Journal of World's Poultry Research

21-28

Authors: Elbestawy Ahmed Ragab

Clostridial infections are important concern to poultry industry because of severe economic losses and increased mortalities. This study was carried to investigate the current situation of C. Perfringens infection in commercial broiler and layer chickens in El-Behera governorate, Egypt. The molecular identification of the genes of different toxins for the isolated C. Perfringens as well as the in-vitro and the in-vivo antibiotic sensitivity testing and the experimental reproduction of necrotic enteritis were done. A total of 198 intestinal and liver samples were collected from chickens suffering from diarrhea from 40 flocks (31 commercial broilers, 3 commercial layers, 3 local cross breeders and 3 broiler breeder flocks). The rate of isolation was 72.1% of totally examined flocks and 65.1% of totally collected samples. In-vitro sensitivity test for 5 types A C. Perfringens isolates showed that isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin, metronidazole, and florfenicol. Three isolates of type A C. Perfringens were chosen for experimental reproduction of necrotic enteritis and for antibiotic testing in-vivo and the results showed no statistical differences in clinical signs, post-mortem lesions, histopathological changes, re-isolation rate, average body weight and liver function tests among all the 3 isolates of type A C. Perfringens. Amoxicillin and metronidazole were better than florfenicol in the treatment of such conditions.

32-41

Authors: Muhammad Abdullahi Mahmud

Gross and morphometric studies were carried out on the Gastrointestinal Tracts (GIT) of three Nigerian indigenous genotypes of chicken with special reference to sexual dimorphism. Eighteen adult chickens of the three genotypes (three male and three female per genotype, all above one year of age) were bought from Mokwa local markets. They were quarantined for two weeks, stabilized for another weeks, live weights taken and then slaughtered using Halal method. After careful evisceration, GIT segments were examined grossly and then weights, lengths, thickness and width of the segments were obtained. The GIT of Normal feathered (No), Naked neck (Na) and Frizzle feathered (F) genotypes like in other breeds of chicken was found to consist of the crop, an expansion of the esophagus, located in the lower neck region, the glandular stomach (proventriculus), the muscular stomach (ventriculus), small intestines (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and large intestine (ceca and colorectum). The mean weights, lengths, thickness and widths of esophagus, proventriculus, ventriculus, small intestine and large intestine of the three genotypes studied were not significantly different from one another, except the weight of oesophagus and width of ventriculus. Also, no significant difference was found between male and female when the means of these parameters were compared irrespective of genotype involved. In conclusion, all the three genotypes have similar gross and morphometric patterns and in addition their ileum was the longest portion of the intestine in contrast to what was reported in other breeds of chicken in the literature.