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Detection of Haemosporidia in Healthy Pet Parrots in South Korea

  • Hong, Sunghyun S.;Kim, Sungryong;Han, Jae-Ik;Na, Ki-Jeong
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.1-6
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    • 2021
  • Avian haemosporidia, including malarial parasites, are geologically and biologically widespread. The protozoal pathogen has been a subject of intensive research in the past, which has resulted in major medical progress. Haemosporidia infection in avian species in South Korea has been studied in wild birds and layer flocks, but not in pet birds. At the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Chungbuk National University, 75 birds that presented for health check-up were tested to evaluate the infection rate of Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon in birds without clinical symptoms. Haemoproteus spp. and Leucocytozoon spp. were simultaneously detected in a Major Mitchell's cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri) by polymerase chain reaction, representing 1.33% of the tested birds. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the infective Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon strains were similar to those detected in foreign countries rather than those detected in the wild birds of Korea. Although the infection rate may not be indicative of a substantial infection in healthy pet parrots, the import of infected birds can pose a threat by allowing foreign pathogens to infect the local wild flocks or livestock. This is the first surveillance study of avian haemosporidia in pet parrots in South Korea.

Distribution, flight altitude, and habitat use of birds at the Demonstration Offshore Wind Farm in the Southern Part of the West Sea (서남해 해상풍력 실증단지에서 조류의 분포, 비행고도 그리고 서식지 이용)

  • Jae-Gyun Lim;Jung-Soo Kim;Seung-Jong Jin
    • Journal of Wind Energy
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.75-86
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    • 2023
  • We observed five species and 163 individuals of birds in the Demonstration Offshore Wind Farm in the southern part of the West Sea in Korea, and 33 species and 4,023 individuals from Gusipo to Dongho Beach. The most dominant bird in both areas was the black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris. The flight height of birds for collision risk (wind turbine and bird) was divided into two groups. First, the safe height was from sea level to 20 m (< 20 m), with no effect from the action of revolving blades. Second, the danger height was more than 20 m from sea level (> 20 m), with a collision risk from the action of revolving blades. Birds flying a safe height (< 20 m) were 83.9% (271 individuals) and danger height (> 20 m) were 16.1% (52 individuals). Also, 11.7% of birds (35 individuals) used the inside of the Demonstration Offshore Wind Farm as a habitat for foraging and resting, and 88.3% birds used the outside. We suggest that the risk of collision with the wind farm was low due to the relatively low flight height of birds and distance between wind turbines (> 800 m).

Free Range Hens Use the Range More When the Outdoor Environment Is Enriched

  • Nagle, T.A.D.;Glatz, P.C.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.584-591
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    • 2012
  • To evaluate the role of using forage, shade and shelterbelts in attracting birds into the range, three trials were undertaken with free range layers both on a research facility and on commercial farms. Each of the trials on the free range research facility in South Australia used a total of 120 laying hens (Hyline Brown). Birds were housed in an eco-shelter which had 6 internal pens of equal size with a free range area adjoining the shelter. The on-farm trials were undertaken on commercial free range layer farms in the Darling Downs in Southeast Queensland with bird numbers on farms ranging from 2,000-6,800 hens. The first research trial examined the role of shaded areas in the range; the second trial examined the role of forage and the third trial examined the influence of shelterbelts in the range. These treatments were compared to a free range area with no enrichment. Aggressive feather pecking was only observed on a few occasions in all of the trials due to the low bird numbers housed. Enriching the free range environment attracted more birds into the range. Shaded areas were used by 18% of the hens with a tendency (p = 0.07) for more hens to be in the paddock. When forage was provided in paddocks more control birds (55%) were observed in the range in morning than in the afternoon (30%) while for the forage treatments 45% of the birds were in the range both during the morning and afternoon. When shelterbelts were provided there was a significantly (p<0.05) higher % of birds in the range (43% vs. 24%) and greater numbers of birds were observed in areas further away from the poultry house. The results from the on-farm trials mirrored the research trials. Overall 3 times more hens used the shaded areas than the non shaded areas, with slightly more using the shade in the morning than in the afternoon. As the environmental temperature increased the number of birds using the outdoor shade also increased. Overall 17 times more hens used the shelterbelt areas than the control areas, with slightly more using the shelterbelts in the afternoon than in the morning. Approximately 17 times more birds used the forage areas compared to the control area in the corresponding range. There were 8 times more birds using a hay bale enriched area compared to the area with no hay bales. The use of forage sources (including hay bales) were the most successful method on-farm to attract birds into the range followed by shelterbelts and artificial shade. Free range egg farmers are encouraged to provide pasture, shaded areas and shelterbelts to attract birds into the free range.

Genetic correlations between behavioural responses and performance traits in laying hens

  • Rozempolska-Rucinska, Iwona;Zieba, Grzegorz;Kibala, Lucyna;Prochniak, Tomasz;Lukaszewicz, Marek
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.30 no.12
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    • pp.1674-1678
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    • 2017
  • Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate genetic correlations between the behavioural profile and performance in laying hens as an indirect answer to the question whether the observed behavioural responses are associated with increased levels of stress in these birds. Methods: The assessment of birds' temperament was carried out using the novel objects test. The behavioural test was conducted in two successive generations comprising 9,483 Rhode Island White (RIW) birds (approx. 4,700 individuals per generation) and 4,326 Rhode Island Red (RIR) birds (approx. 2,100 individuals per generation). Based on the recorded responses, the birds were divided into two groups: a fearful profile (1,418 RIW hens and 580 RIR hens) and a brave/curious profile (8,065 RIW hens and 3,746 RIR hens). The birds were subjected to standard assessment of their performance traits, including SM, age at sexual maturity; ST, shell thickness; SG, egg specific gravity; EW, mean egg weight; IP, initial egg production; and HC, number of hatched chicks. The pedigree was three generations deep (including two behaviourrecorded generations). Estimation of the (co)variance components was performed with the Gibbs sampling method, which accounts for the discrete character of the behavioural profile denotation. Results: The analyses revealed negative correlations between the performance traits of the laying hens and the behavioural profile defined as fearful. In the group of fearful RIW birds, delayed sexual maturation (0.22) as well as a decrease in the initial egg production (-0.30), egg weight (-0.54), egg specific gravity (-0.331), shell thickness (-0.11), and the number of hatched chicks (-0.24) could be expected. These correlations were less pronounced in the RIR breed, in which the fearful birds exhibited a decline in hatchability (-0.37), egg specific gravity (-0.11), and the number of hatched chicks (-0.18). There were no correlations in the case of the other traits or they were positive but exhibited a substantial standard error, as for the egg weight. Conclusion: To sum up the results obtained, it can be noted that behavioural responses indicating fearfulness, i.e. escape, avoidance, and approach-avoidance may reflect negative emotions experienced by birds. The negative correlations with performance in the group of fearful hens may indirectly indicate a high level of stress in these birds, especially in the white-feathered birds, where stronger performance-fearfulness correlations were found. Fearful birds should be eliminated from breeding by inclusion of the behavioural profile in the selection criterion in the case of laying hens.

Studies on the Immunization Against Newcastle Disease III. Investions on the Immunity of Newcatle Disease with Special Reference to Vaccination Program and Route (뉴캣슬병 면역에 대한 검토 III. 예방접종 프로그램과 접종경노를 중심으로 한 뉴캣슬병 면역능 검토)

  • 이학철;정유열
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.77-89
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    • 1981
  • The experimental study was undertaken to confirm the effect of vaccination of birds with Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines on the Market by use of th. various vaccination programs. Sixteen groups of birds varying from 2 to f days of age, which were originated from hyper-immunised hens against ND were immunised by three different ways, a live vaccine only, a killed vaccine only, and the combination of a live and killed vaccine according to the each schedule of employed programs. In the administration of a live vaccine only, birds were immunized by one of following methods, the combination of intranasal and intraocular inoculation, intramuscular inoculation, via drinking water and the double inoculation by spray and drinking water application. Except for the double application, all the birds were vaccinated 2,3 or 4 times with two volumes of the virus dose (drinking water application) instructed by the commercial vaccine laboratory, until 21, 28 or 30 days of age, and all the immunized birds 19, 21 or 28 days postvaccination were challenged intramuscularly with 1.0$m\ell$ of 10,000 MLD per $m\ell$ of a virulent ND virus. In the administration of the combination of a live and killed vaccine, birds were immunized 2 or 3 times intranasally at first until 14 or 28 days of age with the same dose of the above experiment of a live vaccine, and then inoculated intramuscularly 1 or 2 times until 60 days of age with 1.0 $m\ell$ of a killed vaccine. And all immunized birds 11 days postvaccination were challenged with the same procedure of the above experiment. In the administration of a killed vaccine only, birds were immunized 3 times intramuscularly until 28 days of age with varied dose (0.2-0.5 $m\ell$) of a killed vaccine and all immunized birds 33 days postvaccination were challenged with the same procedure of the above experiment. The results obtained are summerised as follows: All birds vaccinated by using the combination of a live and killed vaccine program or a killed vaccin only appeared to be refractory. without any sign of illness, to the challenge exposure with 1.0$m\ell$ of 10,000 MLD per $m\ell$ of a virulent ND virus. On the other hand, the survival rates of birds of live vaccine groups immunized by a number of vaccine program such as Salsbury's day old program, 3-3-3 program, the Institute of Veterinary Reserch program and Multiple inoculation program, were 39.58%, 43.7%, 43.75% and 47.80%, respectively. And the survival rates of birds vaccinated with a live vaccine by 4 different ways of administration, i.e., double inoculation by water and aerosol application, intramuscular injection, intranasal instillation and via 4.inking water were 87.50%, 64.06%, 42.18% and 25.00%, respectively.

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Self-administration of an Analgesic Does Not Alleviate Pain in Beak Trimmed Chickens

  • Freire, Rafael;Glatz, Philip C.;Hinch, Geoff
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.443-448
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    • 2008
  • Beak trimming in laying hens is a routine practice in which about 1/3-1/2 of the upper and lower beak is removed with the aim of reducing cannibalism. This experiment aimed to identify if this procedure causes pain by examining self-administration of an analgesic (carprofen) and pecking behaviour in 80 laying pullets beak-trimmed by two different methods at one day of age using hot-blade cauterisation or infra-red cauterisation. We also tested a control treatment, pullets with intact beaks, and a positive control treatment of pullets beak trimmed at 10 weeks of age which were expected to experience some pain due to recent severing of the underlying nerves in the beak. At 11 weeks of age birds trimmed at 10 weeks of age pecked more (p<0.001) gently ($0.6{\pm}0.06N$) at a disc attached to a force-displacement transducer than birds trimmed at 1 day of age with an infra-red machine ($0.9{\pm}0.1N$) or a hot blade ($1.1{\pm}0.07N$) and intact birds ($1.2{\pm}0.1N$). Maximum force of pecks recorded was also lower (p<0.001) in birds trimmed at 10 weeks of age than birds trimmed at 1 day of age with an infra-red method or a hot blade and intact birds. However, the pecking force in birds trimmed at 10 weeks of age was not increased by providing them with analgesic-treated feed, though birds that ate more carprofen had a higher maximum force of peck (p = 0.03). Pecking force in birds beak-trimmed at 1 day of age was the same as the pecking force of intact birds, and was unaffected by feeding pullets carprofen. A method of self-administration of an analgesic had previously revealed that chickens in neuromuscular pain arising from lameness consumed more of a feed containing carprofen than healthy chickens. However, we found no evidence that beak-trimmed pullets consumed more carprofen-treated feed than pullets with an intact beak. It should be noted that the three beak trimming methods resulted in an average 34% reduction in beak length, considered a light trim, and is perhaps not representative of commercial birds where greater portions of the beak are removed. We conclude that although carprofen has been reported to have an analgesic effect on neuromuscular pain in chickens, it appears to have no analgesic effect on potential neuropathic pain arising from the nerves severed by a light beak trim.

Study on the Protection and Management of Avifauna in Chirisan National Park (지리산 국립공원내 조류상의 보호 및 관리에 관한 연구)

  • 이우신;이준우;박찬열
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.79-90
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    • 1991
  • This study was conducted to investigate seasonal avifauna and to suggest a proper way how to manage and protect wild birds in Chirisan National Park. The survey was carried over 3 main trail districts by line transect method to figure out influence factor of inhabitation of wild birds from February to November in 1991. The study results are as follows : The observed birds were belong to 6 orders 24 families 49 species and 981 individuals and Falco tinnunculus(Natural monument No. 323). These birds also classified into 24 species for residents, 12 species for summer visitor. 9 species for winter visitor, 4 species for passage migrant, respectively. The observed average frequeney of birds was 2.09e.a./ha, and main dominant species were Parus varius, Parus major, Emberiza elegans, Garrolus glandarius, Sitta europaea, Hypsipetes amaurotis, Parus palustris in order. Cheoneun-sa trail route showed relatively decreasing trend of wild birds during spring and fall season because of the highest trail use of visitors. Maximum frequency of species and individuals appeared at Hwaum-sa route in spring and at Piagol route in fall. respectively. Those regions well explained the advantageous inhabitation area of birds in both regions. The diversity index of birds in winter showed little difference of similarity index due to balanced use of trails. Seasonal low similarity index in those 3 main trail district indicate a dissimilarity of environmental factors. Trail use restriction as a provision of proper management and protection of wild birds have to be made at Hwaum-sa route where propagation of birds actively occurred in spring and at Piagol route where birds wintering were observed will contribute to enhance species diversity in the future.

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Effect of Caponization on Muscle Composition, Shear Value, ATP Related Compounds and Taste Appraisal in Taiwan Country Chicken Cockerels

  • Lin, Cheng-Yung;Lin, Liang-Chuan;Hsu, Jenn-Chung
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.24 no.7
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    • pp.1026-1030
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    • 2011
  • An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of caponization on the muscle composition, ATP-related compounds, the shear values, the taste panel scores and the muscle fiber areas of Taiwan country chicken cockerels. At 10 wks of age, cockerels were divided into two groups: caponized and untreated. Birds were fed grower and finisher diets ad libitum in an eighteen-week experimental period. Results showed that capons contained significantly greater muscle fat content, less breast and thigh muscle moisture content, shear value and muscle fiber area (p<0.05) than those of intact birds. However, neither treatment groups differed significantly (p>0.05) in breast and thigh muscle protein content. Compared with the intact birds, the capons contained significantly (p<0.05) less muscle ash content in the breasts, but did not differ significantly (p>0.05) in thigh muscle ash content. The breast muscle IMP and ATP+ADP+AMP+IMP contents in the intact birds were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the capons. The intact birds had significantly (p<0.05) higher ATP and AMP contents than did the capons as well as significantly (p<0.05) less ADP and inosine (HxR) contents in the thigh and breast muscles. The Hypoxanthine (Hx) content of the thighs in the intact birds was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in the capons; however, there was an adverse effect on the breast muscle Hx content. The breast muscle K value in the intact birds was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that in the capons. The capons produced significantly (p<0.05) higher taste panel scores than did the intact birds for both flavor and juiciness of thigh muscle as well as for flavor and tenderness of breast muscle.

Effects of Different Dietary Levels of Mannanoligosaccharide on Growth Performance and Gut Development of Broiler Chickens

  • Yang, Y.;Iji, P.A.;Choct, M.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.20 no.7
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    • pp.1084-1091
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    • 2007
  • Different levels of dietary mannanoligosaccharide (Bio-MOS, Alltech Inc.) were evaluated for their efficacy on performance and gut development of broiler chickens during a 6-week experimental period. Experimental diets contained (g MOS/kg diet) a low (0.5 g during the entire period), medium (1 g during the entire period), high (2 g during the entire period), or step down (2 g in the first week; 1 g in the second and third week; 0.5 g in the last three weeks) level of MOS. Control diets included a negative and a positive control (zinc bacitracin, ZnB, 50 ppm and 30 ppm in the first and last three weeks, respectively). MOS supplementation improved the growth performance of young birds and the effects became less when the birds got older. The growth response of birds was more obvious at the high dosage level of MOS treatment than the other MOS treatments and the growth performance of birds fed on the high MOS diet was comparable to that of birds fed on the ZnB diet. Depending on the dosage level and the age of birds, MOS seemed to reduce the size of the liver and the relative length of the small intestine but did not affect the relative weight of the other visceral organs (proventriculus, gizzard, pancreas, bursa and spleen) and that of the small intestine. A numerical increase in the small intestine digestibility of nutrients was noticed in the young birds fed on the MOS diet(s), but not in the older ones. Medium and/or high MOS treatment also increased the villus height of the small intestine of birds at different ages. Similar results were observed on the ZnB treatment. However, MOS and ZnB affected caecal VFA profile in different ways. MOS increased, or tended to increase, whereas ZnB reduced individual VFA concentrations in the caeca.

Comparison of Some Selected Growth, Physiological and Bone Characteristics of Capon, Slip and Intact Birds in Taiwan Country Chicken Cockerels

  • Lin, Cheng-Yung;Hsu, Jenn-Chung
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.50-56
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    • 2003
  • An experiment was carried out to compare the body weight, shank length, rectal temperature, comb area, abdominal fat, blood parameters and bone traits of capon, slip and intact birds in Taiwan country chicken cockerels. One hundred and sixty-six Taiwan country chicken cockerels were randomly assigned to caponized or intact male groups. Caponized birds were surgically altered at 10 weeks old and raised to 28 weeks old. At 28 weeks of age, the capons were separated into capon and slip groups, depending on the atrophy of the comb and wattle in size. The results showed that body weight and shank length in slips were significantly (p<0.05) greater than in intact birds. Intact birds had the highest (p<0.05)feather scores and the lowest (p<0.05) rectal temperature. Compared with intact birds and slips, capons had a significantly (p<0.05) smaller comb area. Bone percentage, stress and cortical thickness, and bone and ash calcium content and plasma testosterone concentration, in intact birds were the highest (p<0.05) followed by slips and capons. However, intact birds had the lowest (p<0.05) plasma ionized calcium and phosphorus concentrations. Bone and ash manganese contents in capons were significantly (p<0.05)lower than those in others. These findings support the hypothesis that androgenic effects on secondary sexual characteristics are stronger than anabolic growth promoting response. Androgens can directly influence calcium fluxes in male chickens. Caponized caused a reduction in the bone percentage, stress, cortical thickness and bone calcium content.