Guinea fowl are strong and strong birds, with good immunity. But poor maintenance and violation of the feeding regime often leads to the development of various diseases - infectious, non-infectious, parasitic. Consider the diseases of guinea fowl, methods for their treatment and prevention.
Contagious diseases
Viral and infectious diseases are accompanied by pronounced symptoms, spread rapidly, and can cause a massive mortality of the livestock in a short time. As a rule, unsatisfactory conditions contribute to the spread of infection or the virus: dirt in the house and on the paddock, poor-quality feed and dirty drinking water.
It is advisable to limit the contact of guinea fowls with other domestic, and especially with wild birds, as they are carriers of dangerous diseases.
Pasteurellosis
Pasteurellosis is caused by gram-negative bacteria - pasteurella. The disease, most often, chooses a young livestock. There are 2 forms of pasteurellosis:
- acute - birds die 2-3 days after infection;
- chronic - the bird survives, acquires immunity, but it itself becomes a source of infection, therefore, it must be slaughtered.
Symptoms
- immobility;
- heat;
- diarrhea yellow or green with bloody inclusions;
- secretion of mucus from the nose.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment for pasteurellosis. All birds - sick and carriers, are subject to slaughter. The only response to the disease is compliance with standard standards for the prevention of infectious diseases.
The meat of guinea fowl infected with pasteurellosis is strictly forbidden to eat.
Pullorosis
A dangerous disease that can destroy 80-90% of the livestock in a short time - if you do not take adequate measures. If the disease becomes chronic, the bird looks exhausted, young ones do not grow well.
Symptoms
- bowel movements are yellowish or whitish;
- loss of coordination;
- immobility;
- a complication of pullorosis is peritonitis.
Sick birds practically do not move - they have no strength. But if the guinea fowl still tries to move, it has obvious discoordination.
Treatment: Sick guinea fowl are sent for slaughter. Everyone else is given antibiotics - Penicillin, Biomycin and others.
Marek's disease
The second name of this dangerous disease is neurolimphomatosis. It is caused by the herpes virus of group B. The infection is excreted with litter and secret, then it is carried through the air. The incubation period lasts from 1 to 7 months, so for a long time it is not possible to detect the disease.
Symptoms
- paralysis and paresis of the paws;
- lameness;
- twisted fingers;
- stretching paws;
- changes in organs at the cellular level.
The dead birds are sent to the laboratory to make an accurate diagnosis, since Marek's disease is often confused with leukemia. The probability of death is very high. Surviving birds sooner or later die.
Treatment: There is no specific treatment. Usually used antiviral agents - "Acyclovir" and others. But they do not give a big effect, mortality in Marek’s disease is very high. The carcasses of a dead bird are destroyed. Effective prevention - vaccination of young animals.
Vaccination of young animals against Marek’s disease is described in the video below:
Trichomoniasis
The causative agent is a unicellular parasite, trichomonas. It enters the body of guinea fowl through the gastrointestinal tract, along with dirty water or food. Youngsters are more often sick, especially at the age of 10 to 90 days. The disease progresses rapidly and is accompanied by severe symptoms.
Symptoms
- yellow droppings, foaming;
- loss of appetite;
- thirst - birds drink a lot of water;
- immobility - sick guinea fowl sit, not moving, and spread their wings;
- on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract - a yellowish coating that prevents birds from breathing and eating food.
Gradually, the body of birds is depleted from a lack of oxygen.
Treatment: Perhaps, but only at the beginning of the disease. Use anthelmintic drugs, since the disease is often accompanied by worms. Ipronidozole and cardinosole are also given.
Mycoplasmosis
Fungal infection of the respiratory tract. The main cause of the disease is poor ventilation of the house and crowding.
Symptoms:
- hard breath;
- cough;
- sneezing
- wheezing
- red eyes;
- secretion of fluid from the nostrils;
- gastrointestinal upset.
Treatment: Patients guinea fowl are given streptomycin, biomycin and other antibiotics. For the prevention of mycoplasmosis, newborn chicks are given a solution of Enroxil or Baytril preparations - 1 ml per liter of water.
Tuberculosis
Guinea fowl rarely suffer from tuberculosis. The disease is characterized by a long incubation period - 1-10 months, and a chronic course. The disease is accompanied by bacteremia. When examining the intestines, bone marrow and parenchymal organs, tubercles are found.
Symptoms
- temperature increase;
- immobility;
- weakness;
- decrease in egg production;
- shriveled crest and catkins;
- mucous membranes and skin jaundice;
- in addition, diarrhea, lameness, paresis and paralysis of the legs, drooping wings can be observed.
Sick guinea fowls intensively lose weight and die from exhaustion. The above symptoms are characteristic of all poultry suffering from tuberculosis. Guinea fowl symptoms are less pronounced than, for example, chickens. In order to diagnose tuberculosis, it is necessary to isolate a pure culture of the pathogen or to obtain a positive bioassay result.
Treatment: Treat sick guinea fowls in 2 stages. First, within two months, give Pyrazinamide, Isoniazid, Streptomycin, Rifampicin and Ethambutol - in a mixture. If the bird remains a carrier of bacteria, it is given for 3-4 months a mixture of Rifampicin and Isoniazid.
The main way to fight is to follow the rules for the care and maintenance of guinea fowls. Guinea fowl are given complete nutrition, and the herd is completed with healthy birds. If there is a suspicion of tuberculosis in the herd, all livestock older than six months are twice tuberculinized. All individuals giving a positive reaction are killed.
Salmonellosis (typhoid, paratyphoid)
Pathogens are microorganisms from the genus Salmonella. Usually affects young animals at 2-6 weeks of age. At risk and adults weakened guinea fowl. The incubation period is from 12 hours to a week. The source of infection may be infected hatching eggs. Infection also occurs when in contact with a sick bird, through food, droppings, air.
There are three forms of paratyphoid - acute, subacute and chronic. Mortality - 50-100%.
Symptoms of the acute stage:
- immobility;
- lethargy;
- drooping wings;
- closed or half-closed eyes;
- ruffled feathers;
- thirst;
- refusal of food;
- conjunctivitis;
- diarrhea;
- mucus from the nose.
The acute stage lasts 1-4 days and most often ends in death.
In the subacute stage, pneumonia usually develops and the joints of the legs swell. The subacute stage lasts 6-10 days.
The chronic course is characteristic of young animals from one and a half months. Exhaustion, heavy breathing, paresis and paralysis are observed. The duration of the chronic form is 2-3 weeks.
Treatment: For 5 days, birds are given Furazolidone - a tablet is diluted in 3 liters of drinking water. Another 5 days give antibiotics, chloramphenicol, gentamicin (dosage depends on the age of the bird). The next 5 days give nitrofuran funds.
A healthy bird is given weekly prophylaxis with chloramphenicol or biomycin. Separate rearing of young and adult poultry, maintaining cleanliness on a paddock and in a house is also recommended.
Salmonellosis is dangerous for humans - it is important to follow safety measures in contact with a sick bird.
Infectious Disease Prevention
For all infectious diseases - viral and infectious, preventive measures are the same:
- regular housekeeping;
- periodic disinfection of houses and equipment;
- timely isolation of infectious individuals;
- if necessary - vaccination;
- timely contact to the veterinarian.
Non-communicable diseases
The main cause of non-communicable diseases is violation of the content standards and improper feeding. Most often, guinea fowls get sick from cold and underfeeding. The house should be dry and warm. Drafts are excluded. Green and succulent feed, mineral supplements must be present in the feed.
Gout
The cause of the disease is the active deposition of uric acid salts. Due to the high content of nitrogen compounds in the feed, salts are deposited in the internal organs and tissues. Guinea fowl over two years old are affected. Usually gout overtakes birds with the same diet.
Symptoms
- joints become thicker;
- the bird cannot move normally;
- appetite falls;
- weight is lost;
- there are problems with the digestive tract;
- litter turns white;
- the cesspool is inflamed.
Treatment: Within two days, Atofan is added to the water - 0.5 g per 1 individual. The second option - sick birds are fed with bicarbonate of soda for two weeks - 10 g per 1 individual. The joints are smeared with iodine and salicylic ointment. Prevention - walks and good nutrition.
Injuries
Most often, injuries occur due to fights and subsequent biting. Crowding in the house may be the cause of aggression. It is important to comply with the area norms - 4 individuals per 1 sq. Km. m. Also, the cause of fights can be bright light, dry air, lack of minerals in the diet. The cause of the fracture may be improper holding of the bird by its legs or wings.
Symptoms
- blood and wounds - during biting;
- with an open fracture - the bones stick out, with a closed - no bones are visible.
Treatment: Wounds are washed with potassium permanganate or furatsilinom (250 ml tablet). Lubricated with iodine and sutured with silk thread. The needle and thread are sanitized. Bandage the wound and place the bird from the herd. In case of fractures, it is recommended to straighten the ends of the bones, disinfect the skin, put a splint from the planks and bandage.
It is recommended that birds of different ages be kept separately so that older guinea fowls do not peck young animals. It is necessary to provide the bird with normal conditions of keeping, and to remove the brawl individuals from the herd.
Dyspepsia
Youngsters suffer up to three months of age. The cause of the disease can be overheating or an improper diet. Dyspepsia is a digestive upset disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
Symptoms
- frequent diarrhea;
- liquid and foamy droppings, sometimes mixed with mucus;
- lack of appetite;
- immobility.
Treatment: Sick birds are given a solution of soda 0.03% or copper sulfate 0.2%. Vitamin supplements and dairy products are introduced into the diet. Prevention of dyspepsia is a balanced feeding of high-quality feed.
Omphalitis
This disease affects only newborn chicks. It is caused by an infection that penetrates the navel tissue. Normally, the navel should be closed initially or it closes within 3-4 hours. Omphalitis is observed in chicks hatched from improperly stored eggs or in violation of the incubation regime (temperature and humidity differences).
Symptoms
- a scab forms near the navel, exudate oozes from the wound;
- immobility;
- sitting with head bowed;
- enlarged stomach.
If the chicks are not treated, death occurs in 2-7 days.
Treatment: When the umbilical ring is not closed for a long time, guinea fowl are sedimented from the herd, given fortified food and given water with antibiotics. The wound is lubricated with an antibacterial ointment. The cell must be clean. Prevention - careful selection of eggs for hatching. Be sure to adhere to the incubation regimen.
Rhinitis
The cause of the common cold (rhinitis) in guinea fowls is dampness, cold and drafts. Birds of any age can get sick.
Symptoms
- lack of appetite;
- hard breath;
- copious discharge of mucus from the nose.
Treatment: Instill a solution of any antibiotic in the nostrils. Prevention - the creation of normal conditions of detention and proper feeding.
Vitelline peritonitis
Dangerous pathology, threatening death. It consists in inflammation of the peritoneum due to ovarian apoplexy (rupture). Yolk, flowing into the peritoneum, decomposes, intoxication of the body begins. The cause of damage to the ovary can be trauma, feeding with animal fat, early oviposition.
Symptoms
- an increase in the abdomen;
- loss of plumage;
- weakness.
Treatment: Does not exist. Guinea fowl with vitelline peritonitis clog. Prevention is to avoid injury and balanced feeding.
Parasites
Worms, fleas, ticks, etc., constantly attack domestic animals. When infected with parasites, the bird ceases to grow, loses its gained mass. When exhausted, the guinea fowl becomes vulnerable to infections and viruses.
Helminths
In the early stages, worms are difficult to diagnose. Symptoms are observed when the disease takes on a neglected form. When the worms grow, when there are a lot of them, the bird's body does not cope with intoxication, and obvious symptoms of invasion appear.
The presence of helminths and their type is determined by the veterinarian after examining the litter in the laboratory. Helps to infect helminths with dirt, crowding and dampness in the house.
Symptoms
- active weight loss;
- loss of appetite;
- depressed state.
Treatment: Use anthelmintic drugs. But the neglected form is not treated, the bird is sent for slaughter. Prevention of helminthiasis - planned deworming of livestock.
Fleas
The consequence of the poor content is the spread of skin parasites - fleas and cannibals. Fleas reduce guinea fowl egg production and meat productivity.
Symptoms
- spoiled plumage;
- restless behavior.
Treatment: It is much more difficult to remove fleas than to prevent their appearance. Use insecticides - they process the room and birds. The drug is selected by a veterinarian. For prevention, it is recommended to regularly replace the litter in the house, to prevent drafts and dampness, and to install sandboxes for ash baths. It is recommended to add juniper and wormwood to the litter.
Almost all diseases of guinea fowl are associated with violation of the conditions of detention. If you provide the bird with a clean and warm poultry house, properly feed and vaccinate on time, the risk of the disease will be reduced many times.
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Russia. City Novosibirsk
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