Egg quality and productive performance of laying hens fed different levels of skimmed milk powder added to a diet containing Lactobacillus acidophilus

The current trial was carried out on a commercial poultry farm to study the effect of skim milk powder (SMP) added to a diet containing Lactobacillus acidophilus on performance and egg quality of laying hens from 20 to 49 wk of age. A total of 2,400 Hy-Line W-36 laying hens were housed in 600 unenriched cages (4 hens each) located over 4 tier levels. Animals were assigned to 1 of 3 experimental treatments (0, 3, and 4). The laying hens assigned to treatments 3 and 4 received a diet enriched respectively with 3 and 4% SMP, whereas the animals in treatment 0 were fed a diet without SMP. All diets, moreover, were supplemented with L. acidophilus D2/CSL. Hen performance was determined throughout the experimental period and egg quality was measured on 30 eggs per treatment every week. Results showed that productive performance in terms of egg production, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio was not influenced by SMP at 3 or 4% of the diet. Egg quality was significantly affected by SMP included at 3 or 4% of the diet. Eggs from treatments 3 and 4, in fact, displayed higher shell thickness than those from treatment 0 (P < 0.0001). Likewise, specific gravity, Haugh unit, and shell percentage were significantly affected by the addition of SMP. In conclusion, in our study, SMP added to a diet containing L. acidophilus had no significant effects on the productive parameters of hens during the laying period, whereas significant improvements were found in certain egg quality characteristics.

Usutu virus in wild birds in northern Italy

Usutu virus (USUV) infection was diagnosed in two free-living blackbirds and in three captive owls belonging to two different species in northern Italy in the summers of 2006-2008. Diagnosis was established by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RT-PCR was performed on frozen and on paraffin-embedded tissues (PET), respectively. From the frozen samples a partial sequence of the putative USUV E and NS1 proteins (1229 bp) was determined, whereas partial sequences of the putative NS3 (278 bp) and NS5 (159 bp) proteins were obtained from PET. Additionally, one partial sequence (163 bp) of the putative 3'UTR region was determined from all samples. Sequencing of the amplification products revealed 99.8-100% nucleotide identity of the Italian USUV strains to those from other central European countries.

Epornitic of avian pox in common buzzards (Buteo buteo): virus isolation and molecular biological characterization

Six common buzzards from a bird rescue centre showed wart-like lesions on their toes. The lesions consisted of multiple crusty and proliferative nodules surrounded by skin swelling. Histologically, epithelial cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia with ballooning degeneration and large intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies consistent with avipoxvirus infection were seen. The virus was isolated in embryonated chicken eggs. Positive chorioallantoic membranes and samples of skin lesions were submitted for polymerase chain reaction. Molecular characterization based on the 4b core protein indicates a 100% homology of the isolated poxvirus with avian poxviruses belonging to subclade A2. However, analysis of fpv139 locus does not reveal similarities of the isolate with other avian poxviruses.

Papillomavirus infection in greenfinches (Carduelis chloris)

The present report describes transmissible papillomatous digital lesions observed in two greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) living in a private aviary. The disease appeared in the male bird and successively in the female but did not affect other passerine and psittacine species living with the sick birds. Negative contrast electron microscopy revealed the presence of 52.6 nm virus particles similar to papillomavirus. Immunoelectronmicroscopy confirmed the presence of Papillomavirus genus specific structural antigens in the virus observed.

Acute hepatosis in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Italy

Since October 1986 an unusually high mortality has been observed both in wild European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) and in hare farms in Italy. Pathological alterations, including severe hepatosis, nephrosis, congestion and hemorrhages of tracheal mucosa and lungs, and splenic vascular congestion, were observed in 179 of 381 hares necropsied from 1986 to 1988. Jaundice also was seen in 30% of these hares. Histologically, the liver damage was characterized by coagulative necrosis, mainly located around the portal areas, or by degenerative changes. Hyperemia, focal hemorrhages and periportal mononuclear cell infiltration were also present. The epithelium of renal tubules showed the presence of various degrees of vacuolar degeneration and necrosis, and eosinophilic granular hyaline casts or homogenous proteinaceous material were found within the lumen of tubules. Only the adult hares were affected. In wild hare populations night counts revealed a reduction of the number of observed wild hares during the winter period which ranged from 27 to 40%, whereas in hare farms the mortality ranged from 30 to 90%. Bacteriological, parasitological, and toxicological investigations were unable to confirm the primary cause of these deaths. Negative stain electron microscopy and immunoelectronmicroscopy conducted since October 1988 on liver and spleen homogenates from hares with acute hepatosis revealed the presence of viral particles with morphological aspects resembling those of calicivirus, antigenically related to the etiological agent of viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits.

[Episodes of amyloidosis in young hens after repeated use of antibacterial oil emulsion vaccines]

Outbreaks of systemic amyloidosis with moderate to high mortality in two young layer flocks are described. In both the cases anamnesis reported repeated vaccinations with oil-emulsified bacterins. Grossly, the liver was enlarged, friable and pale. Hepatic rupture and haemorrhages were frequently seen. Moreover heavy granulomatous reactions at the inoculation site was observed. Histologically amyloid deposition was present in the liver and the spleen of the animals from both of the flocks. Histochemical reactions confirm that it is type AA amyloidosis.

Cyclical variations in the excretion of intestinal coccidial oocysts in the rabbit

Faecal oocyst counts during subclinical intestinal coccidiosis demonstrated clear correlations between the parasite levels in the does and those in their respective litters. In the does, pregnancy did not seem to have an effect on the course of infection, whereas the effect of season was much greater. Intestinal coccidiosis was found in all the young rabbits examined from the start of the third week of life. However, after a phase of great fluctuation in the parasite levels in the faeces, a phase which extended over the initial period of weaning, the infection tended to become stabilized at extremely moderate levels that permitted an optimum state of health and high productivity.