UK Poultry Disease Quarterly Surveillance Report (to June 2005) - By Veterinary Laboratories Agency - This report monitors trends in the major endemic poultry diseases and utilises the farmfile and VIDA (Veterinary Investigation Disease Analysis) databases. The report is compiled using disease data gathered by the network of 15 VLA regional laboratories which carry out disease investigation in the field.

Quarterly Surveillance Report Poultry: Vol. 9 No. 2 Apr - Jun 2005 - Published August 2005 Contents OVERVIEW (here) POULTRY STATISTICS NOTIFIABLE DISEASES: - NEWCASTLE DISEASE SUBMISSIONS TO THE EU REFERENCE LABORATORY - IMPORTED CAPTIVE BIRDS - FOWL CHOLERA FOOD SAFETY AND ZOONOSES: - FOOD SAFETY - SALMONELLA REPORT - SALMONELLA ZO4 VISITS ENDEMIC/NEW AND EMERGING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE: - VIROLOGY REPORT - GOOSE PARVOVIRUS UPDATE - THE RED MITE PROBLEM - OTHER AVIAN TOPICS - BLACKHEAD UPDATE - MAREKS DISEASE - NECROTIC ENTERITIS - FROM THE LITERATURE Appendix I – VLA Bury histopathology submissions

Highlights

• STOP PRESS – NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN PHEASANTS (PAGE 3)
• GOOSE PARVOVIRUS UPDATE (PAGE 6)
• THE RED MITE PROBLEM (PAGE 6)

Overview

The statistics on page 2 of this report show an increase in commercial layer chick placings compared with the first quarter but an overall cutback in pullet numbers may be beneficial because of continuing weak egg prices. Cage eggs are reported by Poultry World magazine to be given a lower profile by supermarket chains although they remain the largest sector of the industry. Broiler and broiler parent chick placings showed an increase over the first quarter, and turkey poult placings remained at a similar level.

The contribution on red mite to this report highlights the importance of the parasite in the layer industry and the increasing difficulties in controlling it. Red mite was described at the BVPA summer meeting as the biggest disease problem in layer flocks, and can be a major welfare problem. Disease was diagnosed by the VLA both in commercial layer flocks and small hobby flocks during the quarter.

Although no cases of blackhead (histomoniasis) were diagnosed by the VLA during the quarter, description is given on page 7 of an outbreak on a large commercial turkey unit diagnosed by the farm’s veterinarian.

Newcastle disease was confirmed in pheasant poults in July, outwith this quarter, and a ‘stop press’ summary of this outbreak is given on page 3. At the time of writing no further outbreaks have been confirmed in the UK, and the overall economic impact has yet to be quantified.

To read the full 10 page PDF report please click here

Source: Veterinary Laboratories Agency - August 2005