Cheilospirura species (gizzard worm) infection in battery-caged commercial layer chickens
Ganapathy, K.; Sharma, R.S.K.
Veterinary Record 153(23): 716-717
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 14690078 Document Number: 560658
A layer farm that was experiencing a drop in egg production, from 85% at week 47 to 53% at week 51 was visited. The farm, which reared only Isa brown layers, consisted of 56 layer flocks and 6 grower flocks. A drop in egg production was noted in 3 houses, each containing 10 000 birds, and attention was focused on these houses. Postmortem examinations were carried out on 3 cases from each of the houses, and 4 birds from the house with the most severe drop in egg production were euthanized. Slightly haemorrhagic and red lesions, 10-20 cm in diameter, with necrotic tissues were found in grossly abnormal gizzards. Three to four worms, 25-28 mm in length, were collected from within the lesions, and identified as Cheilospirura species. The chickens were treated with 5 ppm fenbendazole in feed for a week immediately after diagnosis of the infection. No worms were found upon re-visit of the same flocks a week later.