Poultry Diseases and their Management During Winter

Both people and livestock face difficulties during the cold, winter season. Similar to how the human flu is spreading throughout most homes this season as expected, epidemic Poultry Diseases are also being reported in these winter conditions. The transmission of disease-causing organisms is facilitated by the cold and damp climate. Temperature drops and higher relative humidity are both characteristics of the wet season. These elements, along with potential cold winds, cause significant alterations in the bird’s body system. These environmental variations cause stress, which weakens the immune system and increases the risk of getting sick. There are a variety of prevalent and serious illnesses that can affect a bird’s respiratory system, including its airways, lungs, and air sacs.

Avian influenza

It is more popularly known as “bird flu,” has drawn the attention of the world community over the years due to its destructive effects on the poultry industry, farmer livelihoods, global trade, and the health of wild birds. Where outbreaks are present, it is sometimes the practise to eliminate all chickens, sick or healthy, in order to stop the spread of avian influenza. Farmers will suffer significant financial losses as a result, which will have an ongoing effect on their way of life. But not all types of poultry are affected. Wild birds can contract bird flu viruses, but they also contribute significantly to its transmission. Public health authorities are also quite concerned about avian influenza. There are occasional occurrences of avian influenza in humans whenever avian influenza viruses are present in poultry. The main indicators of high pathogenic avian influenza in chickens are depression, loss of appetite, a halt in egg production, neurotic symptoms, swelling and blue staining of the combs and wattles as a result of blood circulation disturbances, coughing, sneezing, and diarrhoea. Death may occur suddenly with no warning. Depending on the species, age, kind of virus involved, and environmental factors including concurrent bacterial infections, the mortality rate may reach as high as 100%. Mild respiratory sickness, depression, and a decline in egg production in laying birds are the main clinical symptoms of low pathogenic avian influenza. These viruses have short incubation times a few hours to three days and can spread throughout a flock of birds in as little as 14 days.

Fowl pox

Direct contact between infected and susceptible birds or mosquitoes are the two main ways that fowl pox is spread. Infected birds may also slough off virus-carrying scabs that act as a source of infection. The eye, skin wounds, or respiratory tract are all entry points for the virus into the bloodstream. When mosquitoes feed on birds that have fowl pox in their blood, they become affected. There is some evidence to support the mosquito’s lifelong infectiousness. On poultry ranges, mosquitoes are the main reservoir and transmitter of the chicken pox. A number of mosquito species can spread the chicken pox. In poultry houses, mosquitoes frequently spend the winter there, thus epidemics might happen in the winter and early spring. An infection causes a temporary decrease in egg output in laying chickens. Cankerlike lesions can be found in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and trachea in the wet form. The wet form may impede upper airways, resulting in respiratory discomfort. Birds should be vaccinated against fowl pox from three to six weeks of age depending on the geographical location.

Coccidiosis

Farmers are often inclined to close the chicken coop curtains during this cold weather in an effort to keep the birds comfortable. Due to the high temperatures and increasing humidity inside the poultry house, the litter is readily wetted. This encourages the coccidian organisms that cause the disease to sporulate. Drowsiness, bloody stool to severe diarrhoea, ruffled feathers, and depressed birds are symptoms of coccidiosis. Severe cases result in anaemia and death. The production of eggs is reduced in laying birds. For prevention litter should be collected from wet areas and kept dry. The most important factors in keeping the litter dry are ventilation and good cleanliness.

Fowl cholera

The death rate for acute instances of this bacterial illness is relatively high. Birds older than six weeks are affected. The bacteria that cause the illness is typically housed in the damp litter in poultry houses during the wet season. Fowl cholera symptoms include, among others, mucoid secretion from the mouth or nostril, ruffled feathers, yellow or green diarrhoea, laboured breathing, and loss of appetite.

Brooder pneumonia

Aspergillosis is another name for this. It affects the lungs of chicken. The most common cause of brooder pneumonia, also known as pneumomycosis, is wet and mouldy litter. When aspergillus fumigates spores are inhaled by chicks and aspergillosis develops. By inhaling spores from waste feed or litter, infection is caused. Dyspnea (difficult breathing with open mouth breathing), a lack of appetite, and increased thirst are symptoms of aspergillosis. In severe situations, lethargy and death could happen within a few days. It is necessary to eliminate mouldy feed and litter right away. As soon as exposure to spores is terminated, recovery starts. Before putting in chicks, poultry housing and equipment should be completely cleaned and disinfected.

Worms’ infestation

This is common throughout the colder months, especially among free-range birds. This is a result of consuming water that contains intestinal worm eggs. During this time, broad-spectrum anthelmintics/dewormers such piperazines and levamisole should be used to deworm birds. Make sure to adhere to the withdrawal period.

Common precautions take to reduce disease outbreaks include:

• Birds increase their meal intake during the winter season to produce heat and maintain body temperature.
• However, a farmer will see an increase in production costs as well as nutrient waste if the degree of feed provision is increased.
• Energy-rich foods like oil and fat should be added to the diet or the number of other nutrients may be decreased while maintaining the same level of energy to cut costs and prevent waste.
• Feed the birds more food in the free-range system to make up for their lack of nutrients. During this wet season, think about periodically giving your birds warm water to encourage consumption and help them stay warm without using up stored energy.
• When it rains, birds may come across standing water (most often in free-range situations) and end up drinking from the ground, which can cause an intestinal worm infection.
• Dewormers used every three months aid in managing worms, but it’s important to keep in mind the manufacturer-specified product withdrawal period.
• The design of a poultry house should take ventilation into account as well as providing all the comfort that birds need throughout the winter season.
• With better management flock will remain healthy and productive throughout the cold season.

Conclusion There is a greater prevalence of respiratory illnesses in both backyard and commercial poultry farming. It suggests that poultry farming is more competitive in terms of health management. To avoid respiratory illnesses,follow national standards for biosecurity precautions and immunisation policies, enforcing stringent biosecurity procedures and providing appropriate vaccinations.

Anuj Kumar¹, Amit Kumar², D K Singh³ and Ahmad Fahim⁴

¹Ph.D. Research Scholar, ²Professor and Head, ³Professor,⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, 250 110, India

Corresponding author:                                    Email- drvetanuj@gmail.com