FARM VISIT - 14th October 1993 -

Inspection: In walking through the houses there appeared to be 10-15% of the birds affected to some degree. There were "hospital" pens in each shed, that in house 1 was the most over-crowded. The most obvious clinical signs were severe wattle swelling and congestion in the males and peri-ocular and facial swelling in the females. Hock and foot infections were also noted. One of the females with ocular swelling had a small amount of pus in the palatine cleft. Only 2 birds (both males) were found with neurological signs suggestive of spread of inflammation into the skull bones. Other points noted during the visit were :
1. The feeder exclusion system was boarding, this seemed to have an adequate space to allow all but the most severely affected females to feed. There was no boarding on the feeders in the hospital pens. All feed is consumed by 8.30 am (on between 7-7.30 and 8-8.30)
2. Male feeders were lowered automatically at 7 a.m., before staff arrive
3. Head and vent pecking was a greater problem than normal, especially in house 2. The lights seemed rather bright.
4. In some areas of the floor, especially under lights, there was insufficient litter.
5. The farm was generally tidy and well re-furbished. Some relatively minor improvements in rodent baiting and exclusion were suggested to farm staff.