism, support motor changes and nonspecific changes connected with stress reaction. Wistar rats were used in a triple setup: flight/vivarium/biosatellite mockup. Animal condition was assessed on motor activity and body temperature. Extensive tables show weight, blood and enzyme analysis, etc. Animals groups were labeled: stress, behavior, body composition, biorhythm, ontogenesis. The second or biological study dealt with tumorous carrot tissues but humidity control was defective: some indices are reported such as cell membrane permeability, tissue respiration, etc. It also was concerned withmore » a fowl embryogenetic experiment (Japanese quail) but mechanical effects on landing reduced its success. The third study, on radiation dosimetry, presents a little tabulated data but chiefly gives lists of satellite detector units of different kinds and from different countries.« less

The role of intrinsic muscle mechanics in the neuromuscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl

PubMed Central

Daley, Monica A; Voloshina, Alexandra; Biewener, Andrew A

2009-01-01

Here we investigate the interplay between intrinsic mechanical and neural factors in muscle contractile performance during running, which has been less studied than during walking. We report in vivo recordings of the gastrocnemius muscle of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), during the response and recovery from an unexpected drop in terrain. Previous studies on leg and joint mechanics following this perturbation suggested that distal leg extensor muscles play a key role in stabilisation. Here, we test this through direct recordings of gastrocnemius fascicle length (using sonomicrometry), muscle–tendon force (using buckle transducers), and activity (using indwelling EMG). Muscle recordings were analysed from the stride just before to the second stride following the perturbation. The gastrocnemius exhibits altered force and work output in the perturbed and first recovery strides. Muscle work correlates strongly with leg posture at the time of ground contact. When the leg is more extended in the drop step, net gastrocnemius work decreases (−5.2 J kg−1versus control), and when the leg is more flexed in the step back up, it increases (+9.8 J kg−1versus control). The muscle's work output is inherently stabilising because it pushes the body back toward its pre-perturbation (level running) speed and leg posture. Gastrocnemius length and force return to level running means by the second stride following the perturbation. EMG intensity differs significantly from level running only in the first recovery stride following the perturbation, not within the perturbed stride. The findings suggest that intrinsic mechanical factors contribute substantially to the initial changes in muscle force and work. The statistical results suggest that a history-dependent effect, shortening deactivation, may be an important factor in the intrinsic mechanical changes, in addition to instantaneous force–velocity and force–length effects. This finding suggests the potential need to incorporate history-dependent muscle properties into neuromechanical simulations of running, particularly if high muscle strains are involved and stability characteristics are important. Future work should test whether a Hill or modified Hill type model provides adequate prediction in such conditions. Interpreted in light of previous studies on walking, the findings support the concept of speed-dependent roles of reflex feedback. PMID:19359369

Population structure of four Thai indigenous chicken breeds

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In recent years, Thai indigenous chickens have increasingly been bred as an alternative in Thailand poultry market. Due to their popularity, there is a clear need to improve the underlying quality and productivity of these chickens. Studying chicken genetic variation can improve the chicken meat quality as well as conserving rare chicken species. To begin with, a minimal set of molecular markers that can characterize the Thai indigenous chicken breeds is required. Results Using AFLP-PCR, 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from Thai indigenous chickens were obtained by DNA sequencing. From these SNPs, we genotyped 465 chickens from 7 chicken breeds, comprising four Thai indigenous chicken breeds- Pradhuhangdum (PD), Luenghangkhao (LK), Dang (DA) and Chee (CH), one wild chicken - the red jungle fowls (RJF), and two commercial chicken breeds - the brown egg layer (BL) and commercial broiler (CB). The chicken genotypes reveal unique genetic structures of the four Thai indigenous chicken breeds. The average expected heterozygosities of PD= 0.341, LK= 0.357, DA=0.349 and CH= 0.373, while the references RJF= 0.327, CB=0.324 and BL= 0.285. The FST values among Thai indigenous chicken breeds vary from 0.051 to 0.096. The FST values between the pairs of Thai indigenous chickens and RJF vary from 0.083 to 0.105 and the FST values between the Thai indigenous chickens and the two commercial chicken breeds vary from 0.116 to 0.221. A neighbour-joining tree of all individual chickens showed that the Thai indigenous chickens were clustered into four groups which were closely related to the wild RJF but far from the commercial breeds. Such commercial breeds were split into two closely groups. Using genetic admixture analysis, we observed that the Thai indigenous chicken breeds are likely to share common ancestors with the RJF, while both commercial chicken breeds share the same admixture pattern. Conclusion These results indicated that the Thai indigenous chicken breeds may descend from the same ancestors. These indigenous chicken breeds were more closely related to red jungle fowls than those of the commercial breeds. These findings showed that the proposed SNP panel can effectively be used to characterize the four Thai indigenous chickens. PMID:24674423

Sequence and comparative analysis of the chicken genome provide unique perspectives on vertebrate evolution.

PubMed

2004-12-09

We present here a draft genome sequence of the red jungle fowl, Gallus gallus. Because the chicken is a modern descendant of the dinosaurs and the first non-mammalian amniote to have its genome sequenced, the draft sequence of its genome--composed of approximately one billion base pairs of sequence and an estimated 20,000-23,000 genes--provides a new perspective on vertebrate genome evolution, while also improving the annotation of mammalian genomes. For example, the evolutionary distance between chicken and human provides high specificity in detecting functional elements, both non-coding and coding. Notably, many conserved non-coding sequences are far from genes and cannot be assigned to defined functional classes. In coding regions the evolutionary dynamics of protein domains and orthologous groups illustrate processes that distinguish the lineages leading to birds and mammals. The distinctive properties of avian microchromosomes, together with the inferred patterns of conserved synteny, provide additional insights into vertebrate chromosome architecture.

Food habits of the raccoon in eastern Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, R.H.; Newman, C.C.; Wilke, F.

1945-01-01

The food habits of raccoons were studied along the Neches River in three counties of eastern Texas in 1940-42. Field studies mere supplemented by laboratory analyses of 344 scats collected in all months and of 23 stomachs and 11 intestines obtained in winter. Acorns and crayfish constitute more than half of the yearly diet and both are consumed in considerable amount at all seasons. Persimmons and grapes were utilized heavily when available and other fruits in smaller amounts. Insects and other invertebrates formed an important part of the diet. Vertebrates were eaten sparingly but species of water snakes were preyed upon as were winter and spring concentrations of water fowl.....Raccoons were found to concentrate in timbered river bottoms during the winter and spring, feeding largely on acorns and crayfish. Under these conditions they are readily trapped. In the summer and autumn the populations appear to be dispersed through the uplands as well as bottomlands in search of seasonal foods.

Avian influenza H5N1 viral and bird migration networks in Asia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tian, Huaivu; Zhou, Sen; Dong, Lu; Van Boeckel, Thomas P.; Cui, Yujun; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Prosser, Diann J.; Xiao, Xiangming; Wu, Yarong; Cazelles, Bernard; Huang, Shanqian; Yang, Ruifu; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Xu, Bing

2015-01-01

The spatial spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 and its long-term persistence in Asia have resulted in avian influenza panzootics and enormous economic losses in the poultry sector. However, an understanding of the regional long-distance transmission and seasonal patterns of the virus is still lacking. In this study, we present a phylogeographic approach to reconstruct the viral migration network. We show that within each wild fowl migratory flyway, the timing of H5N1 outbreaks and viral migrations are closely associated, but little viral transmission was observed between the flyways. The bird migration network is shown to better reflect the observed viral gene sequence data than other networks and contributes to seasonal H5N1 epidemics in local regions and its large-scale transmission along flyways. These findings have potentially far-reaching consequences, improving our understanding of how bird migration drives the periodic reemergence of H5N1 in Asia.

Avian influenza H5N1 viral and bird migration networks in Asia

PubMed Central

Tian, Huaiyu; Zhou, Sen; Dong, Lu; Van Boeckel, Thomas P.; Cui, Yujun; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Prosser, Diann J.; Xiao, Xiangming; Wu, Yarong; Cazelles, Bernard; Huang, Shanqian; Yang, Ruifu; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Xu, Bing

2015-01-01

The spatial spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 and its long-term persistence in Asia have resulted in avian influenza panzootics and enormous economic losses in the poultry sector. However, an understanding of the regional long-distance transmission and seasonal patterns of the virus is still lacking. In this study, we present a phylogeographic approach to reconstruct the viral migration network. We show that within each wild fowl migratory flyway, the timing of H5N1 outbreaks and viral migrations are closely associated, but little viral transmission was observed between the flyways. The bird migration network is shown to better reflect the observed viral gene sequence data than other networks and contributes to seasonal H5N1 epidemics in local regions and its large-scale transmission along flyways. These findings have potentially far-reaching consequences, improving our understanding of how bird migration drives the periodic reemergence of H5N1 in Asia. PMID:25535385

Interspecific Germline Transmission of Cultured Primordial Germ Cells

PubMed Central

van de Lavoir, Marie-Cecile; Collarini, Ellen J.; Leighton, Philip A.; Fesler, Jeffrey; Lu, Daniel R.; Harriman, William D.; Thiyagasundaram, T. S.; Etches, Robert J.

2012-01-01

In birds, the primordial germ cell (PGC) lineage separates from the soma within 24 h following fertilization. Here we show that the endogenous population of about 200 PGCs from a single chicken embryo can be expanded one million fold in culture. When cultured PGCs are injected into a xenogeneic embryo at an equivalent stage of development, they colonize the testis. At sexual maturity, these donor PGCs undergo spermatogenesis in the xenogeneic host and become functional sperm. Insemination of semen from the xenogeneic host into females from the donor species produces normal offspring from the donor species. In our model system, the donor species is chicken (Gallus domesticus) and the recipient species is guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), a member of a different avian family, suggesting that the mechanisms controlling proliferation of the germline are highly conserved within birds. From a pragmatic perspective, these data are the basis of a novel strategy to produce endangered species of birds using domesticated hosts that are both tractable and fecund. PMID:22629301

Genetic evidence from mitochondrial DNA corroborates the origin of Tibetan chickens.

PubMed

Zhang, Long; Zhang, Pu; Li, Qingqing; Gaur, Uma; Liu, Yiping; Zhu, Qing; Zhao, Xiaoling; Wang, Yan; Yin, Huadong; Hu, Yaodong; Liu, Aiping; Li, Diyan

2017-01-01

Chicken is the most common poultry species and is important to human societies. Tibetan chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a breed endemic to China that is distributed mainly on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, its origin has not been well characterized. In the present study, we sequenced partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 239 and 283 samples from Tibetan and Sichuan indigenous chickens, respectively. Incorporating 1091 published sequences, we constructed the matrilineal genealogy of Tibetan chickens to further document their domestication history. We found that the genetic structure of the mtDNA haplotypes of Tibetan chickens are dominated by seven major haplogroups (A-G). In addition, phylogenetic and network analyses showed that Tibetan chickens are not distinguishable from the indigenous chickens in surrounding areas. Furthermore, some clades of Tibetan chickens may have originated from game fowls. In summary, our results collectively indicated that Tibetan chickens may have diverged from indigenous chickens in the adjacent regions and hybridized with various chickens.

Leap and strike kinetics of an acoustically ‘hunting’ barn owl (Tyto alba)

PubMed Central

Usherwood, James R.; Sparkes, Emily L.; Weller, Renate

2014-01-01

Barn owls are effective hunters of small rodents. One hunting technique is a leap from the ground followed by a brief flight and a plummeting ‘strike’ onto an acoustically targeted – and potentially entirely hidden – prey. We used forceplate measurements to derive kinetics of the leap and strike. Leaping performance was similar to reported values for guinea fowl. This is likely achieved despite the owl's considerably smaller size because of its relatively long legs and use of wing upstroke. Strikes appear deliberately forceful: impulses could have been spread over larger periods during greater deflections of the centre of mass, as observed in leaping and an alighting landing measurement. The strike, despite forces around 150 times that of a mouse body weight, is not thought to be crucial to the kill; rather, forceful strikes may function primarily to enable rapid penetration of leaf litter or snow cover, allowing grasping of hidden prey. PMID:24948629

Leap and strike kinetics of an acoustically 'hunting' barn owl (Tyto alba).

PubMed

Usherwood, James R; Sparkes, Emily L; Weller, Renate

2014-09-01

Barn owls are effective hunters of small rodents. One hunting technique is a leap from the ground followed by a brief flight and a plummeting 'strike' onto an acoustically targeted - and potentially entirely hidden - prey. We used forceplate measurements to derive kinetics of the leap and strike. Leaping performance was similar to reported values for guinea fowl. This is likely achieved despite the owl's considerably smaller size because of its relatively long legs and use of wing upstroke. Strikes appear deliberately forceful: impulses could have been spread over larger periods during greater deflections of the centre of mass, as observed in leaping and an alighting landing measurement. The strike, despite forces around 150 times that of a mouse body weight, is not thought to be crucial to the kill; rather, forceful strikes may function primarily to enable rapid penetration of leaf litter or snow cover, allowing grasping of hidden prey. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

OBSERVATIONS WITH A NEW TRANSMISSIBLE STRAIN OF THE LEUCOSIS (LEUCEMIA) OF FOWLS.

PubMed

Furth, J

1931-01-31

Myeloid leucosis and erythroleucosis can be transmitted from one bird to others by emulsions of infiltrated organs, whole blood cells, and plasma. Inoculation is more often successful with blood cells or with whole blood than with plasma or with emulsions of organs infiltrated as the result of leucosis. Inoculation with material from a bird with myeloid or with erythroleucosis produces both myeloid and erythroleucosis, and in many instances mixed forms with characters of both. Evidence is wanting that lymphoid leucosis is caused by the agent that transmits myeloid and erythroleucosis. The occurrence of lymphoid leucosis among the birds inoculated with material from myeloid or erythroleucosis may be explained as spontaneous disease. Injury to cellular structure by treatment with distilled water or by repeated freezing and thawing does not destroy the agent that transmits the disease. Berkefeld filtrates have failed to transmit regularly myeloid or erythroleucosis. The evidence obtained shows, however, that the transmissible agent is filterable, although there are technical difficulties in its filtration.

Deficient aversive-potentiated startle and the triarchic model of psychopathy: The role of boldness.

PubMed

Esteller, Àngels; Poy, Rosario; Moltó, Javier

2016-05-01

This study examined the contribution of the phenotypic domains of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) to deficient aversive-potentiated startle in a mixed-gender sample of 180 undergraduates. Eyeblink responses to noise probes were recorded during a passive picture-viewing task (erotica, neutral, threat, and mutilation). Deficient threat vs. neutral potentiation was uniquely related to increased boldness scores, thus suggesting that the diminished defensive reaction to aversive stimulation is specifically linked to the charm, social potency and venturesomeness features of psychopathy (boldness), but not to features such as callousness, coldheartedness and cruelty traits (meanness), even though both phenotypes theoretically share the same underlying low-fear disposition. Our findings provide further evidence of the differential association between distinct psychopathy components and deficits in defensive reactivity and strongly support the validity of the triarchic model of psychopathy in disentangling the etiology of this personality disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of marsh vegetation and coastal land use in ERTS-1 imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V.; Daiber, F. C.; Bartlett, D. S.

1973-01-01

Coastal vegetation species appearing in the ERTS-1 images taken of Delaware Bay on August 16, and October 10, 1972 have been correlated with ground truth vegetation maps and imagery obtained from high altitude RB-57 and U-2 overflights. The vegetation maps of the entire Delaware Coast were prepared during the summer of 1972 and checked out with ground truth data collected on foot, in small boats, and from low-altitude aircraft. Multispectral analysis of high altitude RB-57 and U-2 photographs indicated that five vegetation communities could be clearly discriminated from 60,000 feet altitude including: (1) salt marsh cord grass, (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass, (3) reed grass, (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle, and (5) a group of fresh water species found in impoundments built to attract water fowl. All of these species are shown in fifteen overlay maps, covering all of Delaware's wetlands prepared to match the USGS topographic map size of 1:24,000.

Influenza-Sediment Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trusiak, A.; Block, K. A.; Katz, A.; Gottlieb, P.; Alimova, A.; Galarza, J.; Wei, H.; Steiner, J. C.

2013-12-01

A typical water fowl can secrete 1012 influenza virions per day. Therefore it is not unexpected that influenza virions interact with sediments in the water column. The influence of sediments on avian influenza virions is not known. With the threat of avian influenza emerging into the human population, it is crucial to understand virus survivability and residence time in a body of water. Influenza and clay sediments are colloidal particles and thus aggregate as explained by DLVO (Derjaguin & Landau, Verwey & Overbeek) theory. Of great importance is an understanding of the types of particulate or macromolecular components that bind the virus particles, and whether the virus remains biologically active. We present results of hetero-aggregation and transmission electron microscopy experiments performed with influenza A/PR8/38. Influenza particles are suspended with sediment and minimal nutrients for several days, after which the components are evaluated to determine influenza concentration and survivability. Transmission electron microscopy results are reported on the influenza-sediment aggregates to elucidate structure and morphology of the components.

Recombinant fowlpox viruses coexpressing chicken type I IFN and Newcastle disease virus HN and F genes: influence of IFN on protective efficacy and humoral responses of chickens following in ovo or post-hatch administration of recombinant viruses.

PubMed

Karaca, K; Sharma, J M; Winslow, B J; Junker, D E; Reddy, S; Cochran, M; McMillen, J

1998-10-01

We have constructed recombinant (r) fowl pox viruses (FPVs) coexpressing chicken type I interferon (IFN) and/or hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion (F) proteins of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). We administered rFPVs and FPV into embryonated chicken eggs at 17 days of embryonation or in chickens after hatch. Administration of FPV or rFPVs did not influence hatchability and survival of hatched chicks. In ovo or after hatch vaccination of chickens with the recombinant viruses resulted in protection against challenge with virulent FPV and NDV. Chickens vaccinated with FPV or FPV-NDV recombinant had significantly lower body weight 2 weeks following vaccination. This loss in body weight was not detected in chickens receiving FPV-IFN and FPV-NDV-IFN recombinants. Chickens vaccinated with FPV coexpressing IFN and NDV genes produced less antibodies against NDV in comparison with chickens vaccinated with FPV expressing NDV genes.

Genetic evidence from mitochondrial DNA corroborates the origin of Tibetan chickens

PubMed Central

Zhu, Qing; Zhao, Xiaoling; Wang, Yan; Yin, Huadong; Hu, Yaodong; Liu, Aiping; Li, Diyan

2017-01-01

Chicken is the most common poultry species and is important to human societies. Tibetan chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a breed endemic to China that is distributed mainly on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, its origin has not been well characterized. In the present study, we sequenced partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 239 and 283 samples from Tibetan and Sichuan indigenous chickens, respectively. Incorporating 1091 published sequences, we constructed the matrilineal genealogy of Tibetan chickens to further document their domestication history. We found that the genetic structure of the mtDNA haplotypes of Tibetan chickens are dominated by seven major haplogroups (A-G). In addition, phylogenetic and network analyses showed that Tibetan chickens are not distinguishable from the indigenous chickens in surrounding areas. Furthermore, some clades of Tibetan chickens may have originated from game fowls. In summary, our results collectively indicated that Tibetan chickens may have diverged from indigenous chickens in the adjacent regions and hybridized with various chickens. PMID:28241078

LUTEAR CELLS AND HEN-FEATHERING

PubMed Central

Boring, Alice M.; Morgan, T. H.

1918-01-01

The experimental evidence had made clear that some substance is produced in the testis of the male Sebright that suppresses in him the development of the secondary sexual plumage of the cock of his species. The detection in his testis of lutear cells like those in hens makes the conclusion highly probable that it is these cells that cause the suppression of cock-feathering in both the Sebright male and in hens of all fowls. Genetic work by Morgan had shown that one or two Mendelian factor-differences are responsible for hen-feathering in the Sebright. These factor-differences produce their effects through the testes. The presence of these genetic factors, we now see, causes the testes of the Sebright to produce a kind of secretory cell that is ordinarily only produced in the female, or possibly to a slight extent in young males (Boring), or in numbers insufficient to suppress the male plumage in the testes of some ordinary cock birds (Reeves). PMID:19871722

OBSERVATIONS WITH A NEW TRANSMISSIBLE STRAIN OF THE LEUCOSIS (LEUCEMIA) OF FOWLS

PubMed Central

Furth, J.

1931-01-01

Myeloid leucosis and erythroleucosis can be transmitted from one bird to others by emulsions of infiltrated organs, whole blood cells, and plasma. Inoculation is more often successful with blood cells or with whole blood than with plasma or with emulsions of organs infiltrated as the result of leucosis. Inoculation with material from a bird with myeloid or with erythroleucosis produces both myeloid and erythroleucosis, and in many instances mixed forms with characters of both. Evidence is wanting that lymphoid leucosis is caused by the agent that transmits myeloid and erythroleucosis. The occurrence of lymphoid leucosis among the birds inoculated with material from myeloid or erythroleucosis may be explained as spontaneous disease. Injury to cellular structure by treatment with distilled water or by repeated freezing and thawing does not destroy the agent that transmits the disease. Berkefeld filtrates have failed to transmit regularly myeloid or erythroleucosis. The evidence obtained shows, however, that the transmissible agent is filterable, although there are technical difficulties in its filtration. PMID:19869838

Clarifying the Content Coverage of Differing Psychopathy Inventories through Reference to the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure

PubMed Central

Drislane, Laura E.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Arsal, Güler

2014-01-01

The Triarchic Model of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger, 2009) was formulated as an integrative framework for reconciling differing conceptions of psychopathy. The model characterizes psychopathy in terms of three distinguishable phenotypic components: boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Data from a large mixed-gender undergraduate sample (N = 618) were used to examine relations of several of the best-known measures for assessing psychopathic traits with scores on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), an inventory developed to operationalize the Triarchic Model through separate facet scales. Analyses revealed that established inventories of psychopathy index components of the model as indexed by the TriPM to varying degrees. While each inventory provided effective coverage of meanness and disinhibition components, instruments differed in their representation of boldness. Current results demonstrate the heuristic value of the Triarchic Model for delineating commonalities and differences among alternative measures of psychopathy, and provide support for the utility of the Triarchic Model as a framework for reconciling alternative conceptions of psychopathy. PMID:24320762

Avian influenza epidemic in Italy due to serovar H7N1.

PubMed

Zanella, A; Dall'Ara, P; Martino, P A

2001-01-01

Beginning at the end of March 1999, a syndrome characterized by severe depression, anorexia, fever, and respiratory and enteric symptoms appeared in flocks of turkeys and, to a lesser extent, of chickens in the densely populated poultry-rearing regions of northeast Italy. The disease was characterized by sinusitis, tracheitis, peritonitis, and pancreatitis. The mortality varied between 5% and 90%. The disease was diagnosed as low pathogenic avian influenza, H7N1 serotype. After a summer period of declining cases, the disease reappeared in autumn exclusively in turkeys. Since the middle of December 1999, many farms of chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowl were abruptly affected by a highly pathogenic H7N1 virus, with very severe depression and mortality up to 100% in a few days. By the end of March 2000, nearly 500 farms, representing over 15 million birds, were affected or depopulated. To date, control measures have focused on improved biosecurity measures. Vaccine was not allowed, but its use was debated.

Inactivated and live bivalent fowl adenovirus (FAdV8b + FAdV11) breeder vaccines provide broad-spectrum protection in chicks against inclusion body hepatitis (IBH).

PubMed

Gupta, Ashish; Popowich, Shelly; Ojkic, Davor; Kurukulasuriya, Shanika; Chow-Lockerbie, Betty; Gunawardana, Thushari; Goonewardene, Kalhari; Karunarathna, Ruwani; Ayalew, Lisanework E; Ahmed, Khawaja Ashfaque; Tikoo, Suresh K; Willson, Philip; Gomis, Susantha

2018-01-29

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) is comprised of five species (A to E) and 12 serotypes (1-7, 8a, 8b, 9-11). Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is caused by FAdV-7, 8a, 8b (species E) and FAdV-2 and 11 (species D). Commercial vaccines against IBH are not available in Canada. Autogenous FAdV broiler breeder vaccines are now used in some areas where outbreaks of IBH are occurring. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a bivalent (species D and E) live and an inactivated FAdV broiler breeder vaccine in protecting broiler chicks against IBH through maternal antibody (MtAb) transfer. FAdV seronegative broiler breeders (n = 300/group) received either a live or inactivated bivalent (FAdV-8b-SK + FAdV-11-1047) vaccine. The live vaccine (1 × 10 4 TCID 50 of each virus/bird) was given orally once at 16 weeks of age and the inactivated vaccine (1 × 10 6 TCID 50 of each virus + 20% Emulsigen D) was given intramuscularly at 16 and 19 weeks of age. Controls (n = 150) were given saline orally. The inactivated vaccine group was boosted 3 weeks later with the same vaccine. Neutralizing antibodies (NAb) in sera (n = 10) were detected at 19, 22, 30 and 48 weeks of age. NAb were able to neutralize various FAdV serotypes within species D and E. Mean NAb were similar in the both live and killed vaccine groups at 19, 30 and 48 weeks and ranged from 2.4 to 3.7 log 10 . Approximately 26 ± 7% of MtAbs were passively transferred through eggs to day-old chicks. Progeny challenged with a lethal dose (1 × 10 7 TCID 50 /bird intramuscularly) of FAdV-8b-SK, FAdV-11-1047, or FAdV-2-685 (n = 90/group) at 14 days post-hatch (dph) showed 98-100% protection in broiler chicks to homologous or heterologous FAdV challenges. Our data suggests that a bivalent live and an inactivated FAdV vaccine are equally effective and have the potential for the control of IBH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiologic Studies of Cyclospora cayetanensis in Guatemala

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Beatriz; Lopez, Maria Beatriz; Arrowood, Michael J.; Alvarez de Mejia, Maricruz; Maria de Merida, Ana; Hightower, Allen W.; Venczel, Linda; Herwaldt, Barbara L.; Klein, Robert E.

1999-01-01

In 1996 and 1997, cyclosporiasis outbreaks in North America were linked to eating Guatemalan raspberries. We conducted a study in health-care facilities and among raspberry farm workers, as well as a case-control study, to assess risk factors for the disease in Guatemala. From April 6, 1997, to March 19, 1998, 126 (2.3%) of 5,552 surveillance specimens tested positive for Cyclospora; prevalence peaked in June (6.7%). Infection was most common among children 1.5 to 9 years old and among persons with gastroenteritis. Among 182 raspberry farm workers and family members monitored from April 6 to May 29, six had Cyclospora infection. In the case-control analysis, 62 (91%) of 68 persons with Cyclospora infection reported drinking untreated water in the 2 weeks before illness, compared with 88 (73%) of 120 controls (odds ratio [OR] 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 10.8 by univariate analysis). Other risk factors included water source, type of sewage drainage, ownership of chickens or other fowl, and contact with soil (among children younger than 2 years). PMID:10603209

Application of automated multispectral analysis to Delaware's coastal vegetation mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Daiber, D.; Bartlett, D. S.; Crichton, O. W.; Fornes, A. O.

1973-01-01

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. Overlay maps of Delaware's wetlands have been prepared, showing the dominant species or group of species of vegetation present. Five such categories of vegetation were used indicating marshes dominated by: (1) salt marsh cord grass; (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass; (3) reed grass; (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle; and (5) a group of fresh water species found in impounded areas built to attract water fowl. Fifteen such maps cover Delaware's wetlands from the Pennsylvania to the Maryland borders. The mapping technique employed utilizes the General Electric multispectral data processing system. This system is a hybrid analog-digital system designed as an analysis tool to be used by an operator whose own judgment and knowledge of ground truth can be incorporated at any time into the analyzing process. The result is a high speed, cost effective method for producing enhanced photomaps showing a number of spectral classes, each enhanced spectral class being representative of a vegetative species or group of species.

Gastrointestinal motility in relation to spontaneous meal occurrence in domestic fowls.

PubMed

Savory, C J

1987-10-01

The relationship between gastrointestinal (GI) motility and spontaneous feeding activity was investigated in five immature domestic hens, by recording simultaneously their feeding and contraction of the gizzard and duodenum. Different parameters of GI motility were interrelated, and gizzard contraction frequency (GCF) was used as an overall index of motility. Significant (P less than 0.05) changes in GCF relative to mealtimes varied between individual birds and between different meal length classes. The most consistent change was a rapid increase in GCF at the start of meals, followed by a decline which usually commenced before the end of long meals, but after the end of shorter ones. The increase in GCF commenced before the start of meals in one bird which had longer inter-meal intervals than the rest. There were no consistent changes in GCF at the ends of intervals or meals that might suggest a causal association between motility and hunger and satiety. It is suggested that the observed variation in GI motility may be accounted for mainly by variation in extrinsic stimulation from the vagus nerve.

FFM description of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in men and women.

PubMed

Poy, Rosario; Segarra, Pilar; Esteller, Àngels; López, Raúl; Moltó, Javier

2014-03-01

This study examined differential associations between phenotypic domains of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (boldness, meanness, and disinhibition; Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009), as assessed by the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Patrick, 2010b), and the five-factor model (FFM) of normal personality, as indexed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992; Spanish version, Costa & McCrae, 1999), in 349 undergraduates (96 men). Distinctive patterns of correlations for psychopathy components did not differ significantly across gender, although relations between Meanness and Agreeableness were stronger for men than for women. Our findings are largely consistent with the conceptualization of psychopathy in terms of FFM constructs and provide discriminant evidence in support of all 3 triarchic domains. Thus, meanness is marked by low Agreeableness and some degree of low Conscientiousness, whereas disinhibition is characterized both by low Conscientiousness and low Agreeableness along with high Neuroticism and Extraversion. Notably, the constellation of low Neuroticism, high Extraversion, and high Openness, with facets of low Agreeableness, supports the idea that boldness encompasses some adaptive features of psychological adjustment while depicting the interpersonal features of psychopathy. 2014 APA

Selective inhibition of influenza virus protein synthesis by inhibitors of DNA function. [UV radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Minor, P.D.; Dimmock, N.J.

1977-05-15

Various known inhibitors of cellular DNA function were shown to inhibit cellular RNA synthesis and influenza (fowl plague) virus multiplication. The drugs were investigated for their effect upon the synthesis of influenza virus proteins. According to this effect they could be classified with previously studied compounds as follows: Group I (ethidium bromide, proflavine, and N-nitroquinoline-N-oxide) inhibited both viral and cellular protein synthesis; Group II (nogalomycin, daunomycin and ..cap alpha..-amanitin) inhibited viral but not cellular protein synthesis, and all viral proteins were inhibited coordinately; Group III (mithramycin, echinomycin, and actinomycin D) inhibited all viral but not cellular protein synthesis at highmore » concentrations, but at a lower critical concentration inhibited the synthesis of viral haemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and M protein preferentially; Group IV(uv irradiation and camptothecin) inhibited the synthesis of viral haemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and M protein, but not other viral proteins, even at high doses. The mode of action of these inhibitors is discussed in relation to the mechanism of the nuclear events upon which influenza virus multiplication is dependent.« less

Tolerance of Erythrocytes in Poultry: Induction and Specificity

PubMed Central

Mitchison, N. A.

1962-01-01

Measurement of the rate of elimination of 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes provides a reliable test of immunity in fowls. Chickens can be rendered tolerant of homologous and turkey erythrocytes, as judged by this test, by receiving a series of transfusions of irradiated blood. The series were arranged so that foreign cells remained present in the circulation from the time of hatching. Tolerance induced by this treatment is generally incomplete, but can last indefinitely. In some chickens the manifestation of tolerance of turkey erythrocytes is delayed, probably because of passive transmission of antibody from the dam. Chickens old enough to react against small transfusions of homologous blood can still be rendered tolerant by massive transfusions. Tolerance of the erythrocytes from an individual donor extends only slightly to those from other donors. Tolerance acquired in this way, through transfusion of irradiated blood, stands in contrast to the more stable and complete tolerance that can be acquired through administration of viable cells. Viable cells, on the other hand, provide a less sensitive test, for birds which tolerate skin homografts often eliminate rapidly erythrocytes from the same donor. PMID:14474652

A Review of Eight High-Priority, Economically Important Viral Pathogens of Poultry within the Caribbean Region

PubMed Central

Gongora, Victor; Hartley, Dane; Oura, Christopher

2018-01-01

Viral pathogens cause devastating economic losses in poultry industries worldwide. The Caribbean region, which boasts some of the highest rates of poultry consumption in the world, is no exception. This review summarizes evidence for the circulation and spread of eight high-priority, economically important poultry viruses across the Caribbean region. Avian influenza virus (AIV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), fowl adenovirus group 1 (FADV Gp1), and egg drop syndrome virus (EDSV) were selected for review. This review of serological, molecular, and phylogenetic studies across Caribbean countries reveals evidence for sporadic outbreaks of respiratory disease caused by notifiable viral pathogens (AIV, IBV, NDV, and ILTV), as well as outbreaks of diseases caused by immunosuppressive viral pathogens (IBDV and FADV Gp1). This review highlights the need to strengthen current levels of surveillance and reporting for poultry diseases in domestic and wild bird populations across the Caribbean, as well as the need to strengthen the diagnostic capacity and capability of Caribbean national veterinary diagnostic laboratories. PMID:29373488

Molecular genetic diversity and maternal origin of Chinese black-bone chicken breeds.

PubMed

Zhu, W Q; Li, H F; Wang, J Y; Shu, J T; Zhu, C H; Song, W T; Song, C; Ji, G G; Liu, H X

2014-04-29

Chinese black-bone chickens are valued for the medicinal properties of their meat in traditional Chinese medicine. We investigated the genetic diversity and systematic evolution of Chinese black-bone chicken breeds. We sequenced the DNA of 520 bp of the mitochondrial cyt b gene of nine Chinese black-bone chicken breeds, including Silky chicken, Jinhu black-bone chicken, Jiangshan black-bone chicken, Yugan black-bone chicken, Wumeng black-bone chicken, Muchuan black-bone chicken, Xingwen black-bone chicken, Dehua black-bone chicken, and Yanjin black-bone chicken. We found 13 haplotypes. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity of the nine black-bone chicken breeds ranged from 0 to 0.78571 and 0.00081 to 0.00399, respectively. Genetic diversity was the richest in Jinhu black-bone chickens and the lowest in Yanjin black-bone chickens. Analysis of phylogenetic trees for all birds constructed based on hyplotypes indicated that the maternal origin of black-bone chickens is predominantly from three subspecies of red jungle fowl. These results provide basic data useful for protection of black-bone chickens and help determine the origin of domestic chickens.

Domestic chickens activate a piRNA defense against avian leukosis virus

PubMed Central

Sun, Yu Huining; Xie, Li Huitong; Zhuo, Xiaoyu; Chen, Qiang; Ghoneim, Dalia; Zhang, Bin; Jagne, Jarra; Yang, Chengbo; Li, Xin Zhiguo

2017-01-01

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) protect the germ line by targeting transposable elements (TEs) through the base-pair complementarity. We do not know how piRNAs co-evolve with TEs in chickens. Here we reported that all active TEs in the chicken germ line are targeted by piRNAs, and as TEs lose their activity, the corresponding piRNAs erode away. We observed de novo piRNA birth as host responds to a recent retroviral invasion. Avian leukosis virus (ALV) has endogenized prior to chicken domestication, remains infectious, and threatens poultry industry. Domestic fowl produce piRNAs targeting ALV from one ALV provirus that was known to render its host ALV resistant. This proviral locus does not produce piRNAs in undomesticated wild chickens. Our findings uncover rapid piRNA evolution reflecting contemporary TE activity, identify a new piRNA acquisition modality by activating a pre-existing genomic locus, and extend piRNA defense roles to include the period when endogenous retroviruses are still infectious. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24695.001 PMID:28384097

Pathobiology of Clade 2.3.4.4 H5Nx High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus Infections in Minor Gallinaceous Poultry Supports Early Backyard Flock Introductions in the Western United States in 2014-2015

PubMed Central

Bertran, Kateri; Lee, Dong-Hun; Pantin-Jackwood, Mary J.; Spackman, Erica; Balzli, Charles; Suarez, David L.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In 2014 and 2015, the United States experienced an unprecedented outbreak of Eurasian clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. Initial cases affected mainly wild birds and mixed backyard poultry species, while later outbreaks affected mostly commercial chickens and turkeys. The pathogenesis, transmission, and intrahost evolutionary dynamics of initial Eurasian H5N8 and reassortant H5N2 clade 2.3.4.4 HPAI viruses in the United States were investigated in minor gallinaceous poultry species (i.e., species for which the U.S. commercial industries are small), namely, Japanese quail, bobwhite quail, pearl guinea fowl, chukar partridges, and ring-necked pheasants. Low mean bird infectious doses (<2 to 3.7 log10) support direct introduction and infection of these species as observed in mixed backyard poultry during the early outbreaks. Pathobiological features and systemic virus replication in all species tested were consistent with HPAI virus infection. Sustained virus shedding with transmission to contact-exposed birds, alongside long incubation periods, may enable unrecognized dissemination and adaptation to other gallinaceous species, such as chickens and turkeys. Genome sequencing of excreted viruses revealed numerous low-frequency polymorphisms and 20 consensus-level substitutions in all genes and species, but especially in Japanese quail and pearl guinea fowl and in internal proteins PB1 and PB2. This genomic flexibility after only one passage indicates that influenza viruses can continue to evolve in galliform species, increasing their opportunity to adapt to other species. Our findings suggest that these gallinaceous poultry are permissive for infection and sustainable transmissibility with the 2014 initial wild bird-adapted clade 2.3.4.4 virus, with potential acquisition of mutations leading to host range adaptation. IMPORTANCE The outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus that occurred in the United States in 2014 and 2015 represents the worst livestock disease event in the country, with unprecedented socioeconomic and commercial consequences. Epidemiological and molecular investigations can identify transmission pathways of the HPAI virus. However, understanding the pathogenesis, transmission, and intrahost evolutionary dynamics of new HPAI viruses in different avian species is paramount. The significance of our research is in examining the susceptibility of minor gallinaceous species to HPAI virus, as this poultry sector also suffers from HPAI epizootics, and identifying the biological potential of these species as an epidemiological link between the waterfowl reservoir and the commercial chicken and turkey populations, with the ultimate goal of refining surveillance in these populations to enhance early detection, management, and control in future HPAI virus outbreaks. PMID:28794040

Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of Salmonella Gallinarum trace the origin and diversification of recent outbreaks of fowl typhoid in poultry farms.

PubMed

De Carli, Silvia; Gräf, Tiago; Kipper, Diéssy; Lehmann, Fernanda Kieling Moreira; Zanetti, Nathalie; Siqueira, Franciele Maboni; Cibulski, Samuel; Fonseca, André Salvador Kazantzi; Ikuta, Nilo; Lunge, Vagner Ricardo

2017-12-01

Fowl typhoid (FT) and pullorum disease (PD) are two important poultry infections caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum). S. Gallinarum strains are adapted to birds and classified into biovars Gallinarum (bvGA) and Pullorum (bvPU) as they are the causative agent of FT and PD, respectively. In Brazil, FT/PD outbreaks have been reported along the last 50 years, but there was a recent increase of FT field reports with the suspicion it could be due to virulence reversion of the attenuated live vaccine SG9R. In this study, we applied molecular biology assays and phylogenetic methods to detect and investigate S. Gallinarum isolates from commercial poultry flocks in order to understand the evolutionary history and origin of the recent FT outbreaks in Brazil. S. Gallinarum isolates were obtained from thirteen different poultry flocks with clinical signs of FT/PD from 2013 to 2015. These isolates were serotyped, tested with three specific PCR (for the detection of bvGA, bvPU and live vaccine strain SG9R) and submitted to sequencing of a variable genome region (ISR analysis). The complete genome of one bvGA strain (BR_RS12) was also compared to other S. Gallinarum complete genomes (including other two Brazilian ones: bvGA 287/91 and bvPU FCVA198). PCR detected all thirteen isolates as S. Gallinarum (eight bvGA and five bvPU), none positive for SG9R strain. ISR analysis revealed that all eight bvGA isolates showed exactly the same nucleotide sequences with 100% similarity to reference strains, while two patterns were observed for bvPU. Genome phylogeny demonstrated distinct clades for bvGA and bvPU, with the bvGA clade showing a clear subdivision including three genomes: SG9R vaccine, the respective SG9 parent strain and one SG9R revertant field isolate (MB4523). The evolutionary rate of the total S. Gallinarum genome was calculated at 6.15×10 -7 substitutions/site/year, with 2.8 observed substitutions per year per genome (1 SNP per 4292 bases). Phylodynamics analysis estimated that at least two introductions of S. Gallinarum bvGA happened in Brazil, the first in 1885 and the second in 1950. The Brazilian bvGA genomes 287/91 and BR_RS12 analyzed here were related to the early and the late introductions, respectively. In conclusion, these results indicate the occurrence of S. Gallinarum strains associated with FT outbreaks that have been circulating for more than 50 years in Brazil and are not originated from virulence reversion of the SG9R vaccine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Entomologic and avian investigations of an epidemic of West Nile fever in Romania in 1996, with serologic and molecular characterization of a virus isolate from mosquitoes.

PubMed

Savage, H M; Ceianu, C; Nicolescu, G; Karabatsos, N; Lanciotti, R; Vladimirescu, A; Laiv, L; Ungureanu, A; Romanca, C; Tsai, T F

1999-10-01

Between July and October 1996, a West Nile (WN) fever epidemic occurred in the southern plain and Danube Valley of Romania and in the capital city of Bucharest, resulting in hundreds of neurologic cases and 17 fatalities. In early October 1996, entomologic and avian investigations of the epidemic were conducted in the city of Bucharest and nearby rural areas. Thirty (41%) of 73 domestic fowl sampled had neutralizing antibody to WN virus, including 5 of 13 ducks (38%), 1 of 1 goose, 19 of 52 chickens (37%), 1 of 1 peahen, and 4 of 6 turkeys (67%). Seroprevalence in domestic fowl (27%, or 7 of 26) from the urban Bucharest site was not significantly different (P = 0.08, by Fisher's exact test) than rates at three rural sites (50%, or 23 of 46). Serum collected from one of 12 Passeriformes, an Erithacus rubecula, was positive for neutralizing antibody to WN virus. A total of 5,577 mosquitoes representing seven taxa were collected. Culex pipiens pipiens accounted for 96% of the mosquitoes collected. A single virus isolate, RO97-50, was obtained from a pool of 30 Cx. p. pipiens females aspirated from the walls and ceiling of a blockhouse located near the center of Bucharest, resulting in a minimum infection rate of 0.19 per 1,000. Antisera prepared against RO97-50 failed to distinguish among RO97-50, WN virus strain Eg101, and Kunjin (KUN) virus strain MRM16. A 2,323-basepair DNA fragment of the envelope (E) glycoprotein gene from RO97-50 and a Romanian WN virus strain obtained from a human cerebrospinal fluid sample, RO96-1030, were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses of 23 WN virus strains and one KUN virus strain using the amino acid and nucleotide sequences for a small portion of the E gene suggest the existence of two large lineages of viruses. Bootstrap analysis of the nucleotide alignment indicated strong support (95%) for a lineage composed of WN virus strains from northern Africa, including isolates from Egypt and Algeria, and west, central, and east Africa, all of the European isolates, those from France and Romania, an Israeli isolate, and an isolate of KUN virus from Australia. The nucleotide sequence of RO97-50 was identical to the sequence of a WN virus isolate obtained from Cx. neavei mosquitoes from Senegal and Cx. univittatus mosquitoes from Kenya. The phylogenetic analyses were compatible with the introduction of virus into Romania by birds migrating from sub-Saharan Africa, to northern Africa, and into southern Europe.

[Animal experimentation in Israel].

PubMed

Epstein, Yoram; Leshem, Micah

2002-04-01

In 1994 the Israeli parliament (Knesset) amended the Cruelty to Animals Act to regulate the use of experimental animals. Accordingly, animal experiments can only be carried out for the purposes of promoting health and medical science, reducing suffering, advancing scientific research, testing or production of materials and products (excluding cosmetics and cleaning products) and education. Animal experiments are only permitted if alternative methods are not possible. The National Board for Animal Experimentation was established to implement the law. Its members are drawn from government ministries, representatives of doctors, veterinarians, and industry organizations, animal rights groups, and academia. In order to carry out an animal experiment, the institution, researchers involved, and the specific experiment, all require approval by the Board. To date the Board has approved some 35 institutions, about half are public institutions (universities, hospitals and colleges) and the rest industrial firms in biotechnology and pharmaceutics. In 2000, 250,000 animals were used in research, 85% were rodents, 11% fowls, 1,000 other farm animals, 350 dogs and cats, and 39 monkeys. Academic institutions used 74% of the animals and industry the remainder. We also present summarized data on the use of animals in research in other countries.

The Myriad Properties of Pasteurella multocida Lipopolysaccharide

PubMed Central

Harper, Marina; Boyce, John Dallas

2017-01-01

Pasteurella multocida is a heterogeneous species that is a primary pathogen of many different vertebrates. This Gram-negative bacterium can cause a range of diseases, including fowl cholera in birds, haemorrhagic septicaemia in ungulates, atrophic rhinitis in swine, and lower respiratory tract infections in cattle and pigs. One of the primary virulence factors of P. multocida is lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Recent work has shown that this crucial surface molecule shows significant structural variability across different P. multocida strains, with many producing LPS structures that are highly similar to the carbohydrate component of host glycoproteins. It is likely that this LPS mimicry of host molecules plays a major role in the survival of P. multocida in certain host niches. P. multocida LPS also plays a significant role in resisting the action of chicken cathelicidins, and is a strong stimulator of host immune responses. The inflammatory response to the endotoxic lipid A component is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of certain infections. Recent work has shown that vaccines containing killed bacteria give protection only against other strains with identical, or nearly identical, surface LPS structures. Conversely, live attenuated vaccines give protection that is broadly protective, and their efficacy is independent of LPS structure. PMID:28825691

Molecular differentiation between Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Pullorum and Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Gallinarum

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Simone Alves Mendes; de Paiva, Jaqueline Boldrin; Zotesso, Fábio; Lemos, Manoel Victor Franco; Berchieri Jánior, Ângelo

2009-01-01

S. Pullorum (SP) and S. Gallinarum (SG) are very similar. They are the agents of pullorum disease and fowl typhoid, respectively, and the two diseases are responsible for economic losses in poultry production. Although SP and SG are difficult to be differentiated in routine laboratory procedures, the ability to metabolize ornithine is a biochemical test that may be used to achieve this aim. While SP is able to decarboxylate this amino acid, SG is not. However, the isolation of strains showing atypical biochemical behavior has made this differentiation difficult. One of the genes associated with the metabolization of the amino acid ornithine is called speC, and is found in both serovars. The analysis of 21 SP and 15 SG strains by means of PCR did not enable the differentiation of the two serovars, because fragments produced were identical. However, after enzymatic treatment with restriction enzyme Eco RI, the band pattern of each serovar showed to be different, even in samples of atypical biochemical behavior. This fact enabled the standardization of the technique for a quick and safe differentiation of serovars Pullorum and Gallinarum. PMID:24031341

[Human and avian influenza due to the H5N1 virus].

PubMed

Durand, Maurice-Paul

2007-01-01

Recent alerts about "avian influenza", more often referred to by veterinarians as "fowl plague" and by the public as "bird flu", and about its transmission to humans, have received extensive media coverage. Physicians need further information about this development. We begin by looking at several fundamental aspects of influenza virus structure and its various types and subtypes and then review the various avian and human influenza epidemics throughout history. A description follows of the current avian influenza, its history, its presence in migratory and domestic birds, and its clinical aspects. Transmission to humans is covered next: the facts, conditions, human cases, and consumption of poultry meat. Then we consider treatment: none in animal diseases, and very limited for human disease. Vaccination has previously been dealt with and will be barely touched upon here. Finally we will present the guidelines and measures taken both nationally and internationally. Our conclusion is intended to be relatively optimistic, stressing the species barrier and the multiplicity of pathogenic avian viruses recently encountered in humans. We insist on the need to contain the epizootic, if necessary by animal vaccination, to diminish the likelihood of human contamination.

Reproductive physiology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gee, G.F.; Russman, S.E.; Ellis, David H.; Gee, George F.; Mirande, Claire M.

1996-01-01

Conclusions: Although the general pattern of avian physiology applies to cranes, we have identified many physiological mechanisms (e.g., effects of disturbance) that need further study. Studies with cranes are expensive compared to those done with domestic fowl because of the crane's larger size, low reproductive rate, and delayed sexual maturity. To summarize, the crane reproductive system is composed of physiological and anatomical elements whose function is controlled by an integrated neural-endocrine system. Males generally produce semen at a younger age than when females lay eggs. Eggs are laid in clutches of two (1 to 3), and females will lay additional clutches if the preceding clutches are removed. Both sexes build nests and incubate the eggs. Molt begins during incubation and body molt may be completed annually in breeding pairs. However, remiges are replaced sequentially over 2 to 3 years, or abruptly every 2 to 3 years in other species. Most immature birds replace their juvenal remiges over a 2 to 3 year period. Stress interferes with reproduction in cranes by reducing egg production or terminating the reproductive effort. In other birds, stress elevates corticosterone levels and decreases LHRH release. We know little about the physiological response of cranes to stress.

Characterization of organic osmolytes in avian renal medulla: a nonurea osmotic gradient system.

PubMed

Lien, Y H; Pacelli, M M; Braun, E J

1993-06-01

We measured the organic osmolytes present in the renal cortex and medullary cones of adult female domestic fowl before and after 48 h of water deprivation. Urine osmolality increased from 198 +/- 82 to 569 +/- 42 mosmol/kgH2O after water deprivation. In water-deprived birds, the major organic osmolytes, myoinositol, betaine, and taurine, in the medullary cones increased by 40, 100, and 24%, respectively, compared with control birds. No sorbitol was detected, and glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC) content was not affected by water deprivation. In the renal cortex, only betaine content increased significantly (4.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.3 mmol/kg wet wt) after water deprivation. In this study, we demonstrated that birds, like mammals, accumulate organic osmolytes in response to the increased interstitial osmolality that occurs during antidiuresis. Because urea is nearly absent in the avian medullary interstitium, our observation that GPC is not osmoregulated in the avian kidney supports the idea that GPC is the "counteracting osmolyte" for urea in the mammalian kidney. Furthermore, the organic osmolytes present in avian medullary cones are remarkably similar to those of the mammalian outer medulla. This similarity may be relevant to the morphological analogy of the two regions.

An autosomal dwarfism in the domestic fowl.

PubMed

Cole, R K

2000-11-01

A mutation in the Cornell K-strain of White Leghorns, first recognized when two adult males in a pedigreed family were definitely smaller than their two other brothers, proved to be an autosomal recessive mutation and gave rise to the autosomal dwarf stock. The effect of this gene (adw) can be recognized during embryonic development and leads to a normal adult, except for a 30% reduction in body weight. Selection for small size, egg production, and egg weight over a period of 15 yr yielded an efficient layer. Production for 11 mo from first egg was at a rate of 70%, with egg weight at 56 g and body weight at 1,160 g at 10 to 11 mo of age, based on data for the last four generations. Viability of the caged hens averaged over 95% for the 13 generations involved. Sexual maturity was delayed by about 2 wk, and good incubation (85+%) required 18+/- more hours than normal. When an autosomal dwarf male is used as a sire and mated to sex-linked dwarf (dw) females, all progeny are of normal size. Compared with problems of mating normal size males with dwarf females, the use of the two types of dwarfism can yield good fertility.

Molecular dietary analysis of two sympatric felids in the Mountains of Southwest China biodiversity hotspot and conservation implications

PubMed Central

Xiong, Mengyin; Wang, Dajun; Bu, Hongliang; Shao, Xinning; Zhang, Dan; Li, Sheng; Wang, Rongjiang; Yao, Meng

2017-01-01

Dietary information is lacking in most of small to mid-sized carnivores due to their elusive predatory behaviour and versatile feeding habits. The leopard cat (LPC; Prionailurus bengalensis) and the Asiatic golden cat (AGC; Catopuma temminckii) are two important yet increasingly endangered carnivore species in the temperate mountain forest ecosystem in Southwest China, a global biodiversity hotspot and a significant reservoir of China’s endemic species. We investigated the vertebrate prey of the two sympatric felids using faecal DNA and a next-generation sequencing (NGS)/metabarcoding approach. Forty vertebrate prey taxa were identified from 93 LPC and 10 AGC faecal samples; 37 taxa were found in the LPC diet, and 20 were detected in the AGC diet. Prey included 27 mammalian taxa, 11 birds, one lizard and one fish, with 73% (29/40) of the taxa assigned to the species level. Rodents and pikas were the most dominant LPC prey categories, whereas rodents, pheasant, fowl and ungulates were the main AGC prey. We also analysed the seasonal and altitudinal variations in the LPC diet. Our results provide the most comprehensive dietary data for these felids and valuable information for their conservation planning. PMID:28195150

Reduction of precursor decay anomaly in single crystal lithium fluoride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, Yukio

2000-08-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal that the precursor decay anomaly in single crystal lithium fluoride is reduced by Sano's decay curve [Y. Sano, J. Appl. Phys. 85, 7616 (1999)], which is much smaller in slope than Asay's decay curve [J. R. Asay, G. R. Fowles, G. E. Duvall, M. H. Miles, and R. F. Tinder, J. Appl. Phys. 43, 2132 (1972)]. To this end, strain, particle, velocity, and stress in a precursor and near the leading edge of the follower changing with time along Sano's decay curve are first analyzed quantitatively. The analysis verified the existence of degenerate contraction waves I and II and a subrarefaction wave R', and the decay process [Y. Sano, J. Appl. Phys. 77, 3746 (1995)] caused in sequence by evolving followers C, I, II, R', Rb. Next, inequalities relating decay rates qualitatively to plastic strain rates at the leading edge of the follower, which are derived using the properties of the followers, are incorporated into the analysis. Calculation results showed that the plastic strain rates were reduced by low decay rates. This indicates that the precursor decay anomaly might be greatly reduced by Sano's decay curve.

Tropical veterinary parasites at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology.

PubMed

Conn, David Bruce

2008-12-01

Tropical veterinary parasites have been maintained by the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Harvard University since the mid 1800s. Most of these are maintained by the Department of Invertebrate Zoology, but many vectors and intermediate hosts are maintained by the Departments of Entomology and Malacology. The largest collections are of avian and mammalian ticks (Acarina) that are important as both parasites and vectors. Nematodes are second in numbers, followed by cestodes, trematodes, and several minor helminth groups, crustacean parasites of fish, and protozoan parasites of various hosts. The MCZ directed or participated in several major expeditions to tropical areas around the globe in the early 1900s. Many of these expeditions focused on human parasites, but hundreds of veterinary and zoonotic parasites were also collected from these and numerous, smaller, tropical expeditions. Host sources include companion animals, livestock, laboratory species, domestic fowl, reptiles, amphibians, exotics/zoo animals, commercially important fishes, and other wildlife. Specimens are curated, either fixed whole in vials or mounted on slides as whole mounts or histopathological sections. The primary emphasis of MCZ's current work with tropical veterinary parasites is on voucher specimens from epidemiological, experimental, and clinical research.

Vitamin D in the avian egg. Its molecular identity and mechanism of incorporation into yolk.

PubMed Central

Fraser, D R; Emtage, J S

1976-01-01

The chemical identity of vitamin D in the egg of the domestic fowl was studied by analysing radioactivity in eggs from hens injected with [3H]cholecalciferol. Labelled molecules were found throughout the egg, but the concentration of total radioactivity in albumin was only 5-7% of that in yolk. In lipid extracts of yolk, more than 90% of the radioactivity was as unchanged cholecalciferol and 5% as 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. Only about 3% of the radioactivity in albumin was chloroform-soluble, and of this 40% was 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 15% was cholecalciferol. Evidence is presented to support the idea that the specific transport of cholecalciferol into yolk is mediated by a cholecalciferol-binding protein in blood. This protein forms a complex with yolk proteins in transit from liver to ovary via the blood. A cholecalciferol-binding protein, chromatographically similar to that from blood, was found in egg yolk. It is postulated that cholecalciferol forms part of a complex with its specific binding protein, Ca2+ and the yolk phosphoprotein, phosvitin. This complex is then incorporated into yolk by the thecal cells of the ovarian follicle. PMID:189757

Exploration of the susceptibility of AChE from the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Mesostigmata) to organophosphates in field isolates from France.

PubMed

Roy, Lise; Chauve, Claude; Delaporte, Jean; Inizan, Gilbert; Buronfosse, Thierry

2009-06-01

The red fowl mite Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) is a hematophagous mite species, which is very commonly found in layer facilities in Europe. The economic and animal health impact of this parasite is quite important. In laying hen houses, organophosphates are almost the only legally usable chemicals. Detecting a target resistance can be useful in order to limit the emergence of resistant populations. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the enzyme sensitivity to paraoxon was investigated in 39 field samples and compared to a susceptible reference strain (SSK). Insensitivity factor values (expressed as IC50 ratio) obtained from field isolates compared to SSK revealed some polymorphism but not exceeding a 6-fold difference. The kinetic characteristics of AChE from some field samples showed some difference in KM values for acetylthiocholine and inhibition kinetics performed with diethyl paraoxon exhibited a 5.5-fold difference in the bimolecular rate constant in one field isolate. Taken together, these data suggested that differences in AChE susceptibility to organophosphates may exist in D. gallinae but no resistant population was found.

Exoerythrocytic development of Plasmodium gallinaceum in the White Leghorn chicken☆

PubMed Central

Frevert, Ute; Späth, Gerald F.; Yee, Herman

2008-01-01

Plasmodium gallinaceum typically causes sub-clinical disease with low mortality in its primary host, the Indian jungle fowl Gallus sonnerati. Domestic chickens of European origin, however, are highly susceptible to this avian malaria parasite. Here we describe the development of P. gallinaceum in young White Leghorn chicks with emphasis on the primary exoerythrocytic phase of the infection. Using various regimens for infection, we found that P. gallinaceum induced a transient primary exoerythrocytic infection followed by a fulminant lethal erythrocytic phase. Prerequisite for the appearance of secondary exoerythrocytic stages was the development of a certain level of parasitemia. Once established, secondary exoerythrocytic stages could be propagated from bird to bird for several generations without causing fatalities. Infected brains contained large secondary exoerythrocytic stages in capillary endothelia, while in the liver primary and secondary erythrocytic stages developed primarily in Kupffer cells and remained smaller. At later stages, livers exhibited focal hepatocyte necrosis, Kupffer cell hyperplasia, stellate cell proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration and granuloma formation. Because P. gallinaceum selectively infected Kupffer cells in the liver and caused a histopathology strikingly similar to mammalian species, this avian Plasmodium species represents an evolutionarily closely related model for studies on the hepatic phase of mammalian malaria. PMID:18005972

Application of ecological, geological and oceanographic ERTS-1 imagery to Delaware's coastal resources planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Bartlett, D. S.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Coastal vegetation species appearing in the ERTS-1 images taken of Delaware Bay have been correlated with ground truth vegetation maps and imagery obtained from high altitude overflights. Multispectral analysis of the high altitude photographs indicated that four major vegetation communities could be clearly discriminated from 60,000 feet altitude including: (1) salt marsh cord grass; (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass; (3) reed grass; and (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle. In addition, human impact can be detected in the form of fresh water impoundments built to attract water fowl, dredge-fill operations and other alterations of the coastal environment. Overlay maps matching the USGS topographic map size of 1:24,000 have been prepared showing the four wetland vegetation communities, fresh water impoundments, and alteration of wetlands by mosquito control ditching and dredge-fill operations. Using these maps, ERTS-1 images were examined by human interpreters and automated multispectral analyzers. Major plant communities of (1) Spartina alterniflora, (2) Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata, and (3) Iva frutescens and Baccharis halimifolia can be distinguished from each other and from surrounding uplands in ERTS-1 scanner bands 6 and 7.

Wildlife Population Dynamics in Human-Dominated Landscapes under Community-Based Conservation: The Example of Nakuru Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

PubMed Central

Ogutu, Joseph O.; Kuloba, Bernard; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Kanga, Erustus

2017-01-01

Wildlife conservation is facing numerous and mounting challenges on private and communal lands in Africa, including in Kenya. We analyze the population dynamics of 44 common wildlife species in relation to rainfall variation in the Nakuru Wildlife Conservancy (NWC), located in the Nakuru-Naivasha region of Kenya, based on ground total counts carried out twice each year from March 1996 to May 2015. Rainfall in the region was quasi-periodic with cycle periods dependent on the rainfall component and varying from 2.8 years for the dry season to 10.9 years for the wet season. These oscillations are associated with frequent severe droughts and food scarcity for herbivores. The trends for the 44 wildlife species showed five general patterns during 1996–2015. 1) Steinbuck, bushbuck, hartebeest and greater kudu numbers declined persistently and significantly throughout 1996–2015 and thus merit the greatest conservation attention. 2) Klipspringer, mongoose, oribi, porcupine, cheetah, leopard, ostrich and Sykes monkey numbers also decreased noticeably but not significantly between 1996 and 2015. 3) Dik dik, eland, African hare, Jackal, duiker, hippo and Thomson’s gazelle numbers first increased and then declined between 1996 and 2015 but only significantly for duiker and hippo. 4) Aardvark, serval cat, colobus monkey, bat-eared fox, reedbuck, hyena and baboon numbers first declined and then increased but only the increases in reedbuck and baboon numbers were significant. 5) Grant’s gazelle, Grevy’s zebra, lion, spring hare, Burchell’s zebra, bushpig, white rhino, rock hyrax, topi, oryx, vervet monkey, guinea fowl, giraffe, and wildebeest numbers increased consistently between 1996 and 2015. The increase was significant only for rock hyrax, topi, vervet monkey, guinea fowl, giraffe and wildebeest. 6) Impala, buffalo, warthog, and waterbuck, numbers increased significantly and then seemed to level off between 1996 and 2015. The aggregate biomass of primates and carnivores increased overall whereas that of herbivores first increased from 1996 to 2006 and then levelled off thereafter. Aggregate herbivore biomass increased linearly with increasing cumulative wet season rainfall. The densities of the 30 most abundant species were either strongly positively or negatively correlated with cumulative past rainfall, most commonly with the early wet season component. The collaborative wildlife conservation and management initiatives undertaken on the mosaic of private, communal and public lands were thus associated with increase or no decrease in numbers of 32 and decrease in numbers of 12 of the 44 species. Despite the decline by some species, effective community-based conservation is central to the future of wildlife in the NWC and other rangelands of Kenya and beyond and is crucially dependent on the good will, effective engagement and collective action of local communities, working in partnerships with various organizations, which, in NWC, operated under the umbrella of the Nakuru Wildlife Forum. PMID:28103269

Wildlife Population Dynamics in Human-Dominated Landscapes under Community-Based Conservation: The Example of Nakuru Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya.

PubMed

Ogutu, Joseph O; Kuloba, Bernard; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Kanga, Erustus

2017-01-01

Wildlife conservation is facing numerous and mounting challenges on private and communal lands in Africa, including in Kenya. We analyze the population dynamics of 44 common wildlife species in relation to rainfall variation in the Nakuru Wildlife Conservancy (NWC), located in the Nakuru-Naivasha region of Kenya, based on ground total counts carried out twice each year from March 1996 to May 2015. Rainfall in the region was quasi-periodic with cycle periods dependent on the rainfall component and varying from 2.8 years for the dry season to 10.9 years for the wet season. These oscillations are associated with frequent severe droughts and food scarcity for herbivores. The trends for the 44 wildlife species showed five general patterns during 1996-2015. 1) Steinbuck, bushbuck, hartebeest and greater kudu numbers declined persistently and significantly throughout 1996-2015 and thus merit the greatest conservation attention. 2) Klipspringer, mongoose, oribi, porcupine, cheetah, leopard, ostrich and Sykes monkey numbers also decreased noticeably but not significantly between 1996 and 2015. 3) Dik dik, eland, African hare, Jackal, duiker, hippo and Thomson's gazelle numbers first increased and then declined between 1996 and 2015 but only significantly for duiker and hippo. 4) Aardvark, serval cat, colobus monkey, bat-eared fox, reedbuck, hyena and baboon numbers first declined and then increased but only the increases in reedbuck and baboon numbers were significant. 5) Grant's gazelle, Grevy's zebra, lion, spring hare, Burchell's zebra, bushpig, white rhino, rock hyrax, topi, oryx, vervet monkey, guinea fowl, giraffe, and wildebeest numbers increased consistently between 1996 and 2015. The increase was significant only for rock hyrax, topi, vervet monkey, guinea fowl, giraffe and wildebeest. 6) Impala, buffalo, warthog, and waterbuck, numbers increased significantly and then seemed to level off between 1996 and 2015. The aggregate biomass of primates and carnivores increased overall whereas that of herbivores first increased from 1996 to 2006 and then levelled off thereafter. Aggregate herbivore biomass increased linearly with increasing cumulative wet season rainfall. The densities of the 30 most abundant species were either strongly positively or negatively correlated with cumulative past rainfall, most commonly with the early wet season component. The collaborative wildlife conservation and management initiatives undertaken on the mosaic of private, communal and public lands were thus associated with increase or no decrease in numbers of 32 and decrease in numbers of 12 of the 44 species. Despite the decline by some species, effective community-based conservation is central to the future of wildlife in the NWC and other rangelands of Kenya and beyond and is crucially dependent on the good will, effective engagement and collective action of local communities, working in partnerships with various organizations, which, in NWC, operated under the umbrella of the Nakuru Wildlife Forum.

Hydropericardium Hepatitis Syndrome Emerged in Cherry Valley Ducks in China.

PubMed

Chen, H; Dou, Y; Zheng, X; Tang, Y; Zhang, M; Zhang, Y; Wang, Z; Diao, Y

2017-08-01

Since June 2015, a highly pathogenic disease occurred in duck flocks in China, causing pericardial effusion, enlarged discoloured liver, renal enlargement and haemorrhagic lung with a mortality ranging from 5% to 20%. Previous study confirmed that Fowl adenovirus group C (FAdV-C) and some field FAdVs isolates had been identified as causative agents of hydropericardium hepatitis syndrome (HHS) in chickens and geese world widely. In this study, we firstly report the isolation of FAdV-C from ducks with HHS. The two isolates, designated as SDSX and SDJX, were separated from liver samples using 9-day-old SPF chicken embryos and could cause severe cytopathic effects in duck and chicken embryonic kidney cells. The entire ORF sequences of hexon gene of the two isolates were amplified, sequenced and analysed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Phylogenetic analysis of loop 1 sequences of hexon gene of FAdVs revealed that the two isolates were closely related to FAdV-C isolates, which could cause HHS in chickens. Experimental infection indicated that the isolate was high pathogenicity to 20-day-old ducks. Our study shows that the recently emerged HHS in ducks was caused by FAdV-C and may possess a potential risk to other poultry flocks. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Collective familial decision-making in times of trouble: intergenerational solidarity in Ghana.

PubMed

McGadney-Douglass, Brenda F; Douglass, Richard L

2008-06-01

In post-colonial populations the retention of the nuclear family concept of collectivism as the basis for decision-making is associated with familial and cultural survival. Collectivism within familial contexts provides intergenerational access to experience, information, resources, and sound decision making during times of conflict or dealing with the consequences of poverty. In contemporary Ghana inter-ethnic wars and conflict have marginalized minority groups, causing substantial internal displacement of people. Poverty and cultural issues have caused a persistently high level of child malnutrition and mortality in all areas of Ghana, including urban centers where appropriate food is in abundance. In each of these circumstances the senior women, particularly the grandmothers, have been found to be essential for child survival, protecting the family from dissolution, and ensuring intergenerational cultural transmission. This paper discusses the place of collective decision-making processes of older African women in two studies in Ghana that assessed the: (1) indigenous methods used for understanding and arresting violent ethnic conflict by internally displaced women who survived the 1994/95 Guinea Fowl War; and (2) parenting and grandparenting strategies from families who insured the survival of children suffering from kwashiorkor, a severe form of childhood malnutrition. In this paper, findings from qualitative interview data will include narratives and illustrative cases.

Population Dynamics of Salmonella enterica Serotypes in Commercial Egg and Poultry Production ▿

PubMed Central

Foley, Steven L.; Nayak, Rajesh; Hanning, Irene B.; Johnson, Timothy J.; Han, Jing; Ricke, Steven C.

2011-01-01

Fresh and processed poultry have been frequently implicated in cases of human salmonellosis. Furthermore, increased consumption of meat and poultry has increased the potential for exposure to Salmonella enterica. While advances have been made in reducing the prevalence and frequency of Salmonella contamination in processed poultry, there is mounting pressure on commercial growers to prevent and/or eliminate these human pathogens in preharvest production facilities. Several factors contribute to Salmonella colonization in commercial poultry, including the serovar and the infectious dose. In the early 1900s, Salmonella enterica serovars Pullorum and Gallinarum caused widespread diseases in poultry, but vaccination and other voluntary programs helped eradicate pullorum disease and fowl typhoid from commercial flocks. However, the niche created by the eradication of these serovars was likely filled by S. Enteritidis, which proliferated in the bird populations. While this pathogen remains a significant problem in commercial egg and poultry production, its prevalence among poultry has been declining since the 1990s. Coinciding with the decrease of S. Enteritidis, S. Heidelberg and S. Kentucky have emerged as the predominant serovars in commercial broilers. In this review, we have highlighted bacterial genetic and host-related factors that may contribute to such shifts in Salmonella populations in commercial poultry and intervention strategies that could limit their colonization. PMID:21571882

Objective clinical examination of poultry as illustrated by the comparison of chickens with different vitamin A status.

PubMed

Beynen, A C; Sijtsma, S R; Kiepurski, A K; West, C E; Baumans, V; Van Herck, H; Stafleu, F R; Van Tintelen, G

1989-10-01

One day old pullets derived from marginally vitamin A deficient laying hens were fed diets containing either adequate or marginal amounts of vitamin A. At the age of 34 days, animals fed the diet low in vitamin A had group mean plasma concentrations of retinol which were one tenth the mean plasma concentrations of controls. When compared with their controls, the deficient animals displayed body weights which were on average 16% less. Of 20 pullets per dietary group one control animal and 9 deficient animals died by the age of 34 days. At the age of 29 days, control (n = 16) and deficient chickens (n = 11) were examined clinically by assigning scores to a number of parameters. Three assessors carried out the examination independently. The birds were presented for examination at random and their treatment groups were not disclosed to the assessors. Out of 26 parameters assessed quantitatively per individual animal, only three parameters discriminated between control and deficient chickens. Deficient animals grew poorly, had a hunched up posture and increased fluid content in faeces. Classical signs of chronic vitamin A deficiency in domestic fowl such as bone deformities, keratinization of the tongue and decreased transparency of the cornea were not observed.

Radioiodination of chicken luteinizing hormone without affecting receptor binding potency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kikuchi, M.; Ishii, S.

1989-12-01

By improving the currently used lactoperoxidase method, we were able to obtain radioiodinated chicken luteinizing hormone (LH) that shows high specific binding and low nonspecific binding to a crude plasma membrane fraction of testicular cells of the domestic fowl and the Japanese quail, and to the ovarian granulosa cells of the Japanese quail. The change we made from the original method consisted of (1) using chicken LH for radioiodination that was not only highly purified but also retained a high receptor binding potency; (2) controlling the level of incorporation of radioiodine into chicken LH molecules by employing a short reactionmore » time and low temperature; and (3) fractionating radioiodinated chicken LH further by gel filtration using high-performance liquid chromatography. Specific radioactivity of the final {sup 125}I-labeled chicken LH preparation was 14 microCi/micrograms. When specific binding was 12-16%, nonspecific binding was as low as 2-4% in the gonadal receptors. {sup 125}I-Labeled chicken LH was displaced by chicken LH and ovine LH but not by chicken follicle-stimulating hormone. The equilibrium association constant of quail testicular receptor was 3.6 x 10(9) M-1. We concluded that chicken LH radioiodinated by the present method is useful for studies of avian LH receptors.« less

Comparative evaluation of cell culture-adapted and chicken embryo-adapted fowl pox vaccine strains.

PubMed

Baxi, M K; Oberoi, M S

1999-01-01

Two types of vaccines, chicken embryo adapted (VacCE) and cell culture adapted (VacCC), were tested for their efficacy to elicite the immune response in birds vaccinated at 2 and 8 wk of age. The cell-mediated immune response studied by blastogenesis assay showed that birds vaccinated at the second week of age by both VacCE and VacCC vaccines had significant increase in T-lymphocyte count at 21 days postvaccination (PV) and 7 days postchallenge (PC), whereas in birds vaccinated at 8 wk of age, a significant increase was seen at 21 days PV and 7 days PC with the VacCC vaccine. The rise in passive hemagglutination titers was observed up to 21 days PV and 7 days PC in birds vaccinated at 2 wk of age. However, only the birds vaccinated with VacCC at 8 wk of age showed rise in titers at days 21 PV and 7 PC. Birds were challenged 90 days PV by scarification on the thigh region, and the birds vaccinated with VacCC showed 90% and 70% protection when vaccinated at 2 and 8 wk, respectively. The birds vaccinated with VacCE showed only 60% and 20% protection at the corresponding levels, respectively.

Genetic diversity of mtDNA D-loop sequences in four native Chinese chicken breeds.

PubMed

Guo, H W; Li, C; Wang, X N; Li, Z J; Sun, G R; Li, G X; Liu, X J; Kang, X T; Han, R L

2017-10-01

1. To explore the genetic diversity of Chinese indigenous chicken breeds, a 585 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) region was sequenced in 102 birds from the Xichuan black-bone chicken, Yunyang black-bone chicken and Lushi chicken. In addition, 30 mtDNA D-loop sequences of Silkie fowls were downloaded from NCBI. The mtDNA D-loop sequence polymorphism and maternal origin of 4 chicken breeds were analysed in this study. 2. The results showed that a total of 33 mutation sites and 28 haplotypes were detected in the 4 chicken breeds. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity of these 4 native breeds were 0.916 ± 0.014 and 0.012 ± 0.002, respectively. Three clusters were formed in 4 Chinese native chickens and 12 reference breeds. Both the Xichuan black-bone chicken and Yunyang black-bone chicken were grouped into one cluster. Four haplogroups (A, B, C and E) emerged in the median-joining network in these breeds. 3. It was concluded that these 4 Chinese chicken breeds had high genetic diversity. The phylogenetic tree and median network profiles showed that Chinese native chickens and its neighbouring countries had at least two maternal origins, one from Yunnan, China and another from Southeast Asia or its surrounding area.

Modulatory effects of several herbal extracts on avian peripheral blood cell immune responses.

PubMed

Dorhoi, A; Dobrean, V; Zăhan, M; Virag, P

2006-05-01

Standardized ethanol extracts of Allium sativum (garlic), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), Plantago major (plantain) and Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) were assessed for their effects on cellular immunity in laying hens. Birds (n = 25) had blood samples taken and both specific and non-specific immune cell responsiveness were evaluated by a leukocyte proliferation assay, carbon clearance test and SRBC phagocytosis in monocyte-derived macrophage cultures. Licorice and sea buckthorn (50 microg/mL) clearly enhanced the macrophage membrane function (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Dual effects on circulating phagocytes were revealed for plantain and sea buckthorn, while garlic at 200 microg/mL impaired the phagocytic capacity of blood cells. None of the tested extracts showed mitogenic properties, but high concentrations of sea buckthorn (400 microg/mL) inhibited leukocyte proliferation. Small concentrations (20 microg/mL) of licorice proved the co-mitogenic potential for both T and B avian lymphocytes (p < 0.05). Certain extracts definitely enhanced the fowl innate and/or specific cell immunity and may therefore improve host resistance in poultry. Considering the chicken as an important non-mammalian model that also serves as an available laboratory approach for some human diseases, herbs exerting immunomodulatory properties may find relevant clinical applications. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Isolation and characterization of a Chinese strain of Tembusu virus from Hy-Line Brown layers with acute egg-drop syndrome in Fujian, China.

PubMed

Chen, Shilong; Wang, Shao; Li, Zhaolong; Lin, Fengqiang; Cheng, Xiaoxia; Zhu, Xiaoli; Wang, Jingxiang; Chen, Shaoying; Huang, Meiqing; Zheng, Min

2014-05-01

Tembusu virus (TMUV) has been a causative agent of an acute egg-drop syndrome found in Chinese duck populations since at least 2010. In this paper, we report the characterization of a TMUV-like flavivirus (named CJD05) isolated from naturally infected egg-laying fowl. The virus was identified and then isolated from hens suffering from severe egg drop and fever in Fujian Province, China. The virus replicated well in MDEF and CEF cells, and its cytopathogenic effect (CPE) was apparent. Hemagglutinating activity (HA) was negative for this virus using erythrocytes from both chickens and pigeons. Viral particles were enveloped and approximately 45 nm in diameter, as observed by electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analysis of the full-length nucleotide sequence of CJD05 indicated that this virus is closely related to the duck-origin TMUV, belonging to Ntaya group of flavivirus. Most importantly, pathogenicity studies showed that CJD05 is highly virulent in 1-day-old chicks, 1-day-old Muscovy ducks, egg-laying chickens and shelducks. Our research highlights the increase in epidemic disease caused by avian TMUV, and subsequent outbreaks are becoming more complicated to treat. The pathogenic mechanisms of the virus are still not fully understood, further research is needed.

Drivers of Variability of Diel-Cycling and Episodic Hypoxia In ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eutrophication of coastal ecosystems is a longstanding environmental concern, exacerbated by population growth and associated nutrient pollution, and ultimately resulting in increased incidence of hypoxia. Shallow and highly productive estuaries and embayments are particularly susceptible to diel-cycling hypoxia, associated with day-night cycles of production and respiration, which can cause extreme excursions in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations from anoxia to super-saturation within a single day. Diel oxygen dynamics in these systems are complex, and may be influenced by wind forcing, vertical and horizontal mixing, variation in freshwater inflow, cloud cover, and temperature. To better understand the environmental drivers of periodic hypoxia, this study examined four northern Gulf of Mexico Estuaries (Weeks Bay, AL; Wolf Bay, AL; Fowl River, AL; and St. Louis Bay, MS). Dissolved oxygen varied strongly on a diel basis in all four systems, with periods of sustained low oxygen (>24 h) observed in both Weeks Bay and Wolf Bay. The duration and persistence of hypoxia further varied in response to changing salinity regimes and regional weather. These results underscore the dynamic nature of hypoxia in shallow estuarine systems, and highlight the importance of combining fixed site continuous monitoring data with spatial hydrographic surveys to accurately resolve DO dynamics. This abstract is submitted for presentation at the CERF conference held Nov 8-12 in Oregon

Phylogenetic analysis of different breeds of domestic chickens in selected area of Peninsular Malaysia inferred from partial cytochrome b gene information and RAPD markers.

PubMed

Yap, Fook Choy; Yan, Yap Jin; Loon, Kiung Teh; Zhen, Justina Lee Ning; Kamau, Nelly Warau; Kumaran, Jayaraj Vijaya

2010-10-01

The present investigation was carried out in an attempt to study the phylogenetic analysis of different breeds of domestic chickens in Peninsular Malaysia inferred from partial cytochrome b gene information and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Phylogenetic analysis using both neighbor-joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods produced three clusters that encompassed Type-I village chickens, the red jungle fowl subspecies and the Japanese Chunky broilers. The phylogenetic analysis also revealed that majority of the Malaysian commercial chickens were randomly assembled with the Type-II village chickens. In RAPD assay, phylogenetic analysis using neighbor-joining produced six clusters that were completely distinguished based on the locality of chickens. High levels of genetic variations were observed among the village chickens, the commercial broilers, and between the commercial broilers and layer chickens. In this study, it was found that Type-I village chickens could be distinguished from the commercial chickens and Type-II village chickens at the position of the 27th nucleotide of the 351 bp cytochrome b gene. This study also revealed that RAPD markers were unable to differentiate the type of chickens, but it showed the effectiveness of RAPD in evaluating the genetic variation and the genetic relationships between chicken lines and populations.

Contribution of flagella and motility to gut colonisation and pathogenicity of Salmonella Enteritidis in the chicken.

PubMed

Barbosa, Fernanda de Oliveira; Freitas Neto, Oliveiro Caetano de; Batista, Diego Felipe Alves; Almeida, Adriana Maria de; Rubio, Marcela da Silva; Alves, Lucas Bocchini Rodrigues; Vasconcelos, Rosemeire de Oliveira; Barrow, Paul Andrew; Berchieri Junior, Angelo

Salmonella Enteritidis causes fowl paratyphoid in poultry and is frequently associated to outbreaks of food-borne diseases in humans. The role of flagella and flagella-mediated motility into host-pathogen interplay is not fully understood and requires further investigation. In this study, one-day-old chickens were challenged orally with a wild-type strain Salmonella Enteritidis, a non-motile but fully flagellated (SE ΔmotB) or non-flagellated (SE ΔfliC) strain to evaluate their ability to colonise the intestine and spread systemically and also of eliciting gross and histopathological changes. SE ΔmotB and SE ΔfliC were recovered in significantly lower numbers from caecal contents in comparison with Salmonella Enteritidis at early stages of infection (3 and 5dpi). The SE ΔmotB strain, which synthesises paralysed flagella, showed poorer intestinal colonisation ability than the non-flagellated SE ΔfliC. Histopathological analyses demonstrated that the flagellated strains induced more intense lymphoid reactivity in liver, ileum and caeca. Thus, in the present study the flagellar structure and motility seemed to play a role in the early stages of the intestinal colonisation by Salmonella Enteritidis in the chicken. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Allometric scaling of fatty acyl chains in fowl liver, lung and kidney, but not in brain phospholipids.

PubMed

Szabó, András; Mézes, Miklós; Romvári, Róbert; Fébel, Hedvig

2010-03-01

The phospholipid (PL) fatty acyl chain (FA) composition (mol%) was determined in the kidney, liver, lung and brain of 8 avian species ranging in body mass from 150g (Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica) to 19kg (turkey, Meleagris gallopavo). In all organs except the brain, docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n3, DHA) was found to show a negative allometric scaling (allometric exponent: B=-0.18; -0.20 and -0.24, for kidney, liver and lung, respectively). With minor inter-organ differences, smaller birds had more n3 FAs and longer FA chains in the renal, hepatic and pulmonary PLs. Comparing our results with literature data on avian skeletal muscle, liver mitochondria and kidney microsomes and divergent mammalian tissues, the present findings in the kidney, liver and lung PLs seem to be a part of a general relationship termed "membranes as metabolic pacemakers". Marked negative allometric scaling was found furthermore for the tissue malondialdehyde concentrations in all organs except the brain (B=-0.17; -0.13 and -0.05, respectively). In the liver and kidney a strong correlation was found between the tissue MDA and DHA levels, expressing the role of DHA in shaping the allometric properties of membrane lipids. 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genomic Analyses Reveal Potential Independent Adaptation to High Altitude in Tibetan Chickens.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-Shan; Li, Yan; Peng, Min-Sheng; Zhong, Li; Wang, Zong-Ji; Li, Qi-Ye; Tu, Xiao-Long; Dong, Yang; Zhu, Chun-Ling; Wang, Lu; Yang, Min-Min; Wu, Shi-Fang; Miao, Yong-Wang; Liu, Jian-Ping; Irwin, David M; Wang, Wen; Wu, Dong-Dong; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2015-07-01

Much like other indigenous domesticated animals, Tibetan chickens living at high altitudes (2,200-4,100 m) show specific physiological adaptations to the extreme environmental conditions of the Tibetan Plateau, but the genetic bases of these adaptations are not well characterized. Here, we assembled a de novo genome of a Tibetan chicken and resequenced whole genomes of 32 additional chickens, including Tibetan chickens, village chickens, game fowl, and Red Junglefowl, and found that the Tibetan chickens could broadly be placed into two groups. Further analyses revealed that several candidate genes in the calcium-signaling pathway are possibly involved in adaptation to the hypoxia experienced by these chickens, as these genes appear to have experienced directional selection in the two Tibetan chicken populations, suggesting a potential genetic mechanism underlying high altitude adaptation in Tibetan chickens. The candidate selected genes identified in this study, and their variants, may be useful targets for clarifying our understanding of the domestication of chickens in Tibet, and might be useful in current breeding efforts to develop improved breeds for the highlands. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dissolved organic matter reduces CuO nanoparticle toxicity to duckweed in simulated natural systems.

PubMed

Rippner, Devin A; Green, Peter G; Young, Thomas M; Parikh, Sanjai J

2018-03-01

With increasing demand for recycled wastewater for irrigation purposes, there is a need to evaluate the potential for manufactured nanomaterials in waste water to impact crop production and agroecosystems. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have previously been shown to negatively impact the growth of duckweed (Landoltia punctata) a model aquatic plant consumed by water fowl and widely found in agricultural runoff ditches in temperate climates. However, prior studies involving CuO NP toxicity to duckweed have focused on systems without the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). In the current study, duckweed growth inhibition was shown to be a function of aqueous Cu 2+ concentration. Growth inhibition was greatest from aqueous CuCl 2 and, for particles, increased with decreasing CuO particle size. The dissolution of CuO NPs in ½ Hoagland's solution was measured to increase with decreasing particle size and in the presence of Suwannee river humic and fulvic acids (HA; FA). However, the current results suggest that HA, and to a lesser extent, FA, decrease the toxicity of both CuO NPs and free ionized Cu to duckweed, likely by inhibiting Cu availability through Cu-DOM complex formation. Such results are consistent with changes to Cu speciation as predicted by speciation modeling software and suggest that DOM changes Cu speciation and therefore toxicity in natural systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Yolk formation in some Charadriiform birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roudybush, T.E.; Grau, C.R.; Petersen, M.R.; Ainley, D.G.; Hirsch, K.V.; Gilman, A.P.; Patten, S.M.

1979-01-01

By counting and measuring the major ova of breeding birds at autopsy and combining these data with time intervals between ovipositions, rough estimates have been made of the time required to form yolk in some non-captive birds (King 1973). Direct studies have been made in domestic fowl (Gallus gallus var. domesticus; Gilbert 1972), turkeys (Meleagris galloparvo; Bacon and Cherms 1968), and Common quail (Coturnix coturnix; Bacon and Koontz 1971), by feeding the birds a capsule containing dye each day, and counting dye rings in the yolks after the eggs have been hardcooked. Recently developed methods of fixing and staining eggs have revealed differences in yolk deposited during day and night, thus permitting another estimation of the number of days during which yolk was deposited, and without direct contact with the female (Grau 1976). In eggs from chickens and quail that have been fed dyes, yolk that stained darkly with dichromate was shown to be deposited during the active daytime feeding periods, while pale-staining yolk was deposited during the night. Thus, pairs of light and dark rings, which together take a day to be deposited, may be counted to estimate time of yolk formation.In the present study we have applied the yolk ring method of estimating the number of days during which the bulk of the yolk is deposited around the central white core (Grau 1976) to the eggs of some shorebirds, gulls, terns and alcids.

Some pharmacological properties of uridine nucleotides

PubMed Central

Smith, M. W.

1964-01-01

Uridine di-, tri- and monophosphates (UDP, UTP and UMP) contracted the goldfish intestine preparation in that order of decreasing potency. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sensitized the gut to UTP and UDP but not to UMP. The fluoro-derivatives of UMP and UTP behaved like the unsubstituted nucleotides on the goldfish intestine but the main effect of 6-azaUDP and large amounts of uracil and uridine was to cause a relaxation. Structure-action relationships are discussed on the basis of these findings. UDPglucose and UDPacetylglucosamine each contracted the goldfish intestine but they were 500-times less active than UDP. Other smooth muscle preparations (tortoise jejunum, rat uterus, guinea-pig ileum and the fowl rectal caecum) contracted to UTP and UDP, but large amounts were needed. The cardiovascular effects in rats of UMP, UDP and UTP were complex and mediated mainly through an action on the peripheral blood vessels. In rats treated with phenoxybenzamine, UMP raised the blood pressure while UDP and UTP first lowered then raised the blood pressure. The fall in blood pressure was not abolished by pronethalol or atropine. The uridine phosphates affected the rat isolated heart only under hypoxic conditions. UTP and UDP dilated the blood vessels of the rabbit ear and UTP was six-times more effective than ATP. UTP and UDP were equiactive in increasing the force of beat of the frog isolated heart. UMP also had an effect if large amounts were given. PMID:14190461

Entrainment of oviposition in the fowl using bright and dim light cycles.

PubMed

Morris, T R; Bhatti, B M

1978-05-01

1. Nine short trial, involving 96 different treatments, were used to investigate the critical intensities and duration of bright and dim periods of lighting needed to entrain oviposition in cycles ranging from 21 to 30 h. 2. Entrainment was shown to depend upon the contrast between bright and dim lighting, and to be independent of the absolute light intensity. 3. A bright: dim ratio of 13:1 fully entrained oviposition in cycles of 25 h and 27 h. For 23-h and 28-h cycles a 30:1 ratio was required. Twenty-one-hour cycles required a ratio of 300:1 and with 30-h cycles a ratio of 1000:1 was needed to achieve full entrainment of oviposition. 4. In 24-h cycles, 1 h of bright lighting at 02.00 h was sufficient to override other environmental signals and cause eggs to be laid in the late evening, but a minimum bright period of 6 h was needed to cause full phase setting with 21-h cycles. 5. Circadian periodicity can easily be imposed on hens by providing a short exposure to bright light with a background of continuous dim light; but the signal must be increased (by providing a greater contrast between bright and dim lights and/or a longer period of bright lighting) to entrain oviposition when the cycle deviates markedly from the natural period of 24 h.

The effect of season, sex, and portion on the carcass characteristics, pH, color, and proximate composition of Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat.

PubMed

Geldenhuys, Greta; Hoffman, Louwrens C; Muller, Nina

2013-12-01

The carcass yield, physical characteristics, and proximate composition of Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus), a southern African gamebird species, have been studied. A total of 69 geese were harvested during 2 seasons: summer (n = 36) and winter (n = 33). This total group of geese consisted of 27 female birds and 42 male birds. Sex alone affected (P ≤ 0.05) the live and carcass weights, and the average muscle weight (g) of each portion was higher for the male fowl. The data does not indicate differences between the meat's physical characteristics on account of sex; however, the meat from the female birds did have a higher intramuscular fat content. Season (winter vs. summer) did not influence the average muscle weights (g) of the breast, thigh, and drumstick portions, but the intramuscular fat content content of the birds hunted in winter was higher. Muscle color and pH differed as a result of season with the summer meat having a higher pH and more vivid red color compared with winter. The physical characteristics and the proximate composition of the breast, thigh, and drumstick portions varied considerably. This is essentially connected to a difference in physical activity of the muscles in the portions. Overall, this study revealed that to ensure a consistent eating quality the harvesting periods of Egyptian geese should be considered.

In vitro screening for cestocidal activity of three species of Cassia plants against the tapeworm Raillietina tetragona.

PubMed

Kundu, S; Lyndem, L M

2013-06-01

Different species of Cassia plant are widely available in India and are commonly used either for their laxative, antimicrobial or antibacterial activity. In the present study the effectiveness in vitro of the crude alcoholic extracts of three species, namely Cassia alata, C. occidentalis and C. angustifolia, in the early paralysis and mortality of the fowl tapeworm Raillietina tetragona at concentrations ranging from 5 to 80 mg/ml was investigated. Time of paralysis and death were monitored frequently. Immediately after paralysis the tapeworms were processed for electron microscopic studies. While the untreated or control parasites survived for 81.93 ± 5.85 h, the parasites treated with C. alata took less time (1.68 ± 0.27 h) to be paralysed, followed by those treated with C. angustifolia (2.95 ± 0.29 h). Although C. occidentalis took more time (4.13 ± 0.31 h) to paralyse, in combination with either C. alata or C. angustifolia the time taken to paralyse became shorter. All the plant-treated parasites showed irrevocable changes in the scolex and proglottids as compared with the control, and these observations are comparable with those obtained with praziquantel. These results indicate that the three plants tested can be claimed to have anthelmintic activity in addition to their known properties, both when used individually and in combination. Further investigations will be required to evaluate their mechanism of action.

Significance of water quality to fish propagation, waterfowl habitat, livestock watering, and recreation use for 24 lakes and reservoirs in Valley and Phillips Counties, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferreira, R.F.

1983-01-01

Twenty-four reservoirs were sampled for water quality to determine their suitability for fish propagation, waterfowl habitat, livestock watering, and recreation. Reservoir-surface areas ranged from 0.2 to 146 hectares and depths ranged from 0.01 to 6.0 meters. Of the reservoirs studied, six generally had water quality that would not be detrimental to fish propagation. Most of the reservoirs were enriched with nutrients and supported large concentrations of phytoplankton and dense growth of aquatic plants. In late winter and late summer, enrichment of shallow reservoirs often resulted in dissolved-oxygen concentrations less than 5.0 milligrams per liter, which is detrimental to fish. Three reservoirs lacked aquatic plants for water fowl habitat. Four reservoirs had small dissolved-oxygen concentration in the bottom water that might be critical to the protection of waterfowl if botulism were to occur. Specific conductance of water samples from three reservoirs was sufficiently close to the criterion of 4,800 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees celsius to be regarded as potentially hazardous to livestock. However, most of the reservoirs generally would not be conducive to recreational swimming. Visibility was limited in most of the reservoirs. In addition, leech populations and growth of submersed aquatic plants in most of the reservoirs would be a nuisance to swimmers. (USGS)

Phylogenetic analyses indicate little variation among reticuloendotheliosis viruses infecting avian species, including the endangered Attwater's prairie chicken.

PubMed

Bohls, Ryan L; Linares, Jose A; Gross, Shannon L; Ferro, Pam J; Silvy, Nova J; Collisson, Ellen W

2006-08-01

Reticuloendotheliosis virus infection, which typically causes systemic lymphomas and high mortality in the endangered Attwater's prairie chicken, has been described as a major obstacle in repopulation efforts of captive breeding facilities in Texas. Although antigenic relationships among reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) strains have been previously determined, phylogenetic relationships have not been reported. The pol and env of REV proviral DNA from prairie chickens (PC-R92 and PC-2404), from poxvirus lesions in domestic chickens, the prototype poultry derived REV-A and chick syncytial virus (CSV), and duck derived spleen necrosis virus (SNV) were PCR amplified and sequenced. The 5032bp, that included the pol and most of env genes, of the PC-R92 and REV-A were 98% identical, and nucleotide sequence identities of smaller regions within the pol and env from REV strains examined ranged from 95 to 99% and 93 to 99%, respectively. The putative amino acid sequences were 97-99% identical in the polymerase and 90-98% in the envelope. Phylogenetic analyses of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences indicated the closest relationship among the recent fowl pox-associated chicken isolates, the prairie chicken isolates and the prototype CSV while only the SNV appeared to be distinctly divergent. While the origin of the naturally occurring viruses is not known, the avian poxvirus may be a critical component of transmission of these ubiquitous oncogenic viruses.

Intronic Deletions That Disrupt mRNA Splicing of the tva Receptor Gene Result in Decreased Susceptibility to Infection by Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus Subgroup A

PubMed Central

Reinišová, Markéta; Plachý, Jiří; Trejbalová, Kateřina; Šenigl, Filip; Kučerová, Dana; Geryk, Josef; Svoboda, Jan

2012-01-01

The group of closely related avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses (ASLVs) evolved from a common ancestor into multiple subgroups, A to J, with differential host range among galliform species and chicken lines. These subgroups differ in variable parts of their envelope glycoproteins, the major determinants of virus interaction with specific receptor molecules. Three genetic loci, tva, tvb, and tvc, code for single membrane-spanning receptors from diverse protein families that confer susceptibility to the ASLV subgroups. The host range expansion of the ancestral virus might have been driven by gradual evolution of resistance in host cells, and the resistance alleles in all three receptor loci have been identified. Here, we characterized two alleles of the tva receptor gene with similar intronic deletions comprising the deduced branch-point signal within the first intron and leading to inefficient splicing of tva mRNA. As a result, we observed decreased susceptibility to subgroup A ASLV in vitro and in vivo. These alleles were independently found in a close-bred line of domestic chicken and Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi), suggesting that their prevalence might be much wider in outbred chicken breeds. We identified defective splicing to be a mechanism of resistance to ASLV and conclude that such a type of mutation could play an important role in virus-host coevolution. PMID:22171251

The Modes of Evolutionary Emergence of Primal and Late Pandemic Influenza Virus Strains from Viral Reservoir in Animals: An Interdisciplinary Analysis

PubMed Central

Shoham, Dany

2011-01-01

Based on a wealth of recent findings, in conjunction with earliest chronologies pertaining to evolutionary emergences of ancestral RNA viruses, ducks, Influenzavirus A (assumingly within ducks), and hominids, as well as to the initial domestication of mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and wild horse (Equus ferus), presumed genesis modes of primordial pandemic influenza strains have multidisciplinarily been configured. The virological fundamentality of domestication and farming of those various avian and mammalian species has thereby been demonstrated and broadly elucidated, within distinctive coevolutionary paradigms. The mentioned viral genesis modes were then analyzed, compatibly with common denominators and flexibility that mark the geographic profile of the last 18 pandemic strains, which reputedly emerged since 1510, the antigenic profile of the last 10 pandemic strains since 1847, and the genomic profile of the last 5 pandemic strains since 1918, until present. Related ecophylogenetic and biogeographic aspects have been enlightened, alongside with the crucial role of spatial virus gene dissemination by avian hosts. A fairly coherent picture of primary and late evolutionary and genomic courses of pandemic strains has thus been attained, tentatively. Specific patterns underlying complexes prone to generate past and future pandemic strains from viral reservoir in animals are consequentially derived. PMID:23074663

Pathogenicity and molecular analysis of an infectious bursal disease virus isolated from Malaysian village chickens.

PubMed

Tan, D Y; Hair-Bejo, M; Omar, A R; Aini, I

2004-01-01

The characteristics of the pathogenic infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) that infected avian species other than commercial chickens were largely unknown. In this study, by using in vivo and molecular methods, we had characterized an IBDV isolate (named 94268) isolated from an infectious bursal disease (IBD) outbreak in Malaysian village chickens--the adulterated descendant of the Southeast Asian jungle fowl (Gallus bankiva) that were commonly reared in the backyard. The 94268 isolate was grouped as the very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strain because it caused severe lesions and a high mortality rate in village chickens (>88%) and experimentally infected specific-pathogen-free chickens (>66%). In addition, it possessed all of the vvIBDV molecular markers in its VP2 gene. Phylogenetic analysis using distance, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood methods revealed that 94268 was monophyletic with other vvIBDV isolates and closely related to the Malaysian vvIBDV isolates. Given that the VP2 gene of 94268 isolate was almost identical and evolutionarily closely related to other field IBDV isolates that affected the commercial chickens, we therefore concluded that IBD infections had spread across the farm boundary. IBD infection in the village chicken may represent an important part of the IBD epidemiology because these birds could harbor the vvIBDV strain and should not be overlooked in the control and prevention of the disease.

Host-feeding pattern of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in heterogeneous landscapes of South Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

PubMed

Sivan, Arun; Shriram, A N; Sunish, I P; Vidhya, P T

2015-09-01

Mosquito foraging behavior is a determinant of host-vector contact and has an impact on the risk of arboviral epidemics. Therefore, blood-feeding patterns is a useful tool for assessing the role in pathogen transmission by vector mosquitoes. Competent vectors of dengue and chikungunya viz. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are widely prevalent in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Considering the vector potential, medical importance of both these mosquito species and lack of information on host-feeding patterns, blood meal analysis of both these vector mosquitoes was undertaken. Biogents Sentinel traps were used for sampling blooded mosquitoes, for identifying the source of blood meal by agar gel-precipitin test. We identified vertebrate source of 147 and 104 blood meals in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus from heterogeneous landscapes in South Andaman district. Results revealed that Ae. aegypti (88 %) and Ae. albopictus (49 %) fed on human and a small proportion on mammals and fowls, indicative of predominance of anthropophilism. Ae. aegypti predominantly fed on human blood (94.2 %-densely built urban, 89.8 %-low vegetation coverage, and 78.3 %-medium vegetation coverage). Anthropophilism in Ae. albopictus was maximal in densely built urban (90.5 %) and progressively decreased from low vegetation-vegetation/forested continuum (66.7, 36.4, and 8.7 %), indicating plasticity in feeding across these landscapes. Epidemiological significance of the findings is discussed.

Enhancement of sperm motility and viability by turmeric by-product dietary supplementation in roosters.

PubMed

Yan, Wenjing; Kanno, Chihiro; Oshima, Eiki; Kuzuma, Yukiko; Kim, Sung Woo; Bai, Hanako; Takahashi, Masashi; Yanagawa, Yojiro; Nagano, Masashi; Wakamatsu, Jun-Ichi; Kawahara, Manabu

2017-10-01

Improving sperm motility and viability are major goals to improve efficiency in the poultry industry. In this study, the effects of supplemental dietary turmeric by-product (TBP) from commercial turmeric production on sperm motility, viability, and antioxidative status were examined in domestic fowl. Mature Rhode Island Red roosters were divided into two groups - controls (groupC) without TBP administration and test subjects (groupT) fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.8g of TBP/day in a temperature-controlled rearing facility (Experiment 1) and 1.6g/day under heat stress (Experiment 2) for 4 weeks. In Experiment 1, TBP dietary supplementation increased the sperm motility variables straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, and linearity based on a computer-assisted semen analysis, 2 weeks following TBP supplementation. In Experiment 2, using flow cytometry, sperm viability at 3 and 4 weeks following TBP supplementation was greater in Group T than C, and this increase was consistent with a reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production at 2 and 4 weeks. The results of both experiments clearly demonstrate that dietary supplementation with TBP enhanced sperm motility in the controlled-temperature conditions as well as sperm viability, and reduced ROS generation when heat stress prevailed. Considering its potential application in a range of environments, TBP may serve as an economical and potent antioxidant to improve rooster fertility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities of ethanolic extract of Pergularia daemia leaves: a possible substitute in diabetic management.

PubMed

Sarkodie, Joseph Adusei; Squire, Sylvia Afriyie; Oppong Bekoe, Emelia; Fosu Domozoro, Charles Yaw; Kretchy, Irene Awo; Ahiagbe, Mariesta Kurukulasuriya Jayaroshini; Frimpong-Manso, Samuel; Oboba Kwakyi, Nana Akua; Edoh, Dominic Adotei; Sakyiama, Maxwel; Lamptey, Vida Korkor; Affedzi-Obresi, Seigfried; Duncan, John Lee; Debrah, Philip; N'guessa, Benoit Banga; Asiedu-Gyekye, Julius Isaac; Kwadwo Nyarko, Alexander

2016-09-01

The leaves of Pergularia daemia Forsk (family Asclepidaceae) provide alternative plant-based treatments for the management of diabetes mellitus and diarrhoea in both humans and indigenous poultry species like the Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris). However, no scientific investigations to validate its usefulness in Ghana have been established. This study therefore sought to investigate the anti-hyperglycaemic activity of the 70 % ethanolic extract of P. daemia using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male Sprague-Dawley rats. Additionally, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the extract were investigated. The total phenolic content, total flavonoids content, radical scavenging activity and reducing power assays were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu method, aluminium chloride colorimetric assay, Fe3+ reduction assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays, respectively. The results showed that P. daemia extract caused anti-hyperglycaemic activity in the STZ-induced rats at doses of 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg body weight with significant reduction in blood glucose levels. The phytosterols, saponins, phenols, alkaloids, tannins and triterpenes found in the extract may be responsible for the observed anti-hyperglycaemia and antioxidant activities. The extract also showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. These findings justify the folkloric use of P. daemia as an anti-diabetic and antibacterial agents for susceptible species.

Human influenza A (H5N1): a brief review and recommendations for travelers.

PubMed

Hurtado, Timothy R

2006-01-01

Although avian influenza A (H5N1) is common in birds worldwide, it has only recently led to disease in humans. Humans who are infected with the disease (referred to as human influenza A [H5N1]) have a greater than 50% mortality rate. Currently there has not been documented sustained human-to-human transmission; however, should the virus mutate and make this possible, the world could experience an influenza pandemic. Probable risk factors for infection include slaughtering, defeathering, and butchering fowl; close contact with wild birds or caged poultry; ingestion of undercooked poultry products; direct contact with surfaces contaminated with poultry feces; and close contact with infected humans. Possible risk factors include swimming in or ingesting water contaminated with bird feces or dead birds and the use of unprocessed poultry feces as fertilizer. Clinically, early human influenza A (H5N1) resembles typical influenza illnesses, with fever and a preponderance of lower respiratory tract symptoms. Often, patients develop rapidly progressive respiratory failure and require ventilatory support. Treatment is primarily supportive care with the addition of antiviral medications. Currently, travelers to countries with both human and avian influenza A (H5N1) have a low risk of developing the disease. There are no current recommended travel restrictions. Travelers are advised to avoid contact with all birds, especially poultry; avoid surfaces contaminated with poultry feces; and avoid undercooked poultry products. The use of prophylactic antiviral medications is not recommended.

Evaluation of vaccines in the EU TB Vaccine Cluster using a guinea pig aerosol infection model of tuberculosis.

PubMed

Williams, Ann; Hatch, Graham J; Clark, Simon O; Gooch, Karen E; Hatch, Kim A; Hall, Graham A; Huygen, Kris; Ottenhoff, Tom H M; Franken, Kees L M C; Andersen, Peter; Doherty, T Mark; Kaufmann, Stefan H E; Grode, Leander; Seiler, Peter; Martin, Carlos; Gicquel, Brigitte; Cole, Stewart T; Brodin, Priscille; Pym, Alexander S; Dalemans, Wilfried; Cohen, Joe; Lobet, Yves; Goonetilleke, Nilu; McShane, Helen; Hill, Adrian; Parish, Tanya; Smith, Debbie; Stoker, Neil G; Lowrie, Douglas B; Källenius, Gunilla; Svenson, Stefan; Pawlowski, Andrzej; Blake, Karen; Marsh, Philip D

2005-01-01

The TB Vaccine Cluster project funded by the EU Fifth Framework programme aims to provide novel vaccines against tuberculosis that are suitable for evaluation in humans. This paper describes the studies of the protective efficacy of vaccines in a guinea pig aerosol-infection model of primary tuberculosis. The objective was to conduct comparative evaluations of vaccines that had previously demonstrated efficacy in other animal models. Groups of 6 guinea pigs were immunized with vaccines provided by the relevant EU Vaccine Cluster partners. Survival over 17 or 26 weeks was used as the principal measure of vaccine efficacy following aerosol challenge with H37Rv. Counts of mycobacteria in lungs and spleens, and histopathological changes in the lungs, were also used to provide evidence of protection. A total of 24 vaccines were evaluated in 4 experiments each of a different design. A heterologous prime-boost strategy of DNA and MVA, each expressing Ag85A and a fusion protein of ESAT-6 and Ag85B in adjuvant, protected the guinea pigs to the same extent as BCG. Genetically modified BCG vaccines and boosted BCG strategies also protected guinea pigs to the same extent as BCG but not statistically significantly better. A relatively high aerosol-challenge dose and evaluation over a protracted time post-challenge allowed superior protection over BCG to be demonstrated by BCG boosted with MVA and fowl pox vectors expressing Ag85A.

SEROVARS AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF Salmonella spp. ISOLATED FROM TURKEY AND BROILER CARCASSES IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL BETWEEN 2004 AND 2006

PubMed Central

PALMEIRA, Andre; dos SANTOS, Luciana Ruschel; BORSOI, Anderlise; RODRIGUES, Laura Beatriz; CALASANS, Max; do NASCIMENTO, Vladimir Pinheiro

2016-01-01

Salmonella spp. causes diseases in fowls, when species-specific serovars (Salmonella Pullorum and S.Gallinarum) are present in flocks, and public health problems, when non-typhoid serovars are isolated, as well as possible bacterial resistance induced by the preventive and therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animal production. This study describes the serovars and bacterial resistance of 280Salmonella spp. strains isolated from turkey and broiler carcasses in Southern Brazil between 2004 and 2006. SalmonellaEnteritidis was the most prevalent serovar (55.7%), followed by Heidelberg (5.0%), Agona (4.3%), Bredeney (3.9%), Hadar (3.2%), and Typhimurium (2.9%). Tennessee and S. Enterica subspecies enterica(O: 4.5) were isolated only in turkeys, and Hadar (18.6%) was the most prevalent serovar in this species. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed in 178 isolates (43 from turkeys and 135 from broilers). All isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, polymyxin B, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin, and were resistant to bacitracin and penicillin. Broiler carcass isolates showed resistance to nalidixic acid (48.9%), nitrofurantoin (34.3%), neomycin (9.6%), tetracycline (5.2%), and kanamycin (8.9%); and turkey carcass isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid (62.8%), tetracycline (34.9%), and neomycin (30.2%), with a significant difference in turkeys when compared to broiler carcass isolates. These results indicate the need for judicious use of antimicrobials in livestock production, given that the serovars identified are potential causes of food poisoning. PMID:27007562

Food preparation in colonial America. A Bicentennial study.

PubMed

Bennion, M

1976-07-01

Both regional and national influences have pervaded America's culinary arts from colonial times until the present. In the South, for instance, indigenous foods, such as sweet potatoes--as well as an abundance of fruits and fowl--were commonly served. In the North, maple sirup was a New England product, as was codfish. Throughout the colonies, corn was easily grown and became a staple. Immigrants from the Old World brought their recipes to meld or adapt to conditions they met here. Recounted also is the unfolding of an American cuisine, especially in the southern colonies as it evolved from European food preparation practices. Cooking was done in great fireplaces, with equipment designed to fit. Meat was generally boiled or stewed in pots hung in the fireplace, although it might be slow-roasted on a hand-turned spit. Hot breads, the hallmark of southern cooking, date from colonial days. In the Noth, the Dutch farmer's wife developed real skill in using flour from home-grown wheat and rye, creating pancakes, waffles, doughnuts, crullers, and so on. After the first hard winter, food in New England became more plentiful. Boston brown bread was made from corn, wheat, or rye and probably sweetened with maple sirup. Imports of coffee, tea, and spices from the Orient and fruit from the tropics were later added to the cuisine. Colonial Americans understood well the art of food preparation and appreciated the taste of well prepared, well seasoned dishes.

Comparative analysis of virulence genes, antibiotic resistance and gyrB-based phylogeny of motile Aeromonas species isolates from Nile tilapia and domestic fowl.

PubMed

Abu-Elala, N; Abdelsalam, M; Marouf, Sh; Setta, A

2015-11-01

The nucleotide sequence analysis of the gyrB gene indicated that the fish Aeromonas spp. isolates could be identified as Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria, whereas chicken Aeromonas spp. isolates identified as Aeromonas caviae. PCR data revealed the presence of Lip, Ser, Aer, ACT and CAI genes in fish Aer. hydrophila isolates, ACT, CAI and Aer genes in fish Aer. veronii bv sobria isolates and Ser and CAI genes in chicken Aer. caviae isolates. All chicken isolates showed variable resistance against all 12 tested antibiotic discs except for cefotaxime, nitrofurantoin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin, only one isolate showed resistance to chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. Fish Aeromonads were sensitive to all tested antibiotic discs except amoxicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam and streptomycin. Many integrated fish farms depend on the application of poultry droppings/litter which served as a direct feed for the fish and also acted as pond fertilizers. The application of untreated poultry manure exerts an additional pressure on the microbial world of the fish's environment. Aeromonas species are one of the common bacteria that infect both fish and chicken. The aim of this study was to compare the phenotypic traits and genetic relatedness of aeromonads isolated from two diverse hosts (terrestrial and aquatic), and to investigate if untreated manure possibly enhances Aeromonas dissemination among cohabitant fish with special reference to virulence genes and antibiotic resistant traits. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Comparative efficacy of oil solution and wettable powder of lambda-cyhalothrin to naturally occurring Ornithonyssus sylviarum infestation of chickens.

PubMed

Pan, Baoliang; Liang, Daming; Zhang, Yafeng; Wang, Hailiang; Wang, Ming

2009-10-14

The Northern Fowl Mite (NFM), Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is one of the most important and common pests of poultry. Most of available pesticides applied in the NFM control are formulated as wettable powder or emulsifiable concentrate and require to be diluted with water before use. As water has very low affinity to bird feathers, a part of the diluted pesticide will fall on the ground, on the cages, on feed bins or drift in the air upon application, which becomes a source of a potential harm to administrative workers and birds. In contrast to water, an oil solution of pesticide has a higher affinity for feathers and can stay on the feather for a longer time, and maybe provide a high efficacy and be effective for a longer, persistent period against the NFM. In the present study, the efficacy of oil solution and wettable powder of lambda-cyhalothrin to NFM in breeders was compared; the results showed that while spraying lambda-cyhalothrin wettable powder on birds could effectively control NFM, painting lambda-cyhalothrin oil solution on birds gave complete control of NFM for at least 6 weeks. In the application of lambda-cyhalothrin oil solution, no containment of pesticide to cages, feed bin and no pesticide drifting in the air was observed. These results indicated that lambda-cyhalothrin oil solution has a potential to become an effective and safe formulation to control NFM in breeders.

An epizootic of avian pox in endemic short-toed larks (Calandrella rufescens) and Berthelot's pipits (Anthus berthelotti) in the Canary Islands, Spain.

PubMed

Smits, J E; Tella, J L; Carrete, M; Serrano, D; López, G

2005-01-01

Between January 2002 and November 2003, 50% (n = 395) of short-toed larks (Calandrella rufescens) and 28% (n = 139) of Berthelot's pipits (Anthus berthelotti) examined on the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, Canary Islands, had gross lesions compatible with avian pox. However, Spanish sparrows (Passer hispaniolensis, n = 128) and trumpeter finches (Bucanetes githagineus, n = 228), which inhabit the same steppe habitats associated with goat husbandry, did not have poxlike lesions. Histopathology and electron microscopy confirmed poxvirus in the lesions, whereas serology using standard, fowl poxvirus-and pigeon poxvirus-based diagnostic agar gel immunodiffusion techniques was negative, likely because of the limited (74.6% pipit; 74.9% lark) similarity between the viruses in our species and fowlpox virus on which the serologic tests rely. On the basis of polymerase chain reaction analyses, the virus isolated from dried lesions of C. rufescens has 80.5% similarity with the virus isolated from A. berthelotti and 91.3% similarity with canarypox, whereas A. berthelotti poxvirus has only 80% similarity with canarypox. We have two distinct and possibly new avian poxviruses. Both poultry and the wild birds on the farms were heavily infested by fleas, which may have acted as vectors in transmission of poxvirus. Disease prevalence in these Canary Island passerines is higher than that described in song birds in Hawaii that are now threatened, endangered, or extinct. Environmental and biological factors contributing to increased disease susceptibility of these isolated populations must be investigated.

Pathobiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) infection in mute swans (Cygnus olor).

PubMed

Pálmai, Nimród; Erdélyi, Károly; Bálint, Adám; Márton, Lázár; Dán, Adám; Deim, Zoltán; Ursu, Krisztina; Löndt, Brandon Z; Brown, Ian H; Glávits, Róbert

2007-06-01

The results of pathological, virological and polymerase chain reaction examinations carried out on 35 mute swans (Cygnus olor) that succumbed to a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) infection during an outbreak in Southern Hungary are reported. The most frequently observed macroscopic lesions included: haemorrhages under the epicardium, in the proventricular and duodenal mucosa and pancreas; focal necrosis in the pancreas; myocardial degeneration; acute mucous enteritis; congestion of the spleen and lung, and the accumulation of sero-mucinous exudate in the body cavity. Histopathological lesions comprised: lymphocytic meningo-encephalomyelitis accompanied by gliosis and occasional perivascular haemorrhages; multi-focal myocardial necrosis with lympho-histiocytic infiltration; pancreatitis with focal necrosis; acute desquamative mucous enteritis; lung congestion and oedema; oedema of the tracheal mucosa and, in young birds, the atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius as a result of lymphocyte depletion and apoptosis. The observed lesions and the moderate to good body conditions were compatible with findings in acute highly pathogenic avian influenza infections of other bird species reported in the literature. Skin lesions and lesions typical for infections caused by strains of lower pathogenicity (low pathogenic avian influenza virus) such as emaciation or fibrinous changes in the reproductive and respiratory organs, sinuses and airsacs were not observed. The H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus was isolated in embryonated fowl eggs from all cases and it was identified by classical and molecular virological methods.

Molecular Detection of Avian Pathogens in Poultry Red Mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) Collected in Chicken Farms

PubMed Central

HUONG, Chu Thi Thanh; MURANO, Takako; UNO, Yukiko; USUI, Tatsufumi; YAMAGUCHI, Tsuyoshi

2014-01-01

Poultry red mite (PRM, Dermanyssus gallinae) is a blood-sucking ectoparasite as well as a possible vector of several avian pathogens. In this study, to define the role of PRM in the prevalence of avian infectious agents, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to check for the presence of seven pathogens: Avipox virus (APV), Fowl Adenovirus (FAdV), Marek’s disease virus (MDV), Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (ER), Salmonella enterica (SE), Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). A total of 159 PRM samples collected between 2004 and 2012 from 142 chicken farms in 38 prefectures in Japan were examined. APV DNA was detected in 22 samples (13.8%), 19 of which were wild-type APV. 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) of MS was detected in 15 samples (9.4%), and the mgc2 gene of MG was detected in 2 samples (1.3%). Eight of 15 MS 16S rRNA sequences differed from the vaccine sequence, indicating they were wild-type strains, while both of the MG mgc2 gene sequences detected were identical to the vaccine sequences. Of these avian pathogen-positive mite samples, three were positive for both wild-types of APV and MS. On the other hand, the DNAs of ER, SE, FAdV and MDV were not detected in any samples. These findings indicated that PRM can harbor the wild-type pathogens and might play a role as a vector in spreading these diseases in farms. PMID:25649939

Molecular detection of avian pathogens in poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) collected in chicken farms.

PubMed

Huong, Chu Thi Thanh; Murano, Takako; Uno, Yukiko; Usui, Tatsufumi; Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi

2014-12-01

Poultry red mite (PRM, Dermanyssus gallinae) is a blood-sucking ectoparasite as well as a possible vector of several avian pathogens. In this study, to define the role of PRM in the prevalence of avian infectious agents, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to check for the presence of seven pathogens: Avipox virus (APV), Fowl Adenovirus (FAdV), Marek's disease virus (MDV), Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (ER), Salmonella enterica (SE), Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). A total of 159 PRM samples collected between 2004 and 2012 from 142 chicken farms in 38 prefectures in Japan were examined. APV DNA was detected in 22 samples (13.8%), 19 of which were wild-type APV. 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) of MS was detected in 15 samples (9.4%), and the mgc2 gene of MG was detected in 2 samples (1.3%). Eight of 15 MS 16S rRNA sequences differed from the vaccine sequence, indicating they were wild-type strains, while both of the MG mgc2 gene sequences detected were identical to the vaccine sequences. Of these avian pathogen-positive mite samples, three were positive for both wild-types of APV and MS. On the other hand, the DNAs of ER, SE, FAdV and MDV were not detected in any samples. These findings indicated that PRM can harbor the wild-type pathogens and might play a role as a vector in spreading these diseases in farms.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza.

PubMed

Swayne, D E; Suarez, D L

2000-08-01

Highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza (AI) (HPAI) is an extremely contagious, multi-organ systemic disease of poultry leading to high mortality, and caused by some H5 and H7 subtypes of type A influenza virus, family Orthomyxoviridae. However, most AI virus strains are mildly pathogenic (MP) and produce either subclinical infections or respiratory and/or reproductive diseases in a variety of domestic and wild bird species. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a List A disease of the Office International des Epizooties, while MPAI is neither a List A nor List B disease. Eighteen outbreaks of HPAI have been documented since the identification of AI virus as the cause of fowl plague in 1955. Mildly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are maintained in wild aquatic bird reservoirs, occasionally crossing over to domestic poultry and causing outbreaks of mild disease. Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses do not have a recognised wild bird reservoir, but can occasionally be isolated from wild birds during outbreaks in domestic poultry. Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses have been documented to arise from MPAI viruses through mutations in the haemagglutinin surface protein. Prevention of exposure to the virus and eradication are the accepted methods for dealing with HPAI. Control programmes, which imply allowing a low incidence of infection, are not an acceptable method for managing HPAI, but have been used during some outbreaks of MPAI. The components of a strategy to deal with MPAI or HPAI include surveillance and diagnosis, biosecurity, education, quarantine and depopulation. Vaccination has been used in some control and eradication programmes for AI.

Canada issues booklet describing acid rain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A booklet recently released by Environment Canada describes acid rain in terms easily understood by the general public. Although Acid Rain — The Facts tends somewhat to give the Canadian side of this intercountry controversial subject, it nevertheless presents some very interesting, simple statistics of interest to people in either the U.S. or Canada. Copies of the booklet can be obtained from Inquiry Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OH3, Canada, tel. 613-997-2800.The booklet points out that acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Once released into the atmosphere, these substances can be carried long distances by prevailing winds and return to Earth as acidic rain, snow, fog, or dust. The main sources of SO2 emissions in North America are coal-fired power generating stations and nonferrous ore smelters. The main sources of NOx emissions are vehicles and fuel combustion. From economical and environmental viewpoints, Canada believes acid rain is one of the most serious problems presently facing the country: increasing the acidity of more than 20% of Canada's 300,000 lakes to the point that aquatic life is depleted and acidity of soil water and shallow groundwater is increasing, causing decline in forest growth and water fowl populations, and eating away at buildings and monuments. Acid rain is endangering fisheries, tourism, agriculture, and forest resources in an area of 2.6 million km2 (one million square miles) of eastern Canada, about 8% of Canada's gross national product.

Ducks as a potential reservoir for Pasteurella multocida infection detected using a new rOmpH-based ELISA.

PubMed

Liu, Rongchang; Chen, Cuiteng; Cheng, Longfei; Lu, Ronghui; Fu, Guanghua; Shi, Shaohua; Chen, Hongmei; Wan, Chunhe; Lin, Jiansheng; Fu, Qiuling; Huang, Yu

2017-07-28

Pasteurella multocida is an important pathogen of numerous domestic poultry and wild animals and is associated with a variety of diseases including fowl cholera. The aim of this study was to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on recombinant outer-membrane protein H (rOmpH) for detection of anti-P. multocida antibodies in serum to determine their prevalence in Chinese ducks. The P. multocida ompH gene was cloned into pET32a, and rOmpH was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Western blotting revealed that purified rOmpH was recognized by duck antisera against P. multocida, and an indirect ELISA was established. During analysis of serum samples (n=115) from ducks, the rOmpH ELISA showed 95.0% specificity, 100% sensitivity and a 92.0% κ coefficient (95% confidence interval 0.844-0.997) as compared with a microtiter agglutination test. Among 165 randomly selected serum samples, which were collected in 2015 and originated from six duck farms across Fujian Province, China, anti-P. multocida antibodies were detected in 22.42% of apparently healthy ducks, including 25 of 90 sheldrakes (27.8%), eight of 50 Peking ducks (16.0%) and four of 25 Muscovy ducks (16%). Overall, the data suggest that rOmpH is a suitable candidate antigen for the development of an indirect ELISA for detection of P. multocida in ducks; moreover, our results showed that ducks could serve as a potential reservoir for P. multocida infection.

Florfenicol As a Modulator Enhancing Antimicrobial Activity: Example Using Combination with Thiamphenicol against Pasteurella multocida

PubMed Central

Wei, Chia-Fong; Shien, Jui-Hung; Chang, Shao-Kuang; Chou, Chi-Chung

2016-01-01

Synergistic effects between the same class of antibiotics are rarely reported. Our previous study found synergistic-like interaction between florfenicol (FFC) and thiamphenicol (TAP) against Staphylococcus aureus. Here, the enhanced antimicrobial activity was evaluated in 97 clinical isolates of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Susceptible strains were initially identified by checkerboard microdilution assay (fractional inhibitory concentration index [FICI] ≤ 0.625), followed by confirmation of synergism using the time-kill methodology (≥2 log10 CFU/ml reduction). In all, 43% of Pasteurella multocida tested were susceptible to the enhanced bactericidal effect. In chicken fowl cholera models, FFC and TAP combination at much lower dosage that is correspondent to their MIC deduction provided maximum protection in vivo. Furthermore, synergistic combination of FFC with oxytetracycline (OTC) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro was also demonstrated. Based on the enhanced uptake of TAP and OTC, FFC presumably elicits enhanced antimicrobial activity in an orderly manner through alteration of bacterial membrane permeability or efflux systems and subsequent increase of intracellular concentration of the antibiotics used in combination. Results of ethidium bromide accumulation assay and RNA-seq showed little evidence for the involvement of efflux pumps in the synergy but further investigation is required. This study suggests the potentiality of a novel combination regimen involving FFC as an initiating modulator effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria depending on the antibiotics that are combined. The observed improvement of bacteriostatic effect to bactericidal, and the extended effectiveness against FFC-resistant bacterial strains warrant further studies. PMID:27065961

Anthrax. William Smith Greenfield, M.D., F.R.C.P., Professor Superintendent, the Brown Animal Sanatory Institution (1878-81). Concerning the priority due to him for the production of the first vaccine against anthrax.

PubMed Central

Tigertt, W. D.

1980-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the fact that W. S. Greenfield, working at the Brown Animal Sanatory Institution in London, prepared an effective vaccine against anthrax and described his results some months before the experiment of Pasteur at Pouilly-le-fort. Partly through lack of financial support and partly due to opposition by the antivivisectionists, Greenfield was forced to confine his experiments to a small number of animals, but his results were nevertheless conclusive. He showed that by continuous subculture in a fluid medium that the anthrax bacillus progressively lost its virulence, until it was harmless even to the most susceptible animal, the mouse. The injection of suitably attenuated organisms into cattle rendered them immune to the subsequent injection of virulent anthrax bacilli. Greenfield's work has been overlooked or neglected, and he has never received the credit due him. It is only fitting that his work should be acknowledged in the centenary of the year in which it was described. The following account is composed primarily of quotations from his published papers. For additional information on Greenfield, reference may be made to the series of papers by Wilson (1979 a, b). It may be pointed out that the method of attenuating the virulence of bacilli recorded by Pasteur in relation to the bacillus of fowl cholera was, like that of anthrax vaccine, anticipated by Greenfield. PMID:7007487

The Development of a Novel qPCR Assay-Set for Identifying Fecal Contamination Originating from Domestic Fowls and Waterfowl in Israel.

PubMed

Ohad, Shoshanit; Ben-Dor, Shifra; Prilusky, Jaime; Kravitz, Valeria; Dassa, Bareket; Chalifa-Caspi, Vered; Kashi, Yechezkel; Rorman, Efrat

2016-01-01

The emerging microbial source tracking (MST) methodologies aim to identify fecal contamination originating from domestic and wild animals, and from humans. Avian MST is especially challenging, primarily because the Aves class includes both domesticated and wild species with highly diverse habitats and dietary characteristics. The quest for specific fecal bacterial MST markers can be difficult with respect to attaining sufficient assay sensitivity and specificity. The present study utilizes high throughput sequencing (HTS) to screen bacterial 16S rRNA genes from fecal samples collected from both domestic and wild avian species. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis was then performed, from which sequences were retained for downstream quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) marker development. Identification of unique avian host DNA sequences, absent in non-avian hosts, was then carried out using a dedicated database of bacterial 16S rRNA gene taken from the Ribosomal Database Project. Six qPCR assays were developed targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Lactobacillus, Gallibacterium, Firmicutes, Fusobacteriaceae, and other bacteria. Two assays (Av4143 and Av163) identified most of the avian fecal samples and demonstrated sensitivity values of 91 and 70%, respectively. The Av43 assay only identified droppings from battery hens and poultry, whereas each of the other three assays (Av24, Av13, and Av216) identified waterfowl species with lower sensitivities values. The development of an MST assay-panel, which includes both domestic and wild avian species, expands the currently known MST analysis capabilities for decoding fecal contamination.

Pb and Cd bioaccumulations in the habitat and preys of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in Zhalong Wetland, Northeastern China.

PubMed

Luo, Jinming; Yin, Xiongrui; Ya, Yajie; Wang, Yongjie; Zang, Shuying; Zhou, Xia

2013-12-01

Pb and Cd concentrations in the habitat and preys of the red-crowned crane (i.e., reed rhizomes and three typical aquatic animal families (Perccottus glehni Dybowski, Carassius auratus Linnaeus, and Viviparidae)) were analyzed to examine the impact of these hazards on red-crowned cranes in northeastern China. Results indicated that Pb and Cd concentrations in the preys of the red-crowned cranes were elevated via food chain. Most of the detected Pb and Cd contents in the sediments were above the natural background level, ranging from 9.85 to 129.72 ppm and 1.23 to 10.63 ppm (dry weight), respectively. Cd geo-accumulation index at all sites were larger than 3, even reached 5.22, suggesting serious pollution in this region. Three common water animal families were detected to contain heavy metals, following the order of increasing concentrations: primary consumers (i.e., Viviparidae and Carassius auratus Linnaeus) < secondary consumers (i.e., Perccottus glehni Dybowski). Pb and Cd concentrations in the buffer zone are significantly higher than in the core area and being elevated in the food chain. The molten feathers of the red-crowned cranes showed the highest toxic metal concentrations of Pb (2.09 to 5.81 ppm) and Cd (1.42 to 3.06 ppm) compared with the feces produced by cranes and residual eggshell left by water fowls. Exceptionally high Pb and Cd concentrations in the cranes and their preys were thought to be associated with their habitat.

Modification of membrane cholesterol and its impact on frozen-thawed chicken sperm characteristics.

PubMed

Partyka, Agnieszka; Bonarska-Kujawa, Dorota; Sporniak, Marta; Strojecki, Maciej; Niżański, Wojciech

2016-10-01

This study was conducted to determine the changes in chicken sperm plasma membranes fluidity and polarity as lipid packing arrangement induced by cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBCD) and how sperm cryopreservation outcomes are improved by these changes. Treatment with 2 mg HBCD supported the highest (P < 0.01) percentage of viable spermatozoa compared with the control and CLCs groups after cryopreservation. The percentage of post-thaw progressive and rapid sperm motility was highest in 2 mg HBCD (P < 0.01). After thawing, sperm treated with 1 or 2 mg CLC showed the highest anisotropy at 5, 21, 25 and 40°C (P < 0.01). At 25°C, the lowest anisotropy was observed in the thawed semen from the control group. The highest value (P < 0.01) of generalized polarization (GP) (0.5) at 5°C was observed in the 1 mg CLC treated sample. After 2 h of incubation, the highest percentage of viable spermatozoa was observed in the HBCD group in relation to the other treatments (P < 0.01). Exposure to 1 mg or 2 mg of CLC significantly decreased the percentage of live spermatozoa after thawing (P < 0.01). In conclusion, HBCD appears to play a role in the modification of sperm membranes, increasing their fluidity and preventing them against membrane phase transition to gel, thus minimizing freezing-thaw sperm damage. HBCD treatment enhances chicken sperm viability and motility after cryopreservation and subsequent storage. This novel procedure may be useful for improving the technology for cryopreservation of fowl spermatozoa.

Anthelmintic efficacy of Clerodendrum viscosum on fowl tapeworm Raillietina tetragona.

PubMed

Nandi, Suranjana; Ukil, Bidisha; Roy, Saptarshi; Kundu, Suman; Lyndem, Larisha Mawkhlieng

2017-12-01

Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. (Verbenaceae) is a shrub, widely used amongst the natives of India against various diseases. Crude extract of the plant was tested in vitro on a tapeworm Raillietina tetragona Molin (Davaineidae) to evaluate its potential anthelmintic efficacy and ultrastructural changes in the parasite. Parasites were exposed to different concentrations of ethanolic leaf extract (10-80 mg/mL) and praziquantel (0.0005-0.005 mg/mL) and incubated in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The pH was 7.4 at 37 °C, while one set of worms was incubated only with PBS as a control. Permanent immobilization of worms was determined visually when no motility occurred on physically disturbing them. The parasites exposed to high concentrations of leaf extract and praziquantel treatments were processed for histological and electron microscopic studies, as these concentrations took the least time for paralysis and death to occur. With an increase in the concentration of the leaf extract from 10 to 80 mg/mL and praziquantel from 0.0005 to 0.005 mg/mL, the time for the onset of paralysis and death was shortened. The treated parasites lost their spontaneous movement rapidly followed by death. Electron microscopic observations revealed disruptions in the tegument and parenchymal layer, accompanied by deformities in cell organelles. Extensive structural alterations in the tegument indicate that the plant-derived components cause permeability changes in the parasite leading to paralysis and subsequent death. These observations suggest that phytochemicals present in C. viscosum have vermifugal or vermicidal activity, and thus may be exploited as alternative chemotherapeutic agents.

Unusual leg malformations in screech owls from a South Carolina Superfund site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albers, P.H.; Hoffman, D.J.; Brisbin, I.L.

2001-01-01

In 1995, the discovery of leg malformations in several screech owl (Otis asio) nestlings and in their female parent at a Department of Energy (DOE) Superfund site in South Carolina prompted an investigation into the nature of the observed abnormalities. Surviving nestlings and the female parent were transferred to a captive screech owl breeding colony at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. The malformed female parent and her offspring were each mated with normal owls from the colony for 3 yr. Matings of the malformed female produced five malformed and six normal owls; all owls produced by matings of normal offspring were normal. Malformed offspring were euthanized when it became apparent that their physical distress precluded survival under normal conditions of colony care. Euthanized owls were necropsied and examined for skeletal development. Detailed descriptions of eight malformed owls are presented. Results of the matings indicated that the leg malformations were caused by a genetic trait in the female parent that was heterozygous dominant. The characteristic was lethal except in occasional mild manifestations and resembled an extreme form of a dominant abnormality previously described for domestic fowl called duplicate polydactyly. Other reports of skeletal abnormalities in wild birds and potential environmental causes of genetic mutations at the DOE Super-fund site are presented. Other studies performed at the DOE Superfund site do not implicate elevated (above background) ionizing radiation from '37Cs, the dominant radio-nuclide where the owls were captured, as the cause of the mutation. The cause of this genetic abnormality remains unknown.

Social interactions in Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and White Leghorn layers in stable groups and after re-grouping.

PubMed

Väisänen, J; Håkansson, J; Jensen, P

2005-04-01

Although social behaviour is a major factor affecting the coping of poultry in production environments little is known about how it has been affected by intensive selection processes in fowl. We attempted to clarify selection effects on overall repertoire and occurrence of different social behaviours as well as on aggressive responses to re-grouping with unfamiliar birds by comparing high-producing White Leghorn layers to wild type Red Junglefowl. In the first experiment we observed 8 stable mixed sex groups/breed each consisting of four 24-week-old birds previously familiar to each other. During 9 consecutive days, a wide range of social signals, sexual and aggressive interactions as well as spacing behaviour and activity were recorded over a 12-h photoperiod. In the second experiment, starting at 19 weeks of age, 16 single sex groups of three birds from each breed were formed by mixing unfamiliar individuals. Aggressive behaviours were recorded 0, 5, 24 and 48 h after re-grouping. Results from the stable groups indicated that the repertoire of social behaviours has been preserved during selection with few changes in frequencies and intensities. However, Leghorns showed a more cohesive spacing pattern than junglefowl. In the second experiment, aggressive activity was higher immediately and after 24 h following re-grouping in Leghorns, but there was a drop in the aggressiveness at 5 h to the same level as junglefowl. We suggest that this may indicate poorer social learning capacity with a weaker ability to cope with group disruptions compared to the ancestral breed.

Histopathology in diagnosis of broiler chicken and layer diseases--review of cases 1999-2010.

PubMed

Dolka, I; Sapierzyński, R; Bielecki, W; Malicka, E; Zbikowski, A; Szeleszczuk, P

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of histopathological lesions in the different organs in relation to the commercial-type and the age of birds (i.e. broiler chickens and layers). During the period 1999-2010 a total of 189 cases was submitted to the Division of Animal Pathomorphology, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics at WULS. Most cases were found in broiler chickens (66.7%). The majority of the histopathological lesions were detected in the liver and lymphoid organs. In of 29% cases of hepatic injury pathognomonic lesions associated with inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) were found. The mean age of birds was 23 days. Among IBH cases proventriculitis (58%) was more often found than gizzard lesions (25.8%). Interestingly, we noted some intranuclear inclusions in the epithelial cells within the proventriculus. A low percentage of histopathological evidence of infectious bursal disease (IBD) was reported in chickens. The gastrointestinal tract was the second most frequent predilection site for histopathological lesions. Histopathological findings within the heart and lungs were less common and were more often seen in the upper respiratory tract. Cases of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) were registered in broiler chickens (3.2%, mean age 37 days) and in layers (4.8%; mean age 196 days). Lesions associated with Marek's disease, avian leukosis and fowl pox were recognized only in layers, respectively in 3.2% (mean age 176 days), 1.6% (mean age 205 days) and 1.1% (mean age 196 days) of all cases. Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) was noted only in 0.5% of all cases.

Protective immune response of chickens to oral vaccination with thermostable live Fowlpox virus vaccine (strain TPV-1) coated on oiled rice.

PubMed

Wambura, Philemon N; Godfrey, S K

2010-03-01

The objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate a local vaccine (strain TPV-1) against Fowl pox (FP) in chickens. Two separate groups of chickens were vaccinated with FP vaccine through oral (coated on oiled rice) and wing web stab routes, respectively. The results showed that the haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titres in both vaccinated groups were comparable and significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the control chickens. It was further revealed that 14 days after vaccination HI GMT of > or =2 log(2) was recorded in chickens vaccinated by oral and wing web stab routes whereas 35 days after vaccination the HI antibody titres reached 5.6 log(2) and 6.3 log(2), respectively. Moreover, in both groups the birds showed 100% protection against challenge virus at 35 days after vaccination. The findings from the present study have shown that oral route is equally effective as wing web stab route for vaccination of chickens against FP. However, the oral route can be used in mass vaccination of birds thus avoid catching individual birds for vaccination. It was noteworthy that strain TPV-1 virus could be propagated by a simple allantoic cavity inoculation and harvesting of allantoic fluid where it survived exposure at 57 degrees C for 2 hours. If the oral vaccination technique is optimized it may be used in controlling FP in scavenging and feral chickens. In conclusion, the present study has shown that FP vaccine (strain TPV-1) was safe, thermostable, immunogenic and efficacious in vaccinated chickens.

A Bioprocessed Polysaccharide from Lentinus edodes Mycelia Cultures with Turmeric Protects Chicks from a Lethal Challenge of Salmonella Gallinarum.

PubMed

Han, Dalmuri; Lee, Hyung Tae; Lee, June Bong; Kim, Yongbaek; Lee, Sang Jong; Yoon, Jang Won

2017-02-01

Our previous studies demonstrated that a bioprocessed polysaccharide (BPP) isolated from Lentinus edodes mushroom mycelia cultures supplemented with black rice bran can protect mice against Salmonella lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia and reduce the mortality from Salmonella Typhimurium infection through upregulated T-helper 1 immunity. Here, we report that a BPP from L. edodes mushroom mycelia liquid cultures supplemented with turmeric (referred to as BPP-turmeric) alters chicken macrophage responses against avian-adapted Salmonella Gallinarum and protects chicks against a lethal challenge from Salmonella Gallinarum. In vitro analyses revealed that the water extract of BPP-turmeric (i) changed the protein expression or secretion profile of Salmonella Gallinarum, although it was not bactericidal, (ii) reduced the phagocytic activity of the chicken-derived macrophage cell line HD-11 when infected with Salmonella Gallinarum, and (iii) significantly activated the transcription expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor α, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in response to various Salmonella infections, whereas it repressed that of IL-4, IL-6, interferon-β, and interferon-γ. We also found that BPP-turmeric (0.1 g/kg of feed) as a feed additive provided significant protection to 1-day-old chicks infected with a lethal dose of Salmonella Gallinarum. Collectively, these results imply that BPP-turmeric contains biologically active component(s) that protect chicks against Salmonella Gallinarum infection, possibly by regulating macrophage immune responses. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential efficacy of BPP-turmeric as a livestock feed additive for the preharvest control of fowl typhoid or foodborne salmonellosis.

Domestic chickens defy Rensch's rule: sexual size dimorphism in chicken breeds.

PubMed

Remeš, V; Székely, T

2010-12-01

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), i.e. the difference in sizes of males and females, is a key evolutionary feature that is related to ecology, behaviour and life histories of organisms. Although the basic patterns of SSD are well documented for several major taxa, the processes generating SSD are poorly understood. Domesticated animals offer excellent opportunities for testing predictions of functional explanations of SSD theory because domestic stocks were often selected by humans for particular desirable traits. Here, we analyse SSD in 139 breeds of domestic chickens Gallus gallus domesticus and compare them to their wild relatives (pheasants, partridges and grouse; Phasianidae, 53 species). SSD was male-biased in all chicken breeds, because males were 21.5 ± 0.55% (mean ± SE) heavier than females. The extent of SSD did not differ among breed categories (cock fighting, ornamental and breeds selected for egg and meat production). SSD of chicken breeds was not different from wild pheasants and allies (23.5 ± 3.43%), although the wild ancestor of chickens, the red jungle fowl G. gallus, had more extreme SSD (male 68.8% heavier) than any domesticated breed. Male mass and female mass exhibited positive allometry among pheasants and allies, consistently with the Rensch's rule reported from various taxa. However, body mass scaled isometrically across chicken breeds. The latter results suggest that sex-specific selection on males vs. females is necessary to generate positive allometry, i.e. the Rensch's rule, in wild populations. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Immune responses of the domestic fowl to Dermanyssus gallinae under laboratory conditions.

PubMed

Harrington, David W J; Robinson, Karen; Sparagano, Olivier A E

2010-05-01

There appear to be few reports in the literature regarding the host-poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) immunological relationship, despite the negative impact D. gallinae can have on both bird welfare and egg production, as well as its potential to act as a reservoir of zoonotic infections. The current study investigated the effect of either continuous infestation (CI) for 22 days or repeated infestation (RI) for four 24-h periods 7 days apart with D. gallinae on humoral immunity (IgM and IgY) and Th1/Th2 cytokine mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) compared to non-infested controls. Serum IgY levels and IgM concentration were significantly higher in CI than RI and control birds although Th1 and Th2 mRNA expression in PBMC did not differ significantly between groups. D. gallinae appeared to modify reproductive behaviour and progeny survival following successive feeding events. In the RI group, the proportion of eggs/mite was significantly higher (P < 0.05) after first infestation than later infestations while larval/nymphal mortality was significantly higher (P < 0.05) after the first two infestations than later infestations. These data suggest that D. gallinae might adopt a feeding strategy of minimal host interference while D. gallinae could determine host immune status via nymphal/larval survival rates. Further research is required to better understand the host immunomodulation or avoidance strategy of D. gallinae as well as whether the mite is able to determine host immunocompetence perhaps using progeny survival.

A gallery of the key characters to ease identification of Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Gamasida: Dermanyssidae) and allow differentiation from Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Acari: Gamasida: Macronyssidae).

PubMed

Di Palma, Antonella; Giangaspero, Annunziata; Cafiero, Maria Assunta; Germinara, Giacinto S

2012-05-30

Dermanyssus gallinae (poultry red mite) is a major threat for the poultry industry and is of significant interest for public health. Identification of D. gallinae can be difficult for scientists not familiar with mite morphology and terminology especially when trying to use identification keys. Moreover, this species may easily be confused with another dermanyssoid mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (northern fowl mite), which often shares the same hosts and environment. Specimens of D. gallinae were collected at poultry farms in the Puglia and performed for light and scanning electron microscopy observations, identification and micrographs. Moreover specimens of O. sylviarum were collected separately macerated and mounted on slides for light microscopy observations, identification and pictures. The micrographs used in this study, based on LM and SEM observations, highlight the following important identifying characters of D. gallinae: the prominent shoulders of the dorsal shield and the jagged edges of the shield reticulations, the position of setae j1, s1 and the epigynal pores, and the presence on tibia IV pl of one seta. Additional micrographs highlighting the shape of the dorsal (abruptly narrowed posteriorly) and epigynal (narrowly rounded posteriorly) shields and the chelicera (elongate, with distinct digits) of O. sylviarum enable its differentiation from D.gallinae. The photographic support provided here (both LM and SEM pictures) can be considered a practical tool for scientists who are not well acquainted with the morphology of D.gallinae, and who are involved with classical and molecular systematics, veterinary and human health aspects of poultry red mites.

Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus Expressing H9 HA Protects Chickens against Heterologous Avian Influenza H9N2 Virus Challenge

PubMed Central

Nagy, Abdou; Lee, Jinhwa; Mena, Ignacio; Henningson, Jamie; Li, Yuhao; Ma, Jingjiao; Duff, Michael; Li, Yonghai; Lang, Yuekun; Yang, Jianmei; Abdallah, Fatma; Richt, Juergen; Ali, Ahmed; García-Sastre, Adolfo; Ma, Wenjun

2017-01-01

In order to produce an efficient poultry H9 avian influenza vaccine that provides cross-protection against multiple H9 lineages, two Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) LaSota vaccine strain recombinant viruses were generated using reverse genetics. The recombinant NDV-H9Con virus expresses a consensus-H9 hemagglutinin (HA) that is designed based on available H9N2 sequences from Chinese and Middle Eastern isolates. The recombinant NDV-H9Chi virus expresses a chimeric-H9 HA in which the H9 ectodomain of A/Guinea Fowl/Hong Kong/WF10/99 was fused with the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domain of the fusion protein (F) of NDV. Both recombinant viruses expressed the inserted HA stably and grew to high titers. An efficacy study in chickens showed that both recombinant viruses were able to provide protection against challenge with a heterologous H9N2 virus. In contrast to the NDV-H9Chi virus, the NDV-H9Con virus induced a higher hemagglutination inhibition titer against both NDV and H9 viruses in immunized birds, and efficiently inhibited virus shedding through the respiratory route. Moreover, sera collected from birds immunized with either NDV-H9Con or NDV-H9Chi were able to cross-neutralize two different lineages of H9N2 viruses, indicating that NDV-H9Con and NDV-H9Chi are promising vaccine candidates that could provide cross-protection among different H9N2 lineage viruses. PMID:27102817

Acute toxicity and mutagenesis of three metabolites mixture of nitrobenzene in mice.

PubMed

Wang, Guixia; Zhang, Xiuying; Yao, Chunzhu; Tian, Meizhan

2011-03-01

Nitrobenzene is a synthetic compound, more than 95% of which is used in the production of aniline. Nitrobenzene has been demonstrated to be substantially metabolized to p-Nitrophenol, p-Aminophenol and p-Nitroaniline in food animals (e.g., bovines, fowls). There have been no studies on the acute toxicity and the mutagenesis of the mixture of the three metabolites mentioned above. The aim of the present study is to testify the acute toxicity and the mutagenesis of the three metabolites mixture. Seventy Kunming mice (half male, half female) received an intragastric administration exposure to metabolites-containing suspension of 750, 638, 542, 461, 392, 333 mg kg(-1) body weight and 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (control), followed by a 14-day observation. The medial lethal dose (LD(50)) concentration for nitrobenzene metabolites mixture in this study was 499.92 mg/kg. Their mutagenic toxicology was studied through micronucleus and sperm abnormality test. Kunming mice were twice intragastrically exposed to 1/5 LD(50), 1/10 LD(50), 1/20 LD(50) mg kg(-1) nitrobenzene metabolites-containing suspension spaced 24-h apart. Cyclophosphamide, pure water and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose served as doses of the positive group, the negative group and the solvent control group, respectively. The incidence of micronucleus and sperm abnormality increased significantly in the 1/5 LD(50) and 1/10 LD(50) group compared with the negative and solvent control group. A dose-related increase in the incidence of micronucleus and sperm abnormality was noted. In conclusion, the three metabolites mixture of nitrobenzene was secondary toxicity and mutagenic substances in mice.

Origins of Knowledge: Insights from Precocial Species.

PubMed

Versace, Elisabetta; Vallortigara, Giorgio

2015-01-01

Behavioral responses are influenced by knowledge acquired during the lifetime of an individual and by predispositions transmitted across generations. Establishing the origin of knowledge and the role of the unlearned component is a challenging task, given that both learned and unlearned knowledge can orient perception, learning, and the encoding of environmental features since the first stages of life. Ethical and practical issues constrain the investigation of unlearned knowledge in altricial species, including human beings. On the contrary, precocial animals can be tested on a wide range of tasks and capabilities immediately after birth and in controlled rearing conditions. Insects and precocial avian species are very convenient models to dissect the knowledge systems that enable young individuals to cope with their environment in the absence of specific previous experience. We present the state of the art of research on the origins of knowledge that comes from different models and disciplines. Insects have been mainly used to investigate unlearned sensory preferences and prepared learning mechanisms. The relative simplicity of the neural system and fast life cycle of insects make them ideal models to investigate the neural circuitry and evolutionary dynamics of unlearned traits. Among avian species, chicks of the domestic fowl have been the focus of many studies, and showed to possess unlearned knowledge in the sensory, physical, spatial, numerical and social domains. Solid evidence shows the existence of unlearned knowledge in different domains in several species, from sensory and social preferences to the left-right representation of the mental number line. We show how non-mammalian models of cognition, and in particular precocial species, can shed light into the adaptive value and evolutionary history of unlearned knowledge.

Investigation of genetic diversity and epidemiological characteristics of Pasteurella multocida isolates from poultry in southwest China by population structure, multi-locus sequence typing and virulence-associated gene profile analysis.

PubMed

Li, Zhangcheng; Cheng, Fangjun; Lan, Shimei; Guo, Jianhua; Liu, Wei; Li, Xiaoyan; Luo, Zeli; Zhang, Manli; Wu, Juan; Shi, Yang

2018-04-25

Fowl cholera caused by Pasteurella multocida has always been a disease of global importance for poultry production. The aim of this study was to obtain more information about the epidemiology of avian P. multocida infection in southwest China and the genetic characteristics of clinical isolates. P. multocida isolates were characterized by biochemical and molecular-biological methods. The distributions of the capsular serogroups, the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) genotyping and the presence of 19 virulence genes were investigated in 45 isolates of P. multocida that were associated with clinical disease in poultry. The genetic diversity of P. multocida strains was performed by 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequence analysis as well as multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The results showed that most (80.0%) of the P. multocida isolates in this study represented special P. multocida subspecies, and 71.1% of the isolates showed multiple-drug resistance. 45 isolates belonged to capsular types: A (100%) and two LPS genotypes: L1 (95.6%) and L3 (4.4%). MLST revealed two new alleles (pmi77 and gdh57) and one new sequence type (ST342). ST129 types dominated in 45 P. multocida isolates. Isolates belonging to ST129 were with the genes ompH+plpB+ptfA+tonB, whereas ST342 included isolates with fur+hgbA+tonB genes. Population genetic analysis and the MLST results revealed that at least one new ST genotype was present in the avian P. multocida in China. These findings provide novel insights into the epidemiological characteristics of avian P. multocida isolates in southwest China.

Plant-Pathogenic Oomycetes, Escherichia coli Strains, and Salmonella spp. Frequently Found in Surface Water Used for Irrigation of Fruit and Vegetable Crops in New York State

PubMed Central

Jones, Lisa A.; Worobo, Randy W.

2014-01-01

In the United States, surface water is commonly used to irrigate a variety of produce crops and can harbor pathogens responsible for food-borne illnesses and plant diseases. Understanding when pathogens infest water sources is valuable information for produce growers to improve the food safety and production of these crops. In this study, prevalence data along with regression tree analyses were used to correlate water quality parameters (pH, temperature, turbidity), irrigation site properties (source, the presence of livestock or fowl nearby), and precipitation data to the presence and concentrations of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and hymexazol-insensitive (HIS) oomycetes (Phytophthora and Pythium spp.) in New York State surface waters. A total of 123 samples from 18 sites across New York State were tested for E. coli and Salmonella spp., of which 33% and 43% were positive, respectively. Additionally, 210 samples from 38 sites were tested for HIS oomycetes, and 88% were found to be positive, with 10 species of Phytophthora and 11 species of Pythium being identified from the samples. Regression analysis found no strong correlations between water quality parameters, site factors, or precipitation to the presence or concentration of E. coli in irrigation sources. For Salmonella, precipitation (≤0.64 cm) 3 days before sampling was correlated to both presence and the highest counts. Analyses for oomycetes found creeks to have higher average counts than ponds, and higher turbidity levels were associated with higher oomycete counts. Overall, information gathered from this study can be used to better understand the food safety and plant pathogen risks of using surface water for irrigation. PMID:24878603

BacMam virus-based surface display of the infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) S1 glycoprotein confers strong protection against virulent IBV challenge in chickens.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Chen, Xiao-Wei; Tong, Tie-Zhu; Ye, Yu; Liao, Ming; Fan, Hui-Ying

2014-02-03

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is associated with production inefficiencies in domestic fowl, and causes massive economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Progress has been made in designing novel and efficient candidate vaccines to control IBV infection. BacMam virus, a modified baculovirus mediating transgene expression under the control of a mammalian promoter, has emerged as a versatile and safe vector during vaccine development. In previous work, we generated the BacMam virus Ac-CMV-S1, which expressed the S1 glycoprotein of IBV-M41. We showed that Ac-CMV-S1 induced excellent cellular immunity, but did not confer adequate protection in chickens compared with the conventional inactivated vaccine. In the current study, we generated an improved BacMam virus, BV-Dual-S1. This virus displayed the S1 glycoprotein on the baculovirus envelope, and was capable of expressing it in mammalian cells. BV-Dual-S1 elicited stronger humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and showed greater capacity for induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, compared with Ac-CMV-S1 in specific pathogen-free chickens. A significant difference was not observed for protection rates between chickens immunized with BV-Dual-S1 (83%) or inactivated vaccine (89%) following challenge with virulent IBV-M41. Our findings show that the protective efficacy of BV-Dual-S1 could be significantly enhanced by baculovirus display technology. BacMam virus-based surface display strategies could serve as effective tools in designing vaccines against IB and other infectious diseases. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A novel test of the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis reveals independent components of fertility.

PubMed Central

Pizzari, Tommaso; Jensen, Per; Cornwallis, Charles K.

2004-01-01

The phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis predicts that male sexual ornaments signal fertilizing efficiency and that the coevolution of male ornaments and female preference for such ornaments is driven by female pursuit of fertility benefits. In addition, directional testicular asymmetry frequently observed in birds has been suggested to reflect fertilizing efficiency and to covary with ornament expression. However, the idea of a phenotypic relationship between male ornaments and fertilizing efficiency is often tested in populations where environmental effects mask the underlying genetic associations between ornaments and fertilizing efficiency implied by this idea. Here, we adopt a novel design, which increases genetic diversity through the crossing of two divergent populations while controlling for environmental effects, to test: (i) the phenotypic relationship between male ornaments and both, gonadal (testicular mass) and gametic (sperm quality) components of fertilizing efficiency; and (ii) the extent to which these components are phenotypically integrated in the fowl, Gallus gallus. We show that consistent with theory, the testosterone-dependent expression of a male ornament, the comb, predicted testicular mass. However, despite their functional inter-dependence, testicular mass and sperm quality were not phenotypically integrated. Consistent with this result, males of one parental population invested more in testicular and comb mass, whereas males of the other parental population had higher sperm quality. We found no evidence that directional testicular asymmetry covaried with ornament expression. These results shed new light on the evolutionary relationship between male fertilizing efficiency and ornaments. Although testosterone-dependent ornaments may covary with testicular mass and thus reflect sperm production rate, the lack of phenotypic integration between gonadal and gametic traits reveals that the expression of an ornament is unlikely to reflect the overall fertilizing efficiency of a male. PMID:15002771

Prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli on the external packaging of raw meat.

PubMed

Burgess, F; Little, C L; Allen, G; Williamson, K; Mitchelli, R T

2005-03-01

During September and October 2002, 3,662 prepackaged raw meat samples were collected to evaluate the extent and nature of microbiological contamination on external surfaces of the packaging, which could potentially cross-contaminate ready-to-eat foods during and after purchase. Salmonella was detected on two (<1%) samples of external packaging (both from raw chicken), and Campylobacter was detected on 41 (1.1%) samples of external packaging. The external packaging of game fowl exhibited the highest Campylobacter contamination (3.6%), followed by raw chicken (3.0%), lamb (1.6%), turkey (0.8%), pork (0.2%), and beef (0.1%); Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli accounted for 59% (24 of 41) and 24% (10 of 41) of the contaminating Campylobacter species, respectively. C. coli isolates from the external packaging were more multiresistant to antimicrobial drugs, including quinolones such as ciprofloxacin, than was C. jejuni. Escherichia coli (an indicator of fecal contamination) was isolated from the external packaging on 4% of the raw meat samples at levels of 40 to 10(5) CFU per swab. The external packaging of raw meats is a vehicle for potential cross-contamination by Campylobacter, Salmonella, and E. coli in retail premises and consumers' homes. The external surface of heat-sealed packaging was less frequently contaminated with Campylobacter and E. coli compared with other types of packaging (e.g., overwrapping, bag, and tie tape) (P < 0.0001 to 0.01). In addition, external packaging of raw meats was contaminated less frequently with Campylobacter and E. coli when packaging was intact, packaging and display areas were visually clean, display temperatures were below 8 degrees C, and hazard analysis systems were in place.

Fowl play? Forensic environmental assessment of alleged discharge of highly contaminated effluent from a chicken slaughterhouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, P.; Taylor, M. P.; Handley, H. K.

2016-12-01

Multiple lines of geochemical and biological evidence are applied to identify and fingerprint the nature and source of alleged contamination emanating from a chicken slaughterhouse on the urban fringe of Sydney, Australia. The slaughterhouse has a long history of alleged environmental misconduct. The impact of the facility on catchment source waters by the slaughterhouse has been the subject of controversy. The facility owner has persistently denied breach of their licence condition and maintains it is `a very environmentally conscious operation'. The disputed nature of the possible sources of discharges and its contaminants required a detailed forensic environmental assessment. Water samples collected from off-site discharge points associated with the facility show highly elevated concentrations of faecal coliforms (max 68,000 cfu), ammonia-N (51,000 µg/L), total nitrogen (98,000 µg/L) and phosphorous (32,000 µg/L). Upstream and adjacent watercourses were markedly less contaminated. Water discharge points associated with the slaughterhouse and natural catchment runoff were sampled for arsenic speciation, including assessment for the organoarsenic compound Roxarsone. Roxarsone is used as a chicken growth promoter. Water draining the slaughterhouse facility contained concentrations around 10 times local background levels. The Roxarsone compound was not detected in any waters, but inorganic arsenic, As(V), was present in all waters with the greatest concentrations in waters draining from the slaughterhouse. The environmental evidence was compiled over a series of discharges events and presented to the NSW EPA. Subsequent to receipt of the data supported by their own investigations, the NSW EPA mandated that the slaughterhouse be subject to a pollution reduction program. The efficacy of the pollution reduction program to stem the release of highly contaminated effluent is currently subject to ongoing investigation using a suite of water chemistry measures including DNA analysis.

Effects of aflatoxin and carotenoids on growth performance and immune response in mule ducklings.

PubMed

Cheng, Y H; Shen, T F; Pang, V F; Chen, B J

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if carotenoids could alleviate the adverse effects caused by aflatoxin with respect to growth performance and immune response. In two experiments, a total of 320 mule ducklings were assigned to 5 treatments, i.e. control, aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) 200 ppb, AFB(1) +beta-carotene (BC) 200 ppm, AFB(1)+BC 400 ppm, and AFB(1)+astaxanthin (AS) 200 ppm. In experiment 1, the addition of beta-carotene or astaxanthin in the diet containing AFB(1) 200 ppb resulted in a significant decrease in average daily gain as compared with the control. AFB(1) 200 ppb alone and the addition of BC or AS on top of AFB(1) resulted in a significantly lower daily feed intake than for the control group. There were no significant differences in relative organ weights among treatment groups. Both treatments of BC 400 ppm and AS 200 ppm had significantly more macrophages harvested per duck than the control and AFB(1) 200 ppb treatments. However, there were no significant differences among treatments in percentages of phagocytotic macrophages and number of Candida albican phagocytized by phagocytotic macrophages. In experiment 2, blood biochemical parameters and antibody titers were evaluated. There were no significant differences among treatments in total bilirubin content and alkaline phosphatase activity in the serum or in antibody titers against fowl cholera. However, AFB(1) treatment had the highest activities of AST and ALT in the serum. The addition of BC 400 ppm on top of AFB(1) significantly reduced ALT activity as compared with the AFB(1) 200 ppb treatment. These results suggest that carotenoids could provide a slightly toxic alleviating effect on growth performance, enhance the chemotaxis ability of macrophages, and reduce ALT activity elevated by AFB(1).

The avian chorioallantoic membrane in ovo--a useful model for bacterial invasion assays.

PubMed

Adam, Rüdiger; Mussa, Shueb; Lindemann, Dirk; Oelschlaeger, Tobias A; Deadman, Mary; Ferguson, David J P; Moxon, Richard; Schroten, Horst

2002-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the practicability of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) with special regard to the 'natural air sac' technique (NAST) of preparation for in-vivo research on the invasive potential of bacterial strains of various enterobacterial species. It was sought to establish an experimental system more closely resembling in-vivo conditions than cell lines on one hand, and cheaper and easier to handle than established animal models on the other. Fertilized eggs of the domestic fowl were incubated. The CAM was prepared atraumatically at the natural air space of the egg, and a cannula was inserted for subsequent extraction of allantoic fluid (AF) below the CAM. The CAM was then inoculated with either one out of five strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, an Escherichia coli K-12 strain or a Salmonella typhimurium strain, either alone or in combinations, respectively. AF samples were extracted at certain time points, and the presence of bacteria was determined by cultivation. Penetration and mortality ratios of the infected embryos were calculated. In addition, the mode of crossing the epithelial barrier was examined by electron microscopy. Differing rates of invasion through the CAM and rates of mortality of the chicken embryos demonstrated a clear dependency on the inoculated bacterial strain. Low invading bacteria could be distinguished from intermediate strains, and from strains exerting a strong capability of invasion and killing of the embryos. Simultaneous monotopical inoculation of Klebsiella and E. coli showed a permissive effect of co-incubated Klebsiella on the invasiveness of E. coli. The chick embryo CAM prepared by NAST has shown to be a useful model for in vivo studies on invasion capabilities, pathogenicity and interactions of inoculated bacteria.

Diversity, origins and virulence of Avipoxviruses in Hawaiian Forest Birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarvi, S.I.; Triglia, D.; Giannoulis, A.; Farias, M.; Bianchi, K.; Atkinson, C.T.

2008-01-01

We cultured avian pox (Avipoxvirus spp.) from lesions collected on Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i, and 'Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands from 15 native or non-native birds representing three avian orders. Phylogenetic analysis of a 538 bp fragment of the gene encoding the virus 4b core polypeptide revealed two distinct variant clusters, with sequences from chickens (fowlpox) forming a third distinct basal cluster. Pox isolates from one of these two clusters appear closely related to canarypox and other passerine pox viruses, while the second appears more specific to Hawai'i. There was no evidence that birds were infected simultaneously with multiple pox virus variants based on evaluation of multiples clones from four individuals. No obvious temporal or geographic associations were observed and strict host specificity was not apparent among the 4b-defined field isolates. We amplified a 116 bp 4b core protein gene fragment from an 'Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis) collected in 1900 on Hawai'i Island that clustered closely with the second of the two variants, suggesting that this variant has been in Hawai'i for at least 100 years. The high variation detected between the three 4b clusters provides evidence for multiple, likely independent introductions, and does not support the hypothesis of infection of native species through introduction of infected fowl. Preliminary experimental infections in native Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Hemignathus virens) suggest that the 4b-defined variants may be biologically distinct, with one variant appearing more virulent. These pox viruses may interact with avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum), another introduced pathogen in Hawaiian forest bird populations, through modulation of host immune responses. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Interspecific relationships between American coots and waterfowl during fall migration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eddleman, William R.; Patterson, Craig T.; Knopf, Fritz L.

1985-01-01

Interactions between American Coots (Fulica americana) and water-fowl during the breeding season are well-documented (Ryder 1959, Nudds 1981). Ducks and coots use similar nesting, feeding, brooding, and loafing sites during the breeding season (Munro 1939, Sooter 1945, Ryder 1959). Coots create potential nest sites, repulse predators, provide predation buffers for ducks (Sooter 1945; Ryder 1958, 1959), and may also destroy eggs and young of other marsh-nesting birds (Munro 1937, Burger 1973, McNicholl 1975). Coots, ducks, and swans often feed cooperatively (Ryder 1959, Anderson 1974, Ryan 1981); and American Wigeon (Anas americana) and Gadwell () may rob feeding coots (Knapton and Knudsen 1978, Ryan 1981). Interspecies aggression between coots and waterfowl usually occurs when ducks approach coot nests or broods (Ryan and Dinsmore 1979). Despite these interactions, the numbers of duck broods produced in areas in Utah with nesting coots and in areas where coots have been removed were similar (Ryder 1958, 1961). Densities of coots and ducks, and brood counts of coots and ducks for a 26-year period in Saskatchewan also indicated no significant relationship between numbers of coots and waterfowl (Nudds 1981). Coots and waterfowl from large areas of breeding habitat concentrate on smaller areas during the nonbreeding season (Weller 1975:102). These species may also change diets and habitats during migration and while wintering (Weller 1975). This study documents associations between waterfowl and coots during fall migration and examines feeding and behavioral interactions between coots and waterfowl in mixed flocks. Specifically, we (1) describe temporal and spatial overlap among migrations of coots and waterfowl, (2) present behavioral interactions among species, and (3) document food habits of birds feeding sympatrically during fall migration in Oklahoma.

A defective mutant of Salmonella enterica Serovar Gallinarum in cobalamin biosynthesis is avirulent in chickens

PubMed Central

de Paiva, Jacqueline Boldrin; Penha Filho, Rafael Antonio Casarin; Arguello, Yuli Melisa Sierra; Berchieri Junior, Ângelo; Lemos, Manuel Victor Franco; Barrow, Paul A.

2009-01-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (SG) is a fowl typhoid agent in chickens and is a severe disease with worldwide economic impact as its mortality may reach up to 80%. It is one of a small group of serovars that typically produces typhoid-like infections in a narrow range of host species and which therefore represents a good model for human typhoid. The survival mechanisms are not considered to be virulent mechanisms but are essential for the life of the bacterium. Mutants of Salmonella Gallinarum containing defective genes, related to cobalamin biosynthesis and which Salmonella spp. has to be produced to survive when it is in an anaerobic environment, were produced in this study. Salmonella Gallinarum is an intracellular parasite. Therefore, this study could provide information about whether vitamin B12 biosynthesis might be essential to its survival in the host. The results showed that the singular deletion in cbiA or cobS genes did not interfere in the life of Salmonella Gallinarum in the host, perhaps because single deletion is not enough to impede vitamin B12 biosynthesis. It was noticed that diluted SG mutants with single deletion produced higher mortality than the wild strain of SG. When double mutation was carried out, the Salmonella Gallinarum mutant was unable to provoke mortality in susceptible chickens. This work showed that B12 biosynthesis is a very important step in the metabolism of Salmonella Gallinarum during the infection of the chickens. Further research on bacterium physiology should be carried out to elucidate the events described in this research and to assess the mutant as a vaccine strain. PMID:24031393

Infectivity and transmissibility of H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens and wild terrestrial birds.

PubMed

Iqbal, Munir; Yaqub, Tahir; Mukhtar, Nadia; Shabbir, Muhammad Z; McCauley, John W

2013-10-17

Genetic changes in avian influenza viruses influence their infectivity, virulence and transmission. Recently we identified a novel genotype of H9N2 viruses in widespread circulation in poultry in Pakistan that contained polymerases (PB2, PB1 and PA) and non-structural (NS) gene segments identical to highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses. Here, we investigated the potential of these viruses to cause disease and assessed the transmission capability of the virus within and between poultry and wild terrestrial avian species. Groups of broilers, layers, jungle fowl, quail, sparrows or crows were infected with a representative strain (A/chicken/UDL-01/08) of this H9N2 virus and then mixed with naïve birds of the same breed or species, or different species to examine transmission. With the exception of crows, all directly inoculated and contact birds showed clinical signs, varying in severity with quail showing the most pronounced clinical signs. Virus shedding was detected in all infected birds, with quail showing the greatest levels of virus secretion, but only very low levels of virus were found in directly infected crow samples. Efficient virus intra-species transmission was observed within each group with the exception of crows in which no evidence of transmission was seen. Interspecies transmission was examined between chickens and sparrows and vice versa and efficient transmission was seen in either direction. These results highlight the ease of spread of this group of H9N2 viruses between domesticated poultry and sparrows and show that sparrows need to be considered as a high risk species for transmitting H9N2 viruses between premises.

Livestock ownership and microbial contamination of drinking-water: Evidence from nationally representative household surveys in Ghana, Nepal and Bangladesh.

PubMed

Wardrop, Nicola A; Hill, Allan G; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Aryeetey, Genevieve; Wright, Jim A

2018-01-01

Current priorities for diarrhoeal disease prevention include use of sanitation and safe water. There have been few attempts to quantify the importance of animal faeces in drinking-water contamination, despite the presence of potentially water-borne zoonotic pathogens in animal faeces. This study aimed to quantify the relationship between livestock ownership and point-of-consumption drinking-water contamination. Data from nationally representative household surveys in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Ghana, each with associated water quality assessments, were used. Multinomial regression adjusting for confounders was applied to assess the relationship between livestock ownership and the level of drinking-water contamination with E. coli. Ownership of five or more large livestock (e.g. cattle) was significantly associated with drinking-water contamination in Ghana (RRR=7.9, 95% CI=1.6 to 38.9 for medium levels of contamination with 1-31cfu/100ml; RRR=5.2, 95% CI=1.1-24.5 for high levels of contamination with >31cfu/100ml) and Bangladesh (RRR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3-4.5 for medium levels of contamination; non-significant for high levels of contamination). Ownership of eight or more poultry (chickens, guinea fowl, ducks or turkeys) was associated with drinking-water contamination in Bangladesh (RRR=1.5, 95% CI=1.1-2.0 for medium levels of contamination, non-significant for high levels of contamination). These results suggest that livestock ownership is a significant risk factor for the contamination of drinking-water at the point of consumption. This indicates that addressing human sanitation without consideration of faecal contamination from livestock sources will not be sufficient to prevent drinking-water contamination. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

[Epizootiological and parasitological status of the flocks at a poultry combine].

PubMed

Kolev, V; Markarian, M; Genchev, G; Donev, A; Tsvetkov, S

1976-01-01

A comprehensive epizootiologic study has been carried out at one of the large poultry dressing combines in this country. Results have shown that the part played by infections as against the remaining diseases established in the various technologic categories is as follows: 9 to 23.8 per cent in growing parents; 16.0 to 24.6 per cent in adult parents; and 4.8 to 13.4 per cent in broilers. So far as parasitic diseases are concerned the respective figures are 3.2 to 9.9 per cent, 3.0 to 3.3. per cent, and 2.9 to 3.0 to per cent. The import of birds from France and England intended for satisfying the needs of the poultry dressing combine in Roussé has contributed to the introduction of infections which have later on assumed an epizootic course, such as infections encephalomyelitis, infectious bronchitis, and Marek' disease. The epizootic status has been aggravated with the development of a number of diseases already existing in this country--fowl pox, lymphoid leukosis, chronic respiratory disease, salmonellosis, and above all infections caused by the so-called occasionally pathogenic agents--coli organisms, staphylococci, and Pseudomonas. Of the parasitic diseases only coccidiosis has developed, being caused by a variety of species: Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria muvati and Eimeria tenella. The absence of helminth infections is due to the routinely adopted technological practice of raising birds in confinement and the strict veterinary control and guard. On the basis of the results obtained and the conclusions drawn some more effective prophylactic measures are suggested correcting and supplementing the existing prophylactic programme.

Development of strand-specific real-time RT-PCR to distinguish viral RNAs during Newcastle disease virus infection.

PubMed

Qiu, Xusheng; Yu, Yang; Yu, Shengqing; Zhan, Yuan; Wei, Nana; Song, Cuiping; Sun, Yingjie; Tan, Lei; Ding, Chan

2014-01-01

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes large losses in the global fowl industry. To better understand NDV replication and transcription cycle, quantitative detection methods for distinguishing NDV genomic RNA (gRNA), antigenomic RNA (cRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) in NDV-infected cells are indispensible. Three reverse transcription primers were designed to specifically target the nucleoprotein (NP) region of gRNA, cRNA, and NP mRNA, and a corresponding real-time RT-PCR assay was developed to simultaneously quantify the three types of RNAs in NDV-infected cells. This method showed very good specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. The detection range of the assay was between 5.5 × 10(2) and 1.1 × 10(9) copies/μL of the target gene. These methods were applied to investigate the dynamics of the gRNA, cRNA, and mRNA synthesis in NDV La Sota infected DF-1 cells. The results showed that the copy numbers of viral gRNA, cRNA, and NP mRNA all exponentially increased in the beginning. The viral RNA copy number then plateaued at 10'h postinfection and gradually decreased from 16 h postinfection. No synthesis priority was observed between replication (gRNA and cRNA amounts) and transcription (mRNA amounts) during NDV infection. However, the cRNA accumulated more rapidly than gRNA, as the cRNA copy number was three- to tenfold higher than gRNA starting from 2 h postinfection. Conclusion. A real-time RT-PCR for absolute quantitation of specific viral RNA fragments in NDV-infected cells was developed for the first time. The development of this assay will be helpful for further studies on the pathogenesis and control strategies of NDV.

Current and future vaccines and vaccination strategies against infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) respiratory disease of poultry.

PubMed

García, Maricarmen

2017-07-01

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an economically important respiratory disease of poultry that affects the industry worldwide. Vaccination is the principal tool in the control of the disease. Two types of vaccines, live attenuated and recombinant viral vector, are commercially available. The first generation of GaHV-1 vaccines available since the early 1960's are live viruses, attenuated by continuous passages in cell culture or embryos. These vaccines significantly reduce mortalities and, in particular, the chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines have shown to limit outbreaks of the disease. However, the CEO vaccines can regain virulence and become the source of outbreaks. Recombinant viral vector vaccines, the second generation of GaHV-1 vaccines, were first introduced in the early 2000's. These are Fowl Pox virus (FPV) and Herpes virus of turkeys (HVT) vectors expressing one or multiple GaHV-1 immunogenic proteins. Recombinant viral vector vaccines are considered a much safer alternative because they do not regain virulence. In the face of challenge, they improve bird performance and ameliorate clinical signs of the disease but fail to reduce shedding of the challenge virus increasing the likelihood of outbreaks. At the moment, several new strategies are being evaluated to improve both live attenuated and viral vector vaccines. Potential new live vaccines attenuated by deletion of genes associated with virulence or by selection of CEO viral subpopulations that do not exhibit increased virulence upon passages in birds are being evaluated. Also new vector alternatives to express GaHV-1 glycoproteins in Newcastle diseases virus (NDV) or in modified very virulent (vv) serotype I Marek's disease virus (MDV) were developed and evaluated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pasteurella multocida in backyard chickens in Upper Egypt: incidence with polymerase chain reaction analysis for capsule type, virulence in chicken embryos and antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Mohamed, Moemen A; Mohamed, Mohamed-Wael A; Ahmed, Ahmed I; Ibrahim, Awad A; Ahmed, Mohamed S

2012-01-01

The prevalence of Pasteurella multocida strains among 275 backyard chickens from different regions of Upper Egypt was studied. A total of 21 isolates of P. multocida were recovered in 21 out of 275 chickens tested (7.6%) and were confirmed using phenotypic characterisation. Somatic serotyping of the 21 isolates resulted in 12 isolates being classed as serotype A:1 (57.14%), 4 as serotype A:3 (19.05%) and 5 could not be typed (23.8%). Capsular typing, using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), demonstrated that 18 strains were capsular type A (85.7%), and 3 were type D (14.3%). The present findings suggest that a multiplex capsular PCR could be valuable for the rapid identification of P. multocida in cases of fowl cholera infection. A total of 5 isolates of P. multocida were selected to study their pathogenicity in embryonated chicken eggs instead of conducting a study in mature chickens. The results showed a variation in pathogenicity between the strains tested, namely: serotype A:1 strains caused 80% mortality, in contrast to 20% mortality by type D strains. Pathological findings included severe congestion of the entire embryo, haemorrhaging of the skin, feather follicles and toe, and ecchymotic haemorrhages on the liver of the inoculated embryos. The observations in this study indicate that P. multocida serogroup A could be highly pathogenic for mature chickens and therefore might be a cause of considerable economic losses in commercial production. A total of 10 isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration of 7 antimicrobials. All isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, florfenicol, streptomycin and sulphamethoxazol with trimethoprim and with varying degrees of sensitivity to the other agents.

Genetic diversity of bitter taste receptor gene family in Sichuan domestic and Tibetan chicken populations.

PubMed

Su, Yuan; Li, Diyan; Gaur, Uma; Wang, Yan; Wu, Nan; Chen, Binlong; Xu, Zhongxian; Yin, Huadong; Hu, Yaodong; Zhu, Qing

2016-09-01

The sense of bitter taste plays a critical role in animals as it can help them to avoid intake of toxic and harmful substances. Previous research had revealed that chicken has only three bitter taste receptor genes (Tas2r1, Tas2r2 and Tas2r7). To better understand the genetic polymorphisms and importance of bitter taste receptor genes (Tas2rs) in chicken, here, we sequenced Tas2rs of 30 Sichuan domestic chickens and 30 Tibetan chickens. Thirteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including three nonsynonymous mutations (m.359G>C, m.503C>A and m.583A>G) were detected in Tas2r1 (m. is the abbreviation for mutation); three SNPs were detected in Tas2r2, but none of them were missense mutation; eight SNPs were detected in Tas2r7 including six nonsynonymous substitutions (m.178G>A, m.421A>C, m.787C>T, m.832G>T, m.907A>T and m.943G>A). Tajima's D neutral test indicates that there is no population expansion in both populations, and the size of the population is relatively stable. All the three networks indicate that red jungle fowls share haplotypes with domestic chickens. In addition, we found that haplotypes H1 and HE1 were positively associated with high-altitude adaptation, whereas haplotypes H4 and HE4 showed a negative correlation with high-altitude adaptation in Tas2rs. Although, chicken has only three Tas2rs, our results showed that both Sichuan domestic chickens and Tibetan chickens have abundant haplotypes in Tas2rs, especially in Tas2r7, which might help chickens to recognize a wide variety of bitter-tasting compounds.

Characteristics of nocturnal coastal boundary layer in Ahtopol based on averaged SODAR profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barantiev, Damyan; Batchvarova, Ekaterina; Novitzky, Mikhail

2014-05-01

The ground-based remote sensing instruments allow studying the wind regime and the turbulent characteristics of the atmosphere with height, achieving new knowledge and solving practical problems, such as air quality assessments, mesoscale models evaluation with high resolution data, characterization of the exchange processes between the surface and the atmosphere, the climate comfort conditions and the risk for extreme events, etc. Very important parameter in such studies is the height of the atmospheric boundary layer. Acoustic remote sensing data of the coastal atmospheric boundary layer were explored based on over 4-years continuous measurements at the meteorological observatory of Ahtopol (Bulgarian Southern Black Sea Coast) under Bulgarian - Russian scientific agreement. Profiles of 12 parameters from a mid-range acoustic sounding instrument type SCINTEC MFAS are derived and averaged up to about 600 m according filtering based on wind direction (land or sea type of night fowls). From the whole investigated period of 1454 days with 10-minute resolution SODAR data 2296 profiles represented night marine air masses and 1975 profiles represented the night flow from land during the months May to September. Graphics of averaged profiles of 12 SODAR output parameters with different availability of data in height are analyzed for both cases. A marine boundary-layer height of about 300 m is identified in the profiles of standard deviation of vertical wind speed (σw), Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) and eddy dissipation rate (EDR). A nocturnal boundary-layer height of about 420 m was identified from the profiles of the same parameters under flows from land condition. In addition, the Buoyancy Production (BP= σw3/z) profiles were calculated from the standard deviation of the vertical wind speed and the height z above ground.

Infectivity and transmissibility of H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens and wild terrestrial birds

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Genetic changes in avian influenza viruses influence their infectivity, virulence and transmission. Recently we identified a novel genotype of H9N2 viruses in widespread circulation in poultry in Pakistan that contained polymerases (PB2, PB1 and PA) and non-structural (NS) gene segments identical to highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses. Here, we investigated the potential of these viruses to cause disease and assessed the transmission capability of the virus within and between poultry and wild terrestrial avian species. Groups of broilers, layers, jungle fowl, quail, sparrows or crows were infected with a representative strain (A/chicken/UDL-01/08) of this H9N2 virus and then mixed with naïve birds of the same breed or species, or different species to examine transmission. With the exception of crows, all directly inoculated and contact birds showed clinical signs, varying in severity with quail showing the most pronounced clinical signs. Virus shedding was detected in all infected birds, with quail showing the greatest levels of virus secretion, but only very low levels of virus were found in directly infected crow samples. Efficient virus intra-species transmission was observed within each group with the exception of crows in which no evidence of transmission was seen. Interspecies transmission was examined between chickens and sparrows and vice versa and efficient transmission was seen in either direction. These results highlight the ease of spread of this group of H9N2 viruses between domesticated poultry and sparrows and show that sparrows need to be considered as a high risk species for transmitting H9N2 viruses between premises. PMID:24134616

Medical nutrition therapy as a potential complementary treatment for psoriasis--five case reports.

PubMed

Brown, Amy C; Hairfield, Michelle; Richards, Douglas G; McMillin, David L; Mein, Eric A; Nelson, Carl D

2004-09-01

This research evaluated five case studies of patients with psoriasis following a dietary regimen. There is no cure for psoriasis and the multiple treatments currently available only attempt to reduce the severity of symptoms. Treatments range from topical applications, systemic therapies, and phototherapy; while some are effective, many are associated with significant adverse effects. There is a need for effective, affordable therapies with fewer side effects that address the causes of the disorder. Evaluation consisted of a study group of five patients diagnosed with chronic plaque psoriasis (two men and three women, average age 52 years; range 40-68 years) attending a 10-day, live-in program during which a physician assessed psoriasis symptoms and bowel permeability. Subjects were then instructed on continuing the therapy protocol at home for six months. The dietary protocol, based on Edgar Cayce readings, included a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, small amounts of protein from fish and fowl, fiber supplements, olive oil, and avoidance of red meat, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates. Saffron tea and slippery elm bark water were consumed daily. The five psoriasis cases, ranging from mild to severe at the study onset, improved on all measured outcomes over a six-month period when measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (average pre- and post-test scores were 18.2 and 8.7, respectively), the Psoriasis Severity Scale (PSS) (average pre- and post-test scores were 14.6 and 5.4, respectively), and the lactulose/mannitol test of intestinal permeability (average pre- and post-test scores were 0.066 to 0.026, respectively). These results suggest a dietary regimen based on Edgar Cayce's readings may be an effective medical nutrition therapy for the complementary treatment of psoriasis; however, further research is warranted to confirm these results.

Characterization of the immune response of domestic fowl following immunization with proteins extracted from Dermanyssus gallinae.

PubMed

Harrington, David; Din, Hatem Mohi El; Guy, Jonathan; Robinson, Karen; Sparagano, Olivier

2009-03-23

Dermanyssus gallinae is the most significant ectoparasite of European poultry egg laying production systems due to high costs of control and associated production losses as well as adverse effects on bird welfare. In this study, soluble proteins were extracted from unfed D. gallinae (DGE) using a urea-based detergent and ultra-filtration, passed through a 0.22 microm filter and blended aseptically with adjuvant. One group of laying hens was immunized with DGE and adjuvant (Montanide ISA 50 V) whilst another group (Control) received physiological saline and adjuvant. All birds were immunized on two occasions, 21 days apart. Antibody response to immunization was determined by ELISA and western blotting using immunoglobulins (Igs) extracted from egg yolk. DGE immunization of hens resulted in a significant (P<0.05) IgY response compared to controls, although there was no significant difference in IgM response between treatments. A number of proteins were identified by western blotting using IgY antibodies from DGE immunized birds, most prominently at 40 and 230kDa. Analysis of proteins from approximately corresponding bands on SDS-PAGE confirmed the identity of tropomyosin, whilst other proteins showed high sequence homology with myosin and actin from other arachnid and insect species. Immunization of hens with DGE resulted in a 50.6% increase in mite mortality (P<0.001) 17h after feeding when tested by an in vitro mite feeding model. Data in this study demonstrate that somatic antigens from D. gallinae can be used to stimulate a protective immune response in laying hens. Further work is needed to identify other proteins of interest that could confer higher protection against D. gallinae, as well as optimization of the vaccination and in vitro testing protocol.

A gallery of the key characters to ease identification of Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Gamasida: Dermanyssidae) and allow differentiation from Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Acari: Gamasida: Macronyssidae)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Dermanyssus gallinae (poultry red mite) is a major threat for the poultry industry and is of significant interest for public health. Identification of D. gallinae can be difficult for scientists not familiar with mite morphology and terminology especially when trying to use identification keys. Moreover, this species may easily be confused with another dermanyssoid mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (northern fowl mite), which often shares the same hosts and environment. Methods Specimens of D. gallinae were collected at poultry farms in the Puglia and performed for light and scanning electron microscopy observations, identification and micrographs. Moreover specimens of O. sylviarum were collected separately macerated and mounted on slides for light microscopy observations, identification and pictures. Results The micrographs used in this study, based on LM and SEM observations, highlight the following important identifying characters of D. gallinae: the prominent shoulders of the dorsal shield and the jagged edges of the shield reticulations, the position of setae j1, s1 and the epigynal pores, and the presence on tibia IV pl of one seta. Additional micrographs highlighting the shape of the dorsal (abruptly narrowed posteriorly) and epigynal (narrowly rounded posteriorly) shields and the chelicera (elongate, with distinct digits) of O. sylviarum enable its differentiation from D.gallinae. Conclusion The photographic support provided here (both LM and SEM pictures) can be considered a practical tool for scientists who are not well acquainted with the morphology of D.gallinae, and who are involved with classical and molecular systematics, veterinary and human health aspects of poultry red mites. PMID:22647594

Ultrastructural evidence of a vesicle-mediated mode of cell degranulation in chicken chromaffin cells during the late phase of embryonic development

PubMed Central

Crivellato, Enrico; Nico, Beatrice; Travan, Luciana; Isola, Miriam; Ribatti, Domenico

2009-01-01

In the present investigation, we attempted to determine whether ultrastructural features indicative of a vesicle-mediated mode of cell secretion were detectable in chick chromaffin cells during embryo development. The adrenal anlagen of domestic fowls were examined at embryonic days (E) 12, 15, 19 and 21 by electron microscopy quantitative analysis. Morphometric evaluation revealed a series of granule and cytoplasmic changes highly specific for piecemeal degranulation (PMD), a secretory process based on vesicular transport of cargoes from within granules for extracellular release. At E19 and E21 we found a significant peak in the percentage of granules exhibiting changes indicative of progressive release of secretory materials, i.e. granules with lucent areas in their cores, reduced electron density, disassembled matrices, residual cores and membrane empty containers. A dramatic raise in the density of 30–80-nm-diameter, membrane-bound, electron-dense and electron-lucent vesicles – which were located either next to granules or close to the plasma membrane – was recognizable at E19, that is, during the prehatching phase. The cytoplasmic burst of dense and clear vesicles was paralleled by the appearance of chromaffin granules showing outpouches or protrusions of their profiles (‘budding features’). These ultrastructural data are indicative of an augmented vesicle-mediated transport of chromaffin granule products for extracellular release in chick embryo chromaffin cells during the prehatching stage. In conclusion, this study provides new data on the fine structure of chromaffin cell organelles during organ development and suggests that PMD may be part of an adrenomedullary secretory response that occurs towards the end of chicken embryogenesis. From an evolutionary point of view, this study lends support to the concept that PMD is a secretory mechanism highly conserved throughout vertebrate classes. PMID:19245498

Comparative Genome Analyses Reveal Distinct Structure in the Saltwater Crocodile MHC

PubMed Central

Jaratlerdsiri, Weerachai; Deakin, Janine; Godinez, Ricardo M.; Shan, Xueyan; Peterson, Daniel G.; Marthey, Sylvain; Lyons, Eric; McCarthy, Fiona M.; Isberg, Sally R.; Higgins, Damien P.; Chong, Amanda Y.; John, John St; Glenn, Travis C.; Ray, David A.; Gongora, Jaime

2014-01-01

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a dynamic genome region with an essential role in the adaptive immunity of vertebrates, especially antigen presentation. The MHC is generally divided into subregions (classes I, II and III) containing genes of similar function across species, but with different gene number and organisation. Crocodylia (crocodilians) are widely distributed and represent an evolutionary distinct group among higher vertebrates, but the genomic organisation of MHC within this lineage has been largely unexplored. Here, we studied the MHC region of the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and compared it with that of other taxa. We characterised genomic clusters encompassing MHC class I and class II genes in the saltwater crocodile based on sequencing of bacterial artificial chromosomes. Six gene clusters spanning ∼452 kb were identified to contain nine MHC class I genes, six MHC class II genes, three TAP genes, and a TRIM gene. These MHC class I and class II genes were in separate scaffold regions and were greater in length (2–6 times longer) than their counterparts in well-studied fowl B loci, suggesting that the compaction of avian MHC occurred after the crocodilian-avian split. Comparative analyses between the saltwater crocodile MHC and that from the alligator and gharial showed large syntenic areas (>80% identity) with similar gene order. Comparisons with other vertebrates showed that the saltwater crocodile had MHC class I genes located along with TAP, consistent with birds studied. Linkage between MHC class I and TRIM39 observed in the saltwater crocodile resembled MHC in eutherians compared, but absent in avian MHC, suggesting that the saltwater crocodile MHC appears to have gene organisation intermediate between these two lineages. These observations suggest that the structure of the saltwater crocodile MHC, and other crocodilians, can help determine the MHC that was present in the ancestors of archosaurs. PMID:25503521

Space Radar Image of New Orleans, Louisiana

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-14

This image of the area surrounding the city of New Orleans, Louisiana in the southeastern United States demonstrates the ability of multi-frequency imaging radar to distinguish different types of land cover. The dark area in the center is Lake Pontchartrain. The thin line running across the lake is a causeway connecting New Orleans to the city of Mandeville. Lake Borgne is the dark area in the lower right of the image. The Mississippi River appears as a dark, wavy line in the lower left. The white dots on the Mississippi are ships. The French Quarter is the brownish square near the left center of the image. Lakefront Airport, a field used mostly for general aviation, is the bright spot near the center, jutting out into Lake Pontchartrain. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) during orbit 39 of space shuttle Endeavour on October 2, 1994. The area is located at 30.10 degrees north latitude and 89.1 degrees west longitude. The area shown is approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) by 50 kilometers (30 miles). The colors in this image were obtained using the following radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received); green represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received); blue represents the L-band (vertically transmitted and received). The green areas are primarily vegetation consisting of swamp land and swamp forest (bayou) growing on sandy soil, while the pink areas are associated with reflections from buildings in urban and suburban areas. Different tones and colors in the vegetation areas will be studied by scientists to see how effective imaging radar data is in discriminating between different types of wetlands. Accurate maps of coastal wetland areas are important to ecologists studying wild fowl and the coastal environment. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01300

The conflict between cheetahs and humans on Namibian farmland elucidated by stable isotope diet analysis.

PubMed

Voigt, Christian C; Thalwitzer, Susanne; Melzheimer, Jörg; Blanc, Anne-Sophie; Jago, Mark; Wachter, Bettina

2014-01-01

Large areas of Namibia are covered by farmland, which is also used by game and predator species. Because it can cause conflicts with farmers when predators, such as cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), hunt livestock, we assessed whether livestock constitutes a significant part of the cheetah diet by analysing the stable isotope composition of blood and tissue samples of cheetahs and their potential prey species. According to isotopic similarities, we defined three isotopic categories of potential prey: members of a C4 food web with high δ15N values (gemsbok, cattle, springhare and guinea fowl) and those with low δ15N values (hartebeest, warthog), and members of a C3 food web, namely browsers (eland, kudu, springbok, steenbok and scrub hare). We quantified the trophic discrimination of heavy isotopes in cheetah muscle in 9 captive individuals and measured an enrichment for 15N (3.2‰) but not for 13C in relation to food. We captured 53 free-ranging cheetahs of which 23 were members of groups. Cheetahs of the same group were isotopically distinct from members of other groups, indicating that group members shared their prey. Solitary males (n = 21) and males in a bachelor groups (n = 11) fed mostly on hartebeest and warthogs, followed by browsers in case of solitary males, and by grazers with high δ15N values in case of bachelor groups. Female cheetahs (n = 9) predominantly fed on browsers and used also hartebeest and warthogs. Mixing models suggested that the isotopic prey category that included cattle was only important, if at all, for males living in bachelor groups. Stable isotope analysis of fur, muscle, red blood cells and blood plasma in 9 free-ranging cheetahs identified most individuals as isotopic specialists, focussing on isotopically distinct prey categories as their food.

Risk assessment to estimate the probability of a chicken flock infected with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus reaching slaughter undetected.

PubMed

Golden, Neal J; Schlosser, Wayne D; Ebel, Eric D

2009-09-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is an infectious disease of fowl that can cause rapid and pervasive mortality resulting in complete flock loss. It has also been shown to cause death in humans. Although H5N1 HPAI virus (HPAIV) has not been identified in the United States, there are concerns about whether an infected flock could remain undetected long enough to pose a risk to consumers. This paper considers exposure from an Asian lineage H5N1 HPAIV-infected chicken flock given that no other flocks have been identified as H5N1 HPAIV positive (the index flock). A state-transition model is used to evaluate the probability of an infected flock remaining undetected until slaughter. This model describes three possible states within the flock: susceptible, infected, and dead, and the transition probabilities that predict movements between the possible states. Assuming a 20,000-bird house with 1 bird initially infected, the probability that an H5N1 HPAIV-infected flock would be detected before slaughter is approximately 94%. This is because H5N1 HPAIV spreads rapidly through a flock, and bird mortality quickly reaches high levels. It is assumed that approximately 2% or greater bird mortality due to H5N1 HPAIV would result in on-farm identification of the flock as infected. The only infected flock likely to reach slaughter undetected is one that was infected within approximately 3.5 days of shipment. In this situation, there is not enough time for high mortality to present. These results suggest that the probability of an infected undetected flock going to slaughter is low, yet such an event could occur if a flock is infected at the most opportune time.

Different host complement systems and their interactions with saliva from Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera, Psychodidae) and Leishmania infantum promastigotes.

PubMed

Mendes-Sousa, Antonio Ferreira; Nascimento, Alexandre Alves Sousa; Queiroz, Daniel Costa; Vale, Vladimir Fazito; Fujiwara, Ricardo Toshio; Araújo, Ricardo Nascimento; Pereira, Marcos Horácio; Gontijo, Nelder Figueiredo

2013-01-01

Lutzomyia longipalpis is the vector of Leishmania infantum in the New World, and its saliva inhibits classical and alternative human complement system pathways. This inhibition is important in protecting the insect´s midgut from damage by the complement. L. longipalpis is a promiscuous blood feeder and must be protected against its host's complement. The objective of this study was to investigate the action of salivary complement inhibitors on the sera of different host species, such as dogs, guinea pigs, rats and chickens, at a pH of 7.4 (normal blood pH) and 8.15 (the midgut pH immediately after a blood meal). We also investigated the role of the chicken complement system in Leishmania clearance in the presence and absence of vector saliva. The saliva was capable of inhibiting classical pathways in dogs, guinea pigs and rats at both pHs. The alternative pathway was not inhibited except in dogs at a pH of 8.15. The chicken classical pathway was inhibited only by high concentrations of saliva and it was better inhibited by the midgut contents of sand flies. Neither the saliva nor the midgut contents had any effect on the avian alternative pathway. Fowl sera killed L. infantum promastigotes, even at a low concentration (2%), and the addition of L. longipalpis saliva did not protect the parasites. The high body temperature of chickens (40°C) had no effect on Leishmania viability during our assays. Salivary inhibitors act in a species-specific manner. It is important to determine their effects in the natural hosts of Leishmania infantum because they act on canid and rodent complements but not on chickens (which do not harbour the parasite). Moreover, we concluded that the avian complement system is the probable mechanism through which chickens eliminate Leishmania and that their high body temperature does not influence this parasite.

The Type VI Secretion System Encoded in Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 19 Is Required for Salmonella enterica Serotype Gallinarum Survival within Infected Macrophages

PubMed Central

Blondel, Carlos J.; Jiménez, Juan C.; Leiva, Lorenzo E.; Álvarez, Sergio A.; Pinto, Bernardo I.; Contreras, Francisca; Pezoa, David; Santiviago, Carlos A.

2013-01-01

Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum is the causative agent of fowl typhoid, a disease characterized by high morbidity and mortality that causes major economic losses in poultry production. We have reported that S. Gallinarum harbors a type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded in Salmonella pathogenicity island 19 (SPI-19) that is required for efficient colonization of chicks. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the SPI-19 T6SS functionality and to investigate the mechanisms behind the phenotypes previously observed in vivo. Expression analyses revealed that SPI-19 T6SS core components are expressed and produced under in vitro bacterial growth conditions. However, secretion of the structural/secreted components Hcp1, Hcp2, and VgrG to the culture medium could not be determined, suggesting that additional signals are required for T6SS-dependent secretion of these proteins. In vitro bacterial competition assays failed to demonstrate a role for SPI-19 T6SS in interbacterial killing. In contrast, cell culture experiments with murine and avian macrophages (RAW264.7 and HD11, respectively) revealed production of a green fluorescent protein-tagged version of VgrG soon after Salmonella uptake. Furthermore, infection of RAW264.7 and HD11 macrophages with deletion mutants of SPI-19 or strains with genes encoding specific T6SS core components (clpV and vgrG) revealed that SPI-19 T6SS contributes to S. Gallinarum survival within macrophages at 20 h postuptake. SPI-19 T6SS function was not linked to Salmonella-induced cytotoxicity or cell death of infected macrophages, as has been described for other T6SS. Our data indicate that SPI-19 T6SS corresponds to a novel tool used by Salmonella to survive within host cells. PMID:23357385

The Conflict between Cheetahs and Humans on Namibian Farmland Elucidated by Stable Isotope Diet Analysis

PubMed Central

Voigt, Christian C.; Thalwitzer, Susanne; Melzheimer, Jörg; Blanc, Anne-Sophie; Jago, Mark; Wachter, Bettina

2014-01-01

Large areas of Namibia are covered by farmland, which is also used by game and predator species. Because it can cause conflicts with farmers when predators, such as cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), hunt livestock, we assessed whether livestock constitutes a significant part of the cheetah diet by analysing the stable isotope composition of blood and tissue samples of cheetahs and their potential prey species. According to isotopic similarities, we defined three isotopic categories of potential prey: members of a C4 food web with high δ15N values (gemsbok, cattle, springhare and guinea fowl) and those with low δ15N values (hartebeest, warthog), and members of a C3 food web, namely browsers (eland, kudu, springbok, steenbok and scrub hare). We quantified the trophic discrimination of heavy isotopes in cheetah muscle in 9 captive individuals and measured an enrichment for 15N (3.2‰) but not for 13C in relation to food. We captured 53 free-ranging cheetahs of which 23 were members of groups. Cheetahs of the same group were isotopically distinct from members of other groups, indicating that group members shared their prey. Solitary males (n = 21) and males in a bachelor groups (n = 11) fed mostly on hartebeest and warthogs, followed by browsers in case of solitary males, and by grazers with high δ15N values in case of bachelor groups. Female cheetahs (n = 9) predominantly fed on browsers and used also hartebeest and warthogs. Mixing models suggested that the isotopic prey category that included cattle was only important, if at all, for males living in bachelor groups. Stable isotope analysis of fur, muscle, red blood cells and blood plasma in 9 free-ranging cheetahs identified most individuals as isotopic specialists, focussing on isotopically distinct prey categories as their food. PMID:25162403

Dissolved constituents including selenium in waters in the vicinity of Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge and the west grassland, Fresno and Merced Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presser, T.S.; Barnes, Ivan

1985-01-01

Analyses were made for dissolved constituents including selenium (Se) in waters associated with subsurface agricultural drainage from the western San Joaquin Valley of California. In the vicinity of Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge and the Grassland wetlands area Se was found to be mobilized in water. As a consequence of this mobility and bioaccumulation in the aquatic food chain, Se occurred in waterfowl at levels toxic enough to cause deformities and deaths. Se concentrations in sumps that collect subsurface agricultural drainage water and inflows to drains sampled, ultimately leading into Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge and the Grassland, ranged from 84 to 4200 microgram/L (ug/L) Se. Levels of Se were reduced in the San Luis Drain flowing into Kesterson National Wildlife Refute to approximately 300 ug/L Se and in three of the drains sampled flowing into the Grassland to approximately 50 ug/L Se. Serious effects on water fowl habitat were caused by both these levels. Se contents of algal mats and salt crusts from evaporation ponds of the San Luis Drain contained up to parts per million Se. Total ecosystem assessment of Se may be necessary for the evaluation of the toxicity of Se to the environment. No other trace element reported exceeded the various criteria for water at the level of magnitude of Se. Other dissolved constituents and the isotopic ratios of oxygen and hydrogen were analyzed to elucidate water types, reaction states of the aqueous solution with respect to minerals, and the origin of mixed waters. These data will be used later to evaluate the geologic source of Se. Methods used for collection and analysis are described and documented. Hydrologic effects were found to be complex. Preliminary indications from wells are also given. A historical sequence is adhered to and other data from the study area which serve as a guide to the toxicity of Se are included. (Author 's abstract)

Development of a chick bioassay for determination of infectivity of viral pathogens in poultry litter.

PubMed

Islam, A F M F; Walkden-Brown, S W; Groves, P J; Wells, B

2013-01-01

To develop a chicken bioassay to detect infective viral pathogens in poultry litter and to determine the effects of type of chicken and age of exposure, as well as the effect of simulated litter transportation, on the level of viral infectivity detected. A 5 × 2 × 2 factorial design, plus negative controls. Five chicken litters, including two with deliberate contamination (one transported and one not), two chicken types (specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Leghorns and Cobb broilers) and two ages at initial exposure (days 1 and 8). Two replicates of each treatment combination. The 10 chickens in each of 22 isolators were either exposed (20 isolators) or not (2 isolators) to 8 L of previously used or deliberately contaminated poultry litter in two deep scratch trays. At day 35 post-exposure, sera were assayed for antibodies against chicken anaemia virus (CAV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and fowl adenovirus (FAV). Spleen samples were tested for Marek's disease virus (MDV) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The bioassay detected CAV, IBDV and FAV, but not NDV, IBV or MDV, in chickens exposed to infected litters. Infection in SPF chickens was detected with greater sensitivity than in the broiler chickens. Sensitivity increased with age at exposure in broiler but not SPF chickens. Simulated transportation for 24 h had little effect on pathogen detection. A bioassay based on the exposure of day-old SPF chickens to poultry litter and measurement of seroconversion at day 35 post-exposure is a useful semi-quantitative assay for viral infectivity in poultry litter, with overnight transportation of litter having little effect on the level of viral infectivity detected. This bioassay has applications in research on litter treatment protocols. © 2013 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2013 Australian Veterinary Association.

Dominant viral pathologies in the extensive and semi-intensive animal breeding and their treatment mode in ethno veterinary medicine in Benin.

PubMed

Kpodékon, T M; Ogni, C A; Dassou, H; Dougnon, T J; Boko, C; Koutinhouin, G B; Goussanou, J S E; Akoegninou, A; Youssao, I

2015-12-01

This study aims to identify the dominant viral animal pathologies and to list the traditional recipes used by the breeders for their treatment. The method of data collection was based on a retrospective survey. Thus, 787 breeders and agro-breeders scattered in the eight agro-ecological areas of Benin were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. In total, 5 pathologies were reported by breeders. Among those pathologies, foot and mouth disease was reported by all of the breeders of the southern part of Borgou compared with the other areas (p<0.05) and treated by 25 species of medicinal plants. African swine fever was the main pathology reported (22.92%) (p<0.05) in the fishery areas which is controlled by 7 medicinal plants. Pseudorinderpest was more reported (33.78%) (p<0.05) in the cotton area of central Benin and treated by 8 medicinal plants. There is also Newcastle disease that was mostly reported in the Western Atacora and treated by 32 medicinal plants as well as fowl pox which was a more reported in the lands of the bar area and the low-pressure area about 34.48% and 36.17% proportions, respectively, and treated by eight medicinal plants. The breeders in Benin possess rich ethno veterinary knowledge on medicinal plants and their uses in the treatment of livestock. A total of 57 medicinal plants have been inventoried to fight against five major viral diseases as African swine fever, pseudorinderpest and foot and mouth disease. The common plants used to treat viral disease in general were Euphorbia unispina, Euphorbia poissonii, Lannea acida, and Mangifera indica. The most harvested organs on the plants reported in this survey were the barks, the leaves, and the whole plants. To better develop our indigenous resources, it would be important to expand this ethno-pharmacological investigation to other diseases category.

Dominant viral pathologies in the extensive and semi-intensive animal breeding and their treatment mode in ethno veterinary medicine in Benin

PubMed Central

Kpodékon, T. M.; Ogni, C. A.; Dassou, H.; Dougnon, T. J.; Boko, C.; Koutinhouin, G. B.; Goussanou, J. S. E.; Akoegninou, A.; Youssao, I.

2015-01-01

Aim: This study aims to identify the dominant viral animal pathologies and to list the traditional recipes used by the breeders for their treatment. Materials and Methods: The method of data collection was based on a retrospective survey. Thus, 787 breeders and agro-breeders scattered in the eight agro-ecological areas of Benin were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Results: In total, 5 pathologies were reported by breeders. Among those pathologies, foot and mouth disease was reported by all of the breeders of the southern part of Borgou compared with the other areas (p<0.05) and treated by 25 species of medicinal plants. African swine fever was the main pathology reported (22.92%) (p<0.05) in the fishery areas which is controlled by 7 medicinal plants. Pseudorinderpest was more reported (33.78%) (p<0.05) in the cotton area of central Benin and treated by 8 medicinal plants. There is also Newcastle disease that was mostly reported in the Western Atacora and treated by 32 medicinal plants as well as fowl pox which was a more reported in the lands of the bar area and the low-pressure area about 34.48% and 36.17% proportions, respectively, and treated by eight medicinal plants. Conclusion: The breeders in Benin possess rich ethno veterinary knowledge on medicinal plants and their uses in the treatment of livestock. A total of 57 medicinal plants have been inventoried to fight against five major viral diseases as African swine fever, pseudorinderpest and foot and mouth disease. The common plants used to treat viral disease in general were Euphorbia unispina, Euphorbia poissonii, Lannea acida, and Mangifera indica. The most harvested organs on the plants reported in this survey were the barks, the leaves, and the whole plants. To better develop our indigenous resources, it would be important to expand this ethno-pharmacological investigation to other diseases category. PMID:27047056

The chicken genome: some good news and some bad news.

PubMed

Dodgson, J B

2007-07-01

The sequencing of the chicken genome has generated a wealth of good news for poultry science. It allows the chicken to be a major player in 21st century biology by providing an entrée into an arsenal of new technologies that can be used to explore virtually any chicken phenotype of interest. The initial technological onslaught has been described in this symposium. The wealth of data available now or soon to be available cannot be explained by simplistic models and will force us to treat the inherent complexity of the chicken in ways that are more realistic but at the same time more difficult to comprehend. Initial single nucleotide polymorphism analyses suggest that broilers retain a remarkable amount of the genetic diversity of predomesticated Jungle Fowl, whereas commercial layer genomes display less diversity and broader linkage disequilibrium. Thus, intensive commercial selection has not fixed a genome rich in wide selective sweeps, at least within the broiler population. Rather, a complex assortment of combinations of ancient allelic diversity survives. Low levels of linkage disequilibrium will make association analysis in broilers more difficult. The wider disequilibrium observed in layers should facilitate the mapping of quantitative trait loci, and at the same time make it more difficult to identify the causative nucleotide change(s). In addition, many quantitative traits may be specific to the genetic background in which they arose and not readily transferable to, or detectable in, other line backgrounds. Despite the obstacles it presents, the genetic complexity of the chicken may also be viewed as good news because it insures that long-term genetic progress will continue via breeding using quantitative genetics, and it surely will keep poultry scientists busy for decades to come. It is now time to move from an emphasis on obtaining "THE" chicken genome sequence to obtaining multiple sequences, especially of foundation stocks, and a broader understanding of the full genetic and phenotypic diversity of the domesticated chicken.

Chicks change their pecking behaviour towards stationary and mobile food sources over the first 12 weeks of life: improvement and discontinuities.

PubMed

Murphy, Kenneth J; Hayden, Thomas J; Kent, John P

2014-01-01

Chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) learn to peck soon after hatching and then peck in rapid bursts or bouts with intervals of non-pecking activity. The food sources may be static such as seeds and chick crumb, or mobile such as a mealworm. Here, changes with age in pecking toward chick crumb and a mealworm were measured. Chicks were reared in pairs and their pecking of crumb food was video recorded in their pair housed environment, from food presentation, every third day from day 8 (wk 2) to day 65 (wk 10). Peck rate at crumb food reached maximum levels at day 32 (wk 5), and then declined, fitting a quadratic model, with no sex, sex of cagemate, or box order effects. Within bouts the peck rate was higher and it increased to day 41 (wk 6) and then declined, and here males pecked faster than females. A change in dietary protein concentration from 22% to 18% at day 28 (wk 4) had no effect on subsequent peck rate. Pecking at and consumption of a mealworm in pair housed chicks were measured weekly from wks [5 to 12]. The latency to first worm peck and latency to swallow decreased to wk 8 and increased thereafter. The peck rate to first wormpeck and number of pecks to swallow increased to wk 8 and then declined paralleling the changes with crumb food. The increase in peck rate is coupled with an increase in efficiency in worm catching. The results are consistent with the view that the improvement in pecking ability and accuracy compliments change in nutritional requirement best served by an invertebrate food (IF) source requiring speed to achieve feeding success, especially with live prey. When this food source is no longer crucial these associated skill levels decline. An appreciation of the role of domestic fowl in controlling insect populations, at farm level, that are often vectors in disease spread is lacking.

Canadian Rheumatology Association Meeting, The Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, February 8-11, 2017.

PubMed

Silverman, Earl D

2017-05-01

The 72nd Annual Meeting of The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) was held at The Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, February 8-11, 2017. The program consisted of presentations covering original research, symposia, awards, and lectures. Highlights of the meeting include the following 2017 award winners: Dr. Vinod Chandran, Young Investigator; Dr. Jacques P. Brown, Distinguished Investigator; Dr. David Robinson, Teacher-Educator; Dr. Michel Zummer, Distinguished Rheumatologist; Ms. Rebecca Gole, Best Abstract on SLE Research by a Trainee - Ian Watson Award; Ms. Bailey Russell, Best Abstract on Clinical or Epidemiology Research by a Trainee - Phil Rosen Award; Dr. Sahil Koppikar and Dr. Henry Averns, Practice Reflection Award; Dr. Shirine Usmani, Best Abstract on Basic Science Research by a Trainee; Ms. Carol Dou, Best Abstract for Research by an Undergraduate Student; Dr. Dania Basodan, Best Abstract on Research by a Rheumatology Resident; Dr. Claire Barber, Best Abstract on Adult Research by Young Faculty; Ms. Audrea Chen, Best Abstract by a Medical Student; Dr. Kun Huang, Best Abstract by a Post-Graduate Resident; and Dr. Ryan Lewinson, Best Abstract by a Post-Graduate Research Trainee. Lectures and other events included a Keynote Lecture by Jonathon Fowles: Exercise is Medicine: Is Exercise a Good or Bad Thing for People with Arthritis?; State of the Art Lecture by Matthew Warman: Insights into Bone Biology and Therapeutics Gleaned from the Sustained Investigation of Rare Diseases; Dunlop-Dottridge Lecture by Allen Steere: Lyme Disease: A New Problem for Rheumatologists in Canada; and the Great Debate: Be it Resolved that the Least Expensive Treatment Should be Chosen. Switch, Switch, Switch! Arguing for: Jonathan Chan and Antonio Avina, and against: Marinka Twilt and Glen Hazlewood. Topics such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Sjögren syndrome, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis, vasculitis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, pediatric rheumatology, and their respective diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes are reflected in the abstracts, which we are pleased to publish in this issue of The Journal .

Broad spectrum reactivity versus subtype specificity-trade-offs in serodiagnosis of influenza A virus infections by competitive ELISA.

PubMed

Postel, A; Ziller, M; Rudolf, M; Letzel, T; Ehricht, Ralf; Pourquier, P; Dauber, M; Grund, C; Beer, Martin; Harder, T C

2011-04-01

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the H5 and H7 subtypes can cause substantial economic losses in the poultry industry and are a potential threat to public health. Serosurveillance of poultry populations is an important monitoring tool and can also be used for control of vaccination campaigns. The purpose of this study was to develop broadly reactive, yet subtype-specific competitive ELISAs (cELISAs) for the specific detection of antibodies to the notifiable AIV subtypes H5 and H7 as an alternative to the gold standard haemagglutination inhibition assay (HI). Broadly reacting monoclonal competitor antibodies (mAbs) and genetically engineered subtype H5 or H7 haemagglutinin antigen, expressed and in vivo biotinylated in insect cells, were used to develop the cELISAs. Sera from galliform species and water fowl (n=793) were used to evaluate the performance characteristics of the cELISAs. For the H5 specific cELISA, 98.1% test sensitivity and 91.5% test specificity (97.7% and 90.2% for galliforms; 98.9% and 92.6% for waterfowl), and for the H7 cELISA 97.3% sensitivity and 91.8% specificity (95.3% and 98.9% for galliforms; 100% and 82.7% for waterfowl) were reached when compared to HI. The use of competitor mAbs with broad spectrum reactivity within an AIV haemagglutinin subtype allowed for homogenous detection with high sensitivity of subtype-specific antibodies induced by antigenically widely distinct isolates including antigenic drift variants. However, a trade-off regarding sensitivity versus nonspecific detection of interfering antibodies induced by phylo- and antigenically closely related subtypes, e.g., H5 versus H2 and H7 versus H15, must be considered. The observed intersubtype antibody cross-reactivity remains a disturbance variable in AIV subtype-specific serodiagnosis which negatively affects specificity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and evaluation of chicken embryo-adapted fowl adenovirus serotype 4 vaccine in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Mansoor, Muhammad Khalid; Hussain, Iftikhar; Arshad, Muhammad; Muhammad, Ghulam

2011-02-01

The current study was planned to develop an efficient vaccine against hydropericardium syndrome virus (HSV). Currently, formalin-inactivated liver organ vaccines failed to protect the Pakistan broiler industry from this destructive disease of economic importance. A field isolate of the pathogenic hydropericardium syndrome virus was adapted to chicken embryos after four blind passages. The chicken embryo-adapted virus was further serially passaged (12 times) to get complete attenuation. Groups of broiler chickens free from maternal antibodies against HSV at the age of 14 days were immunized either with 16th passage attenuated HSV vaccine or commercially formalized liver organ vaccine. The antibody response, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the group immunized with the 16th passage attenuated HSV vaccine compared to the group immunized with liver organ vaccine at 7, 14, and 21 days post-immunization. At 24 days of age, the broiler chickens in each group were challenged with 10(3.83) embryo infectious dose(50) of pathogenic HSV and were observed for 7 days post-challenge. Vaccination with the 16th passage attenuated HSV gave 94.73% protection as validated on the basis of clinical signs (5.26%), gross lesions in the liver and heart (5.26%), histopathological lesions in the liver (1.5 ± 0.20), and mortality (5.26%). The birds inoculated with liver organ vaccine showed significantly low (p < 0.05; 55%) protection estimated on the basis of clinical signs (40%), gross lesions in the liver and heart (45%), histopathological lesions in the liver (2.7 ± 0.72), and mortality (35%). Birds in the unvaccinated control group showed high morbidity (84%), mortality (70%), gross (85%), and histopathological lesions (3.79 ± 0.14) with only 10% protection. In conclusion, this newly developed HSV vaccine proved to be immunogenic and has potential for controlling HSV infections in chickens.

Fertility and hatchability in RIR and WL breeds as functionally modified by crossing them in alternate sex combinations (Gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Zelleke, G; Moudgal, R P; Asmare, A

2005-02-01

(1) Four breeding groups of Rhode Island Red and White Leghorn domestic fowl (RIR (female) x RIR (male), RIR (female) x WL (male), WL (female) x RIR (male) and WL (female) x WL (male)) were compared for fertility, hatchability, and their post-insemination sustainability, egg weight loss during incubation and uncovered yolk in abdominal cavity of dead in shell in order to understand the problems associated with the RIR breed in these respects. (2) Crossing RIR (female) with WL (male) or in reverse sex combinations did not improve fertility in comparison to pure RIR chickens and all these groups were less fertile than the pure WL. (3) Unlike fertility, hatchability in RIR improved with the change to either sex partner of the WL breed but the WL (female) x RIR (male) combination was similar to the pure WL (97.72 and 97.12%, respectively). In contrast, crossing RIR (female) with WL (male) resulted in an improvement (86.67%) as compared to pure RIR (76.67%) but still lower than the pure WL and WL (female) x RIR (male) cross. (4) Egg weight loss during incubation was more (20.16%) in pure RIR as compared to RIR (female) x WL (male) (17.13%), followed by WL (female) x RIR (male) (10.28%) and pure WL (9.57%). (5) There were more dead-in-shell embryos with yolks outside their abdominal cavity in pure RIR and their crosses as compared to pure WL breeds. (6) Fertility was sustained for longer in WL than other combinations with post-artificial insemination using constant number of spermatozoa. Fertility after a week of insemination tended to decrease more rapidly than hatchability on a fertile egg basis. (7) It is concluded that both sexes are responsible for the poor fertility in RIR but the female is responsible for poor hatchability and this poor performance is mainly due to greater egg weight loss during incubation.

Interaction and Relationship Between Groundwater and Surface Water at Keystone Heritage Park EL Paso Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, B.

2012-12-01

Belinda Gonzalez1, Joshua Villalobos1, Marissa Cameron 2 1Department of Geological Sciences, El Paso Community College, El Paso, TX 79925, USA 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA beli_72764@yahoo.com Historically the floodplain of the Rio Grande River was dotted with shifting wetlands and ponds.The increasing population throughout the United States and Mexico has made it necessary to put the Rio Grande floodplain under till for cultivation. Along with cultivation, the river was channelized and dammed to prevent flooding and to stabilize the Mexico/U.S. border.The loss of wetland ecosystems in the area changed migration patterns of water fowl and destroyed priceless aquatic habitats.The area of our study, Keystone Heritage Park, is the last remaining open wetlands in El Paso County. Before efforts of restoration to reestablish wetlands associated with the Rio Grande can begin, there must be an in-depth, and complete, understanding of the surface and subsurface hydrological system which created and sustains this last remaining wetland. Studies of the wetland's soil properties and their effect on groundwater flow have indicated regions on the periphery of the wetlands where soils are saturated with moisture.These subsurface regions of saturated soils are semi-linear in shape and lead toward the wetland indicating that they are possible loci for groundwater flow for the wetland.These subsurface soil layers are possibly composed of mountain front alluvium that is being feed with meteoric water entering faults that bound the nearby Franklin Mountains.The primary goals of this study are 1) initiate a systematic data acquisition from 9 piezometers and 2 water level loggers of temporal variations in the depth of the groundwater due to regional pumping or rain fall and 2) generate a depth and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) profile of the wetland pond to locate regions where groundwater maybe entering the lake.