• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2011

Four strains of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) were isolated from 4 flocks of broiler or layer chickens affected by hydropericardium syndrome in Korea. These FAdVs were classified as serotype 4 by restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of hexon genes and whole genomes. The virus exhibited cytopathic effects consisting of rounding, ballooning and clustering in primary chicken embryo liver cell cultures. In transmission electron microscopy, virus particles in hexagonal shape aggregated exclusively in the nuclei of hepatocytes of the chickens as the typical appearances in adenovirus infections. Buoyant density of the virus in cesium chloride (CsCl) was 1.34 g/mL. The virus was stable to chloroform, ether, 50~70% ethanol, acidic condition at pH 3, 0.25% trypsin (1 : 250), heat at $50^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, but labile to 100% ethanol, heat at $52{\sim}60^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, 1 M $MgCl_2$ at $50^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, 1 : 2,000 formalin (37%). All of the physicochemical properties pertained to the characteristics of adenoviruses. Eight viral polypeptides were determined in CsCl-purified virus by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1619-1637
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• 2000

A review was undertaken to obtain information on the range of beak-trimming methods available or under development. Beak-trimming of commercial layer replacement pullets is a common yet critical management tool that can affect the performance for the life of the flock. The most obvious advantage of beak-trimming is a reduction in cannibalism although the extent of the reduction in cannibalism depends on the strain, season, and type of housing, flock health and other factors. Beak-trimming also improves feed conversion by reducing food wastage. A further advantage of beak-trimming is a reduction in the chronic stress associated with dominance interactions in the flock. Beak-trimming of birds at 7-10 days is favoured by Industry but research over last 10 years has shown that beak-trimming at day-old causes the least stress on birds and efforts are needed to encourage Industry to adopt the practice of beak-trimming birds at day-old. Proper beak-trimming can result in greatly improved layer performance but improper beak-trimming can ruin an other wise good flock of hens. Re-trimming is practiced in most flocks, although there are some flocks that only need one trimming. Given the continuing welfare scrutiny of using a hot blade to cut the beak, attempts have been made to develop more welfare friendly methods of beak-trimming. Despite the developments in design of hot blade beak-trimmers the process has remained largely unchanged. That is, a red-hot blade cuts and cauterises the beak. The variables in the process are blade temperature, cauterisation time, operator ability, severity of trimming, age of trimming, strain of bird and beak length. This method of beak-trimming is still overwhelmingly favoured in Industry and there appears to be no other alternative procedures that are more effective. Sharp secateurs have been used trim the upper beak of both layers and turkeys. Bleeding from the upper mandible ceases shortly after the operation, and despite the regrowth of the beak a reduction of cannibalism has been reported. Very few differences have been noted between behaviour and production of the hot blade and cold blade cut chickens. This method has not been used on a large scale in Industry. There are anecdotal reports of cannibalism outbreaks in birds with regrown beaks. A robotic beak-trimming machine was developed in France, which permitted simultaneous, automated beak-trimming and vaccination of day-old chicks of up to 4,500 chickens per hour. Use of the machine was not successful because if the chicks were not loaded correctly they could drop off the line, receive excessive beak-trimming or very light trimming. Robotic beak-trimming was not effective if there was a variation in the weight or size of chickens. Capsaicin can cause degeneration of sensory nerves in mammals and decreases the rate of beak regrowth by its action on the sensory nerves. Capsaicin is a cheap, non-toxic substance that can be readily applied at the time of less severe beak-trimming. It suffers the disadvantage of causing an extreme burning sensation in operators who come in contact with the substance during its application to the bird. Methods of applying the substance to minimise the risk to operators of coming in contact with capsaicin need to be explored. A method was reported which cuts the beaks with a laser beam in day-old chickens. No details were provided on the type of laser used, or the severity of beak-trimming, but by 16 weeks the beaks of laser trimmed birds resembled the untrimmed beaks, but without the bill tip. Feather pecking and cannibalism during the laying period were highest among the laser trimmed hens. Currently laser machines are available that are transportable and research to investigate the effectiveness of beak-trimming using ablasive and coagulative lasers used in human medicine should be explored. Liquid nitrogen was used to declaw emu toes but was not effective. There was regrowth of the claws and the time and cost involved in the procedure limit the potential of using this process to beak-trim birds.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2010

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) infection results in severe economic loss in the poultry industry. In the previous reports, F strain, one of the MG live vaccine strains, could protect the bird from field infection of MG strains. In this study, efficacy of PoulShot$^{(R)}$ MG-F vaccine againset mycoplasma gallisepticum infection was evaluated for filed application in commercial layers. Commercial layers from two different farms received with PoulShot$^{(R)}$ MG-F, MG-F live vaccine at 9~14 weeks of age. Serological immune response to MG vaccine, the persistency of MG vaccine strain in the upper respiratory tracts and egg production rate were evaluated in the vaccinated, contacted or nonvaccinated flocks. The serological response was first detected at 3 weeks after vaccination (WAV) and persisted for 31 WAV. The MG vaccine strains were also persisted for 31 WAV based on the reisolation and PCR detection. There was no difference between the vaccinated or non-vaccinated flocks in the egg production rate but in the abnormality rate of eggs. Based on the above results, we suggested that the PoulShot$^{(R)}$, MG-F live vaccine was fully immunogenic and had characteristics of long persistence in the upper respiratory trachea which will reduce economic loss caused by MG infection in the layer farms.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2009

Fatty liver-hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is a common nutritional disease in commercial layers and breeders. The most important clinical sign of FLHS is a sudden drop in egg production and increased mortality which causes significant economic loss in the poultry industry. However, the current diagnostic method for FLHS is based on the gross findings at necropsy which is not helpful to reduce the economic loss because of lateness of diagnosis. Therefore, we need early diagnosis and diagnostic methods before chickens were affected by FLHS. In this study we tried to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pathology including blood chemistry as an early diagnostic method for FLHS in commercial chickens. Profiles of blood biochemistry were compared between two flocks selected in the same commercial layer farm based on the presence of FLHS clinical sings. A flock with clinical signs of FLHS was designated as FLHS and other flock without clinical signs of FLHS as Non-FLHS. Several parameters of blood biochemistry were selected and compared between FLHS and Non-FLHS to evaluate the possibility of early diagnosis. Average concentrations of serum cholesterol, serum calcium, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) were $139.4\;{\pm}\;87.2$ (mg/dL), $24.5\;{\pm}\;5.4$ (mg/dL), $153.6\;{\pm}\;23.1$ (IU/L), $1238.3\;{\pm}\;475.2$ (IU/L) and $1107.3\;{\pm}\;422.8$ (IU/L) in Non-FLHS flock, respectively, and $210.2\;{\pm}\;173.2$ (mg/dL), $25.2\;{\pm}\;4.1$ (mg/dL), $174.3\;{\pm}\;53.5$ (IU/L), $1694.9\;{\pm}\;691.3$ (IU/L) and $1104.9\;{\pm}\;472.9$ (IU/L) in FLHS flock, respectively. The activities of serum cholesterol, AST and LDH except CK, were significantly higher in FLHS than those in Non-FLHS flock (p<0.05). Some birds of FLHS flock showed 2~17 times greater than in Non-FLHS flock. For the definitive diagnosis of FLHS in the flocks tested for blood chemistry, we analyzed fat content and histological lesion score in the liver sampled from both FLHS and Non-FLHS flock. Average liver fat contents based on dry weight were $16.1\;{\pm}\;0.4$ (%) in Non-FLHS flock and were $21.6\;{\pm}\;16.0$ (%) in FLHS flock. These result confirmed that FLHS flock was definitely affected by FLHS. The above results suggest that selected parameters of blood biochemistry, particularly AST, could be useful to diagnose FLHS before significant liver damage occurred in commercial layers.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.235-247
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• 2019

Serological monitoring has been conducted worldwide for early diagnosis of disease and monitoring of immune status in poultry. This study was conducted to evaluate the immune status of layers with sera submitted to the Avian Disease Laboratory, Chungbuk National University from 2015 to 2017. The test results were analyzed by the time submitted and by the age of the chicks. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) showed a low positive rate of antibody compared with those of Newcastle disease, indicating that domestic vaccination against LPAI was not sufficient. The antibody profile of infectious bronchitis (IB) depicted high level of titer and a low tendency of CV as compared to the uninfected control flocks, which indicated that most layer farms have been exposed to the field IB virus. In case of avian metapneumovirus infection (aMPV) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), since the introduction of the vaccine in 2011 and 2017, respectively, the positive rate and the titer level were higher than those in pevious times. No significant difference in the changes of seasonal result was observed, indicating proper vaccination and improvement in biosecurity and management.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.313-325
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• 2019

In most cases of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) outbreaks, stamping-out operations are initiated by officially designating the affected premise, which is subsequently followed by depopulation of infected flocks. The primary objective of this study was to develop an evaluation method that correlates the level of biosecurity and the risk of having an HPAI outbreak in domestic poultry farms. A total of eight farms were selected nationwide, including layer farms, broiler farms, and an animal welfare type farm. The biosecurity level of the chosen poultry farms was assessed based on a total scoring index of 183 divided into three categories, general management (51), quarantine management (106), and sanitation management (26). Conclusively, the five layer farms (JS, GE, CS, HS, OE), scored higher overall scores compared to the animal welfare farm (CH) and broiler farms (JG, LB). In terms of scoring, which adds up to a total of 183 points, most layer farms scored between 130 and 157, while the two broiler farms and the welfare farm scored 45, 75 and 70, respectively. Next, an independent HPAI risk assessment of the farms was carried out. Regarding the correlation between biosecurity levels and HPAI risks, in the farms that presented a higher overall score in terms of biosecurity and outweighed the risks of HPAI, they tended to earn more points in the quarantine management category. The results of this study suggest that a viable system for evaluating biosecurity levels can establish strong correlations with the risk of having HPAI.