12/05/2023
Poultry Diseases in Rainy Season:
Common Poultry Diseases During the Rainy Season:
Poultry birds and poultry production are generally affected by seasonal climatic or weather changes.For instance, in the wet or cold season, chickens eat more feed,drink less water and huddle together to generate heat and keep themselves warm.
Fowl Pox
Fowl pox is a highly contagious disease that affects poultry birds at any age.It is caused by poxvirus transmitted by mostly mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.The reason why fowl pox is prevalent during the wet season is that mosquitoes, being the vector,breed well in this season due to the abundance of stagnant water. Also,the incidence of wet litter becomes apparent when poultry houses are not adequately shielded from rain.This leads to the development of wet liter which then predisposes to fly problems in the pen.
Fowl Cholera
Fowl Cholera is a bacterial disease that affects birds of age 6 weeks old and above.The bacterium responsible for this is Pasteurella multocida.It is highly contagious and mortality in acute cases is high.The causative organism is spread readily during the rainy season because wet liter serves as an abode of numerous microorganisms.
Salmonellosis, Escherichia coli, Pullorum Disease (Bacillary White Diarrhoea)
These bacterial diseases affect birds of all ages.They are endemic in farms or pens with poor sanitation,such as is seen when wet liter is allowed to stay for a long time.They affect the digestive system of the infected birds.
Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is caused by protozoan Eimeria sp in poultry, most species infect various sites in the intestine.The infectious process is rapid (4–7 days) and is characterized by parasite replication in host cells with extensive damage to the intestinal mucosa.Poultry coccidia are generally host-specific,and the different species parasitize specific parts of the intestine.However,in birds,quail,the coccidia may parasitize the entire intestinal tract.Coccidia are distributed worldwide in poultry birds,game birds
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