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Clostridium Novyi Isolated from Chickens*
Research Notes CLOSTRIDIUM
NOVYI ISOLATED FROM CHICKENS* E. H .
PETERSON
Department of Animal Industry and Veterinary Science, University of Arkansas, Fayelleville (Received for publication March 9, 1964)
Over the past two years, there has been ing organisms isolated from aerobic cultures. encountered a number of pathological con- Because, however, of the similarity of the ditions in chickens characterized by lame- lesions to those of gangrene, anaerobic culness, all outbreaks being in broiler-type re- tures were made in thioglycollate and piece placement birds. Apparently most, if not meat media. From all cases cultured there all cases, have been in one sex, male or fe- was easily isolated Clostridia. Isolates from male these originating in replacement flocks three birds submitted to the Communicafrom different genetic sources. The age in- ble Disease Center, Atlanta, were detercidence has varied from approximately 10 mined to be Clostridium novyi, Type A to 30 weeks. The morbidity is usually in Birds secured from subsequent cases were the range of less than one to about five per- subjected to a more intensive examination, cent, but in cases has been as high as SO and from specimens showing arthritis, Clospercent. Mortality appears to be related to tridia were not only isolated from the afthe degree of recumberance. The course is fected joints, but from visceral organs as prolonged. well including the heart, liver, kidney and The severity of lameness has varied spleen. Heart lesions quite regularly are from an obvious limp to complete incapac- present. These include petechiae upon the ity of one or both legs. The hock joints epicardium, myocarditis, and gas within show degrees of arthritis varying from slight the pericardial sac. The liver may be swollen, to very severe with purulent exudate. Ad- soft and friable, and in one case was asvanced cases show caseation. The subcu- sociated with a very large hematoma. taneous tissue above the hock may be The circumstances under which these edematous or hemorrhagic with some gas. outbreaks have occurred suggests the possiThe musculature may be infiltrated. In bility of egg transmission. Not only does cases, a distinct "knot" or hard swelling is the disease occur predominantly, as noted, palpable on the medial side of the thigh in one sex, but the bulk of cases have been immediately above the joint. This appears associated with a single hatchery, although to be associated with rupture of the gastroc- two similar cases, not cultured anaerobically, nemius tendon. In still other cases, the and originating from two additional genetic metatarsal joints become more or less anky- lines of birds, are thought to have been the losed in an extended position, and the bird same condition. Chick graders in the one tends to walk unsteadily on the toes. These said hatchery were requested to watch for might be termed "ballerina" chickens. It is evidences of the disorder. One group of daynot known if any birds recover spontane- old chicks has been submitted to the laboously. ratory. A small minority of the birds were Staphylococci have been the predominat- definitely lame and showed swollen hock joints with local edema together with a * Published with the approval of the Director of small amount of muscular hemorrhage. the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. 1062
1063
RESEARCH NOTES
From the effected joints of two of these birds, and from the heart of a third, there were isolated Clostridia. Typing has not as yet been accomplished. In an extension of studies, three disease outbreaks were recently encountered with symptoms suggestive of avian nephrosis, or "Gumboro" disease, as first described by Cosgrove (1962). Clostridia were isolated from the viscera. The significance of this finding is yet to be evaluated. Clostridium infections of poultry are not well recognized. Birds of course are subject to botulism which technically is an intoxication rather than an infection. Weymouth
et al. (1963) isolated CI. perjringens from capons, the infection thought to be associated with poor operative procedures. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Appreciation is expressed to the Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, for the typing of the Clostridium cultures. REFERENCES Cosgrove, A. S., 1962. An apparent new disease of chickens—avian nephrosis. Avian Dis. 6: 385389. Weymouth, D. K., M. Gershman and H. L. Chute, 1963. Report of Clostridium in capons. Avian Dis. 7:342-343.
A COMPARISON OF THE ECONOMIC TRAITS BETWEEN THE Sth BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE 7TH OTTAWA RANDOM SAMPLE EGG LAYING TESTS C. W. ROBERTS AND M. DELAND Poultry Science Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B. C, Canada (Received for publication March 10, 1964)
The interpretation of the interim and annual reports of different Random Sample Test Stations is a monumental task. The amount of data accumulated for each entry practically makes it impossible for complete assessment by the commercial egg producer. The Poultry Science Department at the University of British Columbia is attempting to formulate a modified report for the British Columbia Random Sample Egg Laying Test which will reduce the data to a more comprehensive status. This report will evaluate the various entries on the basis of an index. This indexed value will be closely associated with the present income per bird housed criteria. Selected data of 20 entries from the British Columbia Egg Laying Test report and a comparable sample drawn from the Ottawa Egg Laying Test report were independently analysed. Thirteen traits in the
British Columbia Test which were presumed to influence income were linearly regressed on income per bird housed values. Only 12 of these traits were regressed in the Ottawa sample. These traits were: percent laying house mortality, egg production per bird housed, days to 50% production, pounds of feed per dozen eggs, cost per pullet housed, meat income per pullet housed, percent large and extra large eggs, percent medium eggs, percent small eggs, percent peewee eggs, percent meat spots, percent blood spots, and percent cracked eggs (not included in the Ottawa data). For each trait the simple correlations between all the aforementioned traits for each Random Sample report were calculated. In addition, so were the simple correlations between these traits and income per bird housed. The partial regression coefficients, as well as the standard partial regression
NOVYI ISOLATED FROM CHICKENS* E. H .
PETERSON
Department of Animal Industry and Veterinary Science, University of Arkansas, Fayelleville (Received for publication March 9, 1964)
Over the past two years, there has been ing organisms isolated from aerobic cultures. encountered a number of pathological con- Because, however, of the similarity of the ditions in chickens characterized by lame- lesions to those of gangrene, anaerobic culness, all outbreaks being in broiler-type re- tures were made in thioglycollate and piece placement birds. Apparently most, if not meat media. From all cases cultured there all cases, have been in one sex, male or fe- was easily isolated Clostridia. Isolates from male these originating in replacement flocks three birds submitted to the Communicafrom different genetic sources. The age in- ble Disease Center, Atlanta, were detercidence has varied from approximately 10 mined to be Clostridium novyi, Type A to 30 weeks. The morbidity is usually in Birds secured from subsequent cases were the range of less than one to about five per- subjected to a more intensive examination, cent, but in cases has been as high as SO and from specimens showing arthritis, Clospercent. Mortality appears to be related to tridia were not only isolated from the afthe degree of recumberance. The course is fected joints, but from visceral organs as prolonged. well including the heart, liver, kidney and The severity of lameness has varied spleen. Heart lesions quite regularly are from an obvious limp to complete incapac- present. These include petechiae upon the ity of one or both legs. The hock joints epicardium, myocarditis, and gas within show degrees of arthritis varying from slight the pericardial sac. The liver may be swollen, to very severe with purulent exudate. Ad- soft and friable, and in one case was asvanced cases show caseation. The subcu- sociated with a very large hematoma. taneous tissue above the hock may be The circumstances under which these edematous or hemorrhagic with some gas. outbreaks have occurred suggests the possiThe musculature may be infiltrated. In bility of egg transmission. Not only does cases, a distinct "knot" or hard swelling is the disease occur predominantly, as noted, palpable on the medial side of the thigh in one sex, but the bulk of cases have been immediately above the joint. This appears associated with a single hatchery, although to be associated with rupture of the gastroc- two similar cases, not cultured anaerobically, nemius tendon. In still other cases, the and originating from two additional genetic metatarsal joints become more or less anky- lines of birds, are thought to have been the losed in an extended position, and the bird same condition. Chick graders in the one tends to walk unsteadily on the toes. These said hatchery were requested to watch for might be termed "ballerina" chickens. It is evidences of the disorder. One group of daynot known if any birds recover spontane- old chicks has been submitted to the laboously. ratory. A small minority of the birds were Staphylococci have been the predominat- definitely lame and showed swollen hock joints with local edema together with a * Published with the approval of the Director of small amount of muscular hemorrhage. the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. 1062
1063
RESEARCH NOTES
From the effected joints of two of these birds, and from the heart of a third, there were isolated Clostridia. Typing has not as yet been accomplished. In an extension of studies, three disease outbreaks were recently encountered with symptoms suggestive of avian nephrosis, or "Gumboro" disease, as first described by Cosgrove (1962). Clostridia were isolated from the viscera. The significance of this finding is yet to be evaluated. Clostridium infections of poultry are not well recognized. Birds of course are subject to botulism which technically is an intoxication rather than an infection. Weymouth
et al. (1963) isolated CI. perjringens from capons, the infection thought to be associated with poor operative procedures. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Appreciation is expressed to the Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, for the typing of the Clostridium cultures. REFERENCES Cosgrove, A. S., 1962. An apparent new disease of chickens—avian nephrosis. Avian Dis. 6: 385389. Weymouth, D. K., M. Gershman and H. L. Chute, 1963. Report of Clostridium in capons. Avian Dis. 7:342-343.
A COMPARISON OF THE ECONOMIC TRAITS BETWEEN THE Sth BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE 7TH OTTAWA RANDOM SAMPLE EGG LAYING TESTS C. W. ROBERTS AND M. DELAND Poultry Science Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B. C, Canada (Received for publication March 10, 1964)
The interpretation of the interim and annual reports of different Random Sample Test Stations is a monumental task. The amount of data accumulated for each entry practically makes it impossible for complete assessment by the commercial egg producer. The Poultry Science Department at the University of British Columbia is attempting to formulate a modified report for the British Columbia Random Sample Egg Laying Test which will reduce the data to a more comprehensive status. This report will evaluate the various entries on the basis of an index. This indexed value will be closely associated with the present income per bird housed criteria. Selected data of 20 entries from the British Columbia Egg Laying Test report and a comparable sample drawn from the Ottawa Egg Laying Test report were independently analysed. Thirteen traits in the
British Columbia Test which were presumed to influence income were linearly regressed on income per bird housed values. Only 12 of these traits were regressed in the Ottawa sample. These traits were: percent laying house mortality, egg production per bird housed, days to 50% production, pounds of feed per dozen eggs, cost per pullet housed, meat income per pullet housed, percent large and extra large eggs, percent medium eggs, percent small eggs, percent peewee eggs, percent meat spots, percent blood spots, and percent cracked eggs (not included in the Ottawa data). For each trait the simple correlations between all the aforementioned traits for each Random Sample report were calculated. In addition, so were the simple correlations between these traits and income per bird housed. The partial regression coefficients, as well as the standard partial regression