Investigation of the Formal Pathogenesis of Green Liver Discoloration in Organically Reared Female Bronze Turkeys ().

Green liver discoloration (GL) in fattening turkeys is suspected to be a multifactorial disease complex with a compromised immune system as the key factor. This study aimed to identify the formal pathogenesis of GL and to investigate possible nutritional influences. A total of 360 Bronze turkey hens out of 10 flocks from 5 fattening farms were necropsied for detection of GL during 2 consecutive trials on 2 examination dates each (70th to 75th and 120th to 127th day of fattening, respectively).

An Explorative Study of the Causal Pathogenesis of Green Liver Discoloration in Organically Reared Female Bronze Turkeys () Considering the Infectious Risk Factors.

A recent study revealed that organically raised Bronze turkeys showed a high prevalence of green liver discoloration. This alteration is commonly associated with the Turkey Osteomyelitis Complex and potentially caused by opportunistic bacteria. Therefore, 360 organically fattened Bronze turkeys were examined post-mortem throughout two fattening trials with two examinations each to determine possible infectious risk factors and reduce disease prevalence.

[Aspects to improve animal welfare in fattening turkeys: structure and occupational material - a literature review].

Conventional turkey husbandries frequently fail to provide any structural elements or occupational material apart from the feeding and drinking systems. However, these may carry numerous advantages for animal welfare (spatial separation to exercise natural behavior, retreat options, stimulation of locomotion). Hence these are increasingly discussed in conventional turkey husbandry, especially against the background of minimizing injurious pecking.

[Evaluation of housing conditions of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) and cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) in Germany].

Objectives: In order to gain information concerning housing conditions of budgerigars and cockatiels, the most frequently kept pet birds in Germany, a country-wide online survey among non-commercial bird owners was performed within the realm of the EXOPET study.

Material And Methods: The received questionnaires (541 for budgerigars and 221 for cockatiels) were initially evaluated descriptively. Based on the suggestions developed by an expert group in the context of the EXOPET-project, the housing conditions were subsequently assessed with regard to socialization, size of cage/aviary, cage accessories, temperature, UV light and amount of free flight.

Diagnostic Imaging of the Avian Urinary Tract.

Due to the special anatomy and physiology of the avian urinary system, the value of diagnostic imaging techniques differs from the use in mammals. The diagnostic imaging methods regularly used in practice to evaluate the avian kidneys are often limited to traditional radiography and ultrasonography, whereas other imaging modalities (urography, scintigraphy, computed tomography, MRI) are rarely used. Furthermore endoscopy may be performed and taking a renal biopsy may be considered.

Sexing of chicken eggs by fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy through the shell membrane.

In order to provide an alternative to day-old chick culling in the layer hatcheries, a noninvasive method for egg sexing is required at an early stage of incubation before onset of embryo sensitivity. Fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy of blood offers the potential for precise and contactless in ovo sex determination of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus f. dom.

The Incidence and Treatment Outcomes of Macrorhabdus ornithogaster Infection in Budgerigars ( Melopsittacus undulatus) in a Veterinary Clinic.

Macrorhabdus ornithogaster, avian gastric yeast, is a common cause of gastrointestinal disease in budgerigars ( Melopsittacus undulatus). To better understand the clinical disease in budgerigars presented in a practice population, we reviewed the occurrence, clinical signs, and treatment success of M ornithogaster disease in budgerigars during a 2.5-year period at the Clinic for Birds and Reptiles, University of Leipzig (Leipzig, Germany).

In ovo sexing of chicken eggs by fluorescence spectroscopy.

Culling of day-old male chicks in production of laying hen strains involves several millions of animals every year worldwide and is ethically controversial. In an attempt to provide an alternative, optical spectroscopy was investigated to determine nondestructively in ovo the sex of early embryos of the domestic chicken. The extraembryonic blood circulation system was accessed by producing a window in the egg shell and the flowing blood was illuminated with a near-infrared laser.

In Ovo Sexing of Domestic Chicken Eggs by Raman Spectroscopy.

Male birds of egg-laying hen strains have no commercial value and are culled immediately after hatching, raising concerns for animal welfare. Existing experimental methods for in ovo sexing require taking samples and are applicable after embryos' sexual differentiation. We demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy enables contactless in ovo sex determination of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus f.

A method to identify protein antigens of Dermanyssus gallinae for the protection of birds from poultry mites.

The poultry red mite (PRM) Dermanyssus gallinae causes high economic losses and is among the most important parasites in poultry farming worldwide. Different chemical, physical, and biological strategies try to control the expansion of PRM. However, effective solutions to this problem still have to be found.

Differential regulation of the β-adrenoceptor density and cyclic AMP level with age and sex in turkey cardiac chambers.

Decreased responses of the heart to β-adrenoceptor stimulation with aging have been shown to occur merely in selected heart chambers in relation to increased catecholamine levels. However, there are no systematic studies that investigate all cardiac chambers with regard to receptor density and cAMP (adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate) responses. We used meat-type turkey poults (British United Turkey (B.

Label free molecular sexing of monomorphic birds using infrared spectroscopic imaging.

The absence of sexual dimorphism in many birds often makes sex determination difficult. In particular immature birds and adults of monomorphic species show no external sex characteristics. Molecular techniques based on DNA hybridization or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are standard methods for sex identification.

[Investigations on the acute, carrageenan-induced inflammatory reaction and pharmacology of orally administered sodium salicylate in turkeys].

The complex mechanisms of acute inflammation have been subject to veterinary investigations since a long time. However, knowledge on the role of specific inflammatory mediators, as well as pharmacokinetics (PK) and -dynamics (PD) of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in birds is limited. The objective of this work therefore was to establish a modified tissue cage-model to investigate the acute, carrageenan-mediated inflammatory response, as well as plasma and exudate-kinetics and the antiphlogistic effect of orally administered sodium salicylate on the elicited inflammatory reaction in turkeys.

[Comparative field study of litter moisture and footpad alterations during the rearing period of fattening turkeys].

In the course of a nationwide performed field study from 2010 to 2012, the footpad health of conventionally kept fattening turkeys and their rearing conditions were studied and compared to results from litter moisture measurements. In each case two rearing periods from 24 rearing farms were chosen and visited 3 to 5 days after delivery of the poults (examination 1) and again during the days 22 to 35 (examination 2). In the course of each flock inspection 60 randomly chosen turkeys were examined by adspection and palpation.

Cloacal aerobic bacterial flora and absence of viruses in free-living slow worms (Anguis fragilis), grass snakes (Natrix natrix) and European Adders (Vipera berus) from Germany.

Disease problems caused by viral or bacterial pathogens are common in reptiles kept in captivity. There is no information available on the incidence of viral pathogens or the physiological cloacal bacterial flora of common free-living reptiles in Germany. Therefore, 56 free-living reptiles including 23 European adders (Vipera berus), 12 grass snakes (Natrix natrix) and 21 slow worms (Anguis fragilis) were investigated on the island Hiddensee in northeastern Germany.

Testicular biopsy in psittacine birds (Psittaciformes): impact of endoscopy and biopsy on health, testicular morphology, and sperm parameters.

Histologic examination of a testicular biopsy sample may be required to evaluate the reproductive status of male psittacine birds. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability of testicular sampling from live birds by assessing the impact on the birds' health, testicular integrity, and sperm quality. Testicular biopsy samples were obtained by endoscopy 4 times during 12 months from 9 cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and 7 rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri).

Testicular biopsy in psittacine birds (Psittaciformes): comparative evaluation of testicular reproductive status by endoscopic, histologic, and cytologic examination.

Knowledge of the reproductive cycle of male parrots is important for examining the male genital tract and for successful breeding, especially of endangered species. To evaluate different diagnostic methods and criteria concerning the classification of reproductive stages, we examined 20 testicular samples obtained at necropsy in psittacine birds of different species and testicular biopsy samples collected from 9 cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and 7 rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) by endoscopy 4 times over a 12-month period. The testicular reproductive status was assessed histologically and then compared with the macroscopic appearance of the testicles and cytologic results.

Optical coherence tomography as a diagnostic tool for retinal pathologies in avian ophthalmology.

Purpose: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an established diagnostic tool for retinal pathologies in human eyes and has been adapted to small animal models. However, there have been only a few attempts to use OCT for examination of avian eyes, and little is known about structural details of healthy or pathologically affected retinas in living birds.

Methods: We used SD-OCT (high-resolution spectral domain OCT) to investigate eyes of various avian species including birds of prey.

Antibody selection for immunocytochemical characterization of the male reproductive system in Psittaciformes.

The success of breeding programs is limited by the sparse knowledge about endocrine regulation and biochemical reactions in the psittacine male tract. The immunocytochemical analysis of parrots' testicular tissues provides an insight into their reproductive system but is often hampered by the lack of reliable antibodies. In the present study, we tested a large panel of antibodies raised against steroid receptors, steroidogenic enzymes, relaxin peptides including their receptors, and proliferation markers on paraffin sections of testicular tissue from eight psittacine genera representing three continents.

A complicated, metastatic, humeral air sac cystadenocarcinoma in a timneh African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus timneh).

A 9-year-old male timneh African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus timneh) was presented because of inability to fly and suspected trauma. The owner also had observed dyspnea, with tail bobbing and open-beak breathing. On clinical examination, a hard, painful mass was palpable in the left proximal humerus and axillary area.

Characterization of Salmonella isolated from captive and free-living snakes in Germany.

Reptiles are well-known reservoirs of Salmonella spp. and cases of reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) are increasing since reptiles are becoming more popular as pets. In the present study, the presence, distribution and prevalence of serovars of Salmonella was investigated in captive snakes (n = 87) and in free-living snakes (n = 87) in Germany.

[Effects of the housing climate on the foot pad health of fattening turkeys of British United Turkeys 6 origin during the early rearing phase].

The climate in the stables during the turkeys' first weeks of life is a crucial factor for a successful rearing and the following fattening period. The present study has examined the influence of climate parameters on the foot pad health status of 2681 fattened turkeys from twelve farms during the early rearing phase. In addition to wide-ranging collections of data concerning livestock husbandry and management an examination of the foot pads of 60 animals has been carried out respectively on day 3-5, as well as on day 22-35, shortly before relocation into another stable.

Impact of Selected Factors on the Occurrence of Contact Dermatitis in Turkeys on Commercial Farms in Germany.

In a long term research project in Germany the influence of husbandry on the health of fattening turkeys (Study 1) as well as the influence of practiced rearing conditions on the health of turkey poults (Study 2) was examined in 24 farms and at the meat processing plant. In all examined rearing farms, litter samples for the determination of litter moisture were taken. This paper summarizes the results obtained by our working group from 2007 until 2012.

[Influence of litter moisture around drinkers and feeders on foot pad health status of fattening turkeys during the early rearing period].

The present study demonstrates the influence of increased litter moisture (LM) around drinkers and feeders on the foot pad health status of fattening turkeys during the rearing period. Therefore 154 day-old British United Turkeys (B.U.

Morphological respiratory diffusion capacity of the lungs of ball pythons (Python regius).

This study aims at a functional and morphological characterization of the lung of a boid snake. In particular, we were interested to see if the python's lungs are designed with excess capacity as compared to resting and working oxygen demands. Therefore, the morphological respiratory diffusion capacity of ball pythons (Python regius) was examined following a stereological, hierarchically nested approach.