Application of antifungal agents for decontamination of poultry hatcheries

Three antifungal agents were used in this study to control fungal contamination in a large-scale poultry hatchery, where different Aspergillus species, Mucor, Rhizopus, Penicillium, Helminthosporium and unidentified yeasts could be detected. Setters and hatchers disinfected with formaldehyde gas and with both iodophore solution and formaldehyde gas fumigation required 6 hours contact period to be free from contaminated moulds and yeasts. Copper sulfate possessed a marked antifungal effect within 24 hours. Unsatisfactory results were achieved following application of iodophore solution. Accordingly, thorough cleaning followed by formaldehyde gas fumigation proved to be the method of choice for decontamination of poultry hatcheries as it is effective and to save effort and money

Influence of organic matter content on behaviour of some animal pathogens in soil

The influence of organic matter content upon persistence of five infective animal agents in soil was investigated. High organic soil samples independent of amount of moisture contents were found to favor survival and multiplication of both studied Gram-negative and positive microorganisms. Their survival periods ranged from 14 weeks for Staph. aureus to over 30 weeks for E. coli, S. meunster and Ps. aeruginosa. Soil samples with very low organic and moisture contents revealed no evidence of microorganism multiplication. Their longevity periods varied from 2 days for both E. coli and Ps. aeruginosa to 24 weeks for Strept. pyogenes. Accordingly, the increase in the organic matter content of the soil through spreading of untreated solid or liquid animal excreta must be considered undesirable from the epidemiological and hygienic point of view

Performance of Isa-Brown layers as affected by addition of two dietary levels of choline chloride

A large-scale field study was carried out on 21000 Isa-Brown layers to investigate the effects of choline supplementation on their performance. Choline chloride was added at two levels [0.05% and 0.1%] to a basal layer ration based on corn-soybean meal. The recorded data indicated an increase in egg production, egg weight and an improved efficiency of food utilization for egg production in layers receiving supplemental choline with better results in those receiving 0.1% of added choline chloride. On the other h and, the egg shell quality parameters did not significantly influenced by choline supplementation. This work supports the necessity for choline supplementation in diets based on corn-soybean meal for laying hens. It was suggested that choline requirement for optimum performance in laying hens might be higher than 1300 mg choline/kg of such diets and in the absence of supplemental methionine