November 2018 Punch PDF

ARTICLE
Major Deficiency Diseases of Poultry
D. Mahanta1 and S. Nath2
1Department of Veterinary Anatomy, C.V.A.Sc., G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar – 263145, Uttarakhand, India
2Department of AGB, CVSc., Khanapara – 781022, Assam, India
Introduction: Nutrition is the process of furnishing the cells inside the animals and birds with that portion of the
external chemical environment needed for optimum functioning of the many metabolic chemical reactions involved in
growth, maintenance work, production and reproduction. Nutrition encompasses the procurement, ingestion, digestion and
absorption of the chemical elements, which serve as food. Disease is a stage of physiological, mental and social illness of
the bird, which is contributed by physical, chemical, biological and nutritional factors. The nutritional deficiency diseases are
more commonly encountered in the poorly managed farms in a developing country like India. The most commonly occurring
nutritional deficiency diseases in poultry are enlisted as follows:
1. Fatty Liver And Kidney Syndrome: Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome (FLKS) in young flocks is a manifestation
of a failed metabolic process allowing accumulation of fat in the liver and kidneys. Morbidity occurs rapidly in affected
chickens and is followed quickly by death, typically with heads extended up and backwards. It usually occurs between 10-30
days of age.
Etiology: The syndrome involves an interaction of nutritional, environmental, stress, and maternal factors. These may
act as follows:-
• Biotin is the single most important nutritional factor.
• Low level of fat in the feed.
• Other vitamins, at higher levels, increase the incidence of FLKS.
• Pelleted feed. More rapid growth occurs with pelleted feed than with mash feed.
• Floor rearing. Faecal biotin is available on floor rearing, but not so on wire floors, such as, in cages.
• High house temperature, light failure, excessive noise and transport all increases stress.
• Starvation and stress deplete glycogen (glucose) reserve.
• Age and biotin status of parent. Eggs from older hens have more biotin.
• Other diseases cause stress and reduce intestinal absorption of biotin.
• Biotin is rapidly destroyed by oxidizing agents e.g. rancid fat.
• Aflatoxin is a biotin binder and causes biotin deficiency.
Symptoms: Well grown birds become dull and depressed, Lose appetite and lie down and mortality may range
between 5-30%.
Postmortem Findings: Liver and kidneys are enlarged, pale, and fatty, pink adipose tissue due to congestion of blood
vessels, Crop and intestines usually contain blackish fluid due to blood content and Paleness of the liver and kidneys is due
to the presence of excessive amounts of fat (2 to 5 times the normal).
Treatment: Addition of biotin @100mg /1000 birds.and choline 70% @ 19g / 1000 birdsin drinking water for one day
may prevent new cases. Elimination of stress factors is important for effective treatment.
Control: Eliminate stress factors, such as starvation, cold, etc and maintain adequate biotin levels in the diets of all
chicken and breeder flocks.
2. Vitamin B-Complex Deficiency Diseases: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Causes of Deficiency: Inadequate levels of Vitamin B1 in the feed and high carbohydrate-based feed low in Vitamin
B1.
Deficiency symptoms: Loss of appetite, Loss of weight, Emaciation, Weakness, Polyneuritis, Leg weakness, Unsteady
gait, Tremors, Paralysis, Convulsions, Stargazing or opisthotonus.Chicken soon looses the ability to stand or sit upright, and
it falls on the floor, where it may lie with the head still drawn back.
Treatment of Deficiency: Chickens suffering from thiamine deficiency respond within a few hours to oral administration
of Vitamin B1. Feed supplementation should be given after recovery from acute deficiency @ 5-10 mg/day and for older
birds 10-50mg/day.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Vitamin B2 is essential for growth and health. It is synthesized in the adult bird (not n the
58 November, 2018