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Introduction:
Too often disease is seen in birds shortly after they
enter the release pens and is attributed to the stress of the birds being moved.
Whilst the stress of being moved is an important factor this is often
compounded by poor management of birds at this time.
Medication of sick birds in the release pens is often difficult, as it is
hard to ensure that all the birds present will take medicated water from the
drinkers with other sources of water often being available.
Food medication can also be a problem as this takes longer to arrange and
a sick bird is less likely to eat than to drink.
As a result treating birds in the release pens is often only partially
successful. Prevention of disease
is therefore of the utmost importance.
Entry
of birds into release pens:
The
most significant problem that occurs when birds are put in release pens is that
they fail to find food and / or water.
As the birds tend to initially congregate at the edge of the pens it is
important that food and water is placed around the edge in sufficient quantities
for the birds to easily find it. Once
the birds have settled into the pens they can be trained to find food and water
at other sites throughout the pen. Failure to find water will result in birds rapidly
dehydrating and loosing weight. As
a result they are susceptible to disease or they can die within 3-5 days from
dehydration.
Failure
to find food also results in weight loss and the birds are more susceptible to
disease due to stress. If medicated
food is provided then birds on reduced food intake do not get the correct dose
of medication. Reduced levels
of Emtryl (Dimetridazole) intake at the same time as the birds are under stress are often
responsible for outbreaks of Hexamita and Trichomonas infections and reduced
intake of coccidiostat may result in clinical coccidiosis.
Routine
Medication:
Birds
should be wormed after being in the pens for 7-10 days.
This allows them to pick up some worms prior to treatment and hopefully
allows some immunity to develop. Some
keepers will wait until the first sign of gapes are seen before treating the
birds but this requires a very high standard of management to be successful.
During the first few days in the release pen birds should be encouraged to move
around so they become accustomed to sites for feeding and drinking.
Most
birds will be fed on a standard game bird diet containing both Emtryl and a
coccidiostat. These are only available on veterinary prescription.
Areas
of Contamination:
Disease tends to build up around feeders and drinkers. By
providing more feeders and drinkers fewer birds will be attracted to each one
and the build up of disease is reduced. Raising
feeders off the ground on a weld-mesh grid will prevent any waste food that
falls on the floor being eaten by the birds from what will be a highly
contaminated area. The use of
suitable disinfectants around feeders and drinkers can also help to reduce the
contamination in these areas.
Birds
from a variety of sources:
Disease
outbreaks are more likely to occur if birds from a number of sources or if birds
of varying ages are mixed in the same release pen.
Good planning should ensure that these events never occur as the
resulting problems can be numerous and are very hard to manage.
Observation
of Birds:
It
is important that birds in release pens are seen at least twice daily so that
any sick birds can be identified at the earliest opportunity.
This requires the whole pen to be walked as sick birds tend to hide under
cover and it is easy for them to be missed.
If birds are not properly observed disease can spread throughout a
release pen before the keeper realises he has a significant problem.
The
earlier a disease is recognised, diagnosed and dealt with the lower the losses
that will occur.
CONCLUSION:
It is important that gamekeepers realise that entry into release pens is a very
stressful time for the birds and they must manage the birds accordingly. All the birds in a pen should be from the same source and
must be of the same age. Sufficient
food and water must be provided for the birds so that there is no danger of the
birds failing to find them. The
whole pen must be walked at least twice daily so that the majority of the birds
present are seen. If sick birds are
identified in the pen then a correct diagnosis and appropriated treatment must
be obtained at the earliest opportunity.
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