Guinea Fowl Disease

[StevieAus]

I live North of Chiang Mai and have been keeping guinea fowl for about three years around eighty they live on close to two Rai of enclosed land next to our house where we grow a variety of fruit trees, there are two sheds for shelter which they rarely use plus fresh water we also keep some free range hens, we do not use insecticides and there is none from adjoining land.

Apart from what they forage they have rice, poultry food and greens from the local market.

I recently started  having a few unexplained deaths which increased almost almost finding them dead in the morning despite them displaying no other symptoms and eating normally

I could get no advice as to possible cause even from an “ expert” in the US.

I was lucky that a young local vet had some contacts at the University of Chiang Mai Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory who carried out a Necropsy on four of the dead birds.

It turned out that they were infested with some sort of microscopic worm called Heterakis spp which attacks the major organs and infects poultry, game birds and pigs ( we have no pigs) and strangely none of the hens seem to have been infected.

The answer was to treat them with a product called BENDON 4% ( Fenbendazole) which we did for three days added to the food and since have suffered no further losses.

It would appear that this parasite lives in the soil and is not only found in Thailand

I found it hard to obtain specific information regarding guinea fowl probably because they normally are pretty hardy but intend treating them periodically with the product.

So if you keep Guinea Fowl and have unexplained deaths this maybe the problem

Stephen

 

[Speedo1968]

Thanks for the info, will certainly be of use to others.
Though I have no farm here ( though did have in South America for a while ) I retired some years ago.

I have worked in farming since the early 1960's, initially in the UK then in many different countries.    Most of my work since the early 70's has been with chicken and ducks.     Since 1983 I have worked freelance.

 

Nematode infections are more common in the rainy season and with free range birds.
Helminthasis, including "Heterakis" need an intermediate host e.g. earthworms, snails, slugs.
The infection rates as with many diseases will vary from year to year depending on climate, this past year has been considerably different.
Generally the larval eggs are ingested from fecal matter etc.

It's unusual not to have seen symptoms ( unthriftyiness, inactivity, suppressed growth ) in the birds before death.    

Pigs, as with many animals can suffer from infestations but I think the relevance here is that the same drug "Piperazine' is often / is the best used for horses, pigs, cats, dogs, poultry.

I can find no recommended use of Fenbendazole with poultry !

Could I ask if you buy in young birds or do you hatch from eggs from you own flock ?

Hopefully you wash well any greens that you get from the local market.

Good luck with your birds.

 

[StevieAus]

30 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

Thanks for the info, will certainly be of use to others.
Though I have no farm here ( though did have in South America for a while ) I retired some years ago.

I have worked in farming since the early 1960's, initially in the UK then in many different countries.    Most of my work since the early 70's has been with chicken and ducks.     Since 1983 I have worked freelance.

 

Nematode infections are more common in the rainy season and with free range birds.
Helminthasis, including "Heterakis" need an intermediate host e.g. earthworms, snails, slugs.
The infection rates as with many diseases will vary from year to year depending on climate, this past year has been considerably different.
Generally the larval eggs are ingested from fecal matter etc.

It's unusual not to have seen symptoms ( unthriftyiness, inactivity, suppressed growth ) in the birds before death.    

Pigs, as with many animals can suffer from infestations but I think the relevance here is that the same drug "Piperazine' is often / is the best used for horses, pigs, cats, dogs, poultry.

I can find no recommended use of Fenbendazole with poultry !

Could I ask if you buy in young birds or do you hatch from eggs from you own flock ?

Hopefully you wash well any greens that you get from the local market.

Good luck with your birds.

 

Thanks for your response and your comments, the drug is definitely Fenbendazole and it clearly states on the packet that it is for use with poultry I did see reference to Piperazine when researching on the internet and will follow up.

The Fenbenzadole is made here in Thailand and I was trying to contact the company regarding how often it could be used as a preventative measure, do you have a view or suggestion?

Your comment regarding the rainy season is interesting as I believe the Veterinary School made a similar comment to my local Vet.

We do have fruit trees which we irrigate with water so perhaps this could be providing the breeding ground for the worm not sure what the answer to that is.

Regarding the guinea fowl we originally bought a few adults to which we added some more from a different source the rest of the chicks we obtained from our own eggs from the flock is there an issue with this ?

Unfortunately just before the problem started I obtained a pair male and female pure white and the female died which was very annoying when I think back shortly before she died she was rather inactive but not the others. The report from the University did state that they were in poor condition

Since the flock has been treated and although they were not showing any problems before they generally seem to look better a strange comment I know.

Re the green food I always give it a good hosing and I do not use insecticide on the trees what spoils gets spoilt ! !

Any further comments would be appreciated

Stephen

[StevieAus]

Further to my earlier reply it appears that Fenbendazole is used in the US for treating poultry and was approved by the FDA in 2018 it is available in liquid form under the name Safeguard there was also a reference to it being used successfully in Uganda of all places

[Crossy]

@StevieAus please could you post a few photos of the Thai packaging for the stuff you have.

 

Makes it easier to identify and buy ????

 

[Speedo1968]

4 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Further to my earlier reply it appears that Fenbendazole is used in the US for treating poultry and was approved by the FDA in 2018 it is available in liquid form under the name Safeguard there was also a reference to it being used successfully in Uganda of all places

Can I get back to you tomorrow Monday regarding drug usage etc:, had cataract removed last week, need to limit time sat at a screen ?

[StevieAus]

2 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

Can I get back to you tomorrow Monday regarding drug usage etc:, had cataract removed last week, need to limit time sat at a screen ?

 

2 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

Can I get back to you tomorrow Monday regarding drug usage etc:, had cataract removed last week, need to limit time sat at a screen ?

No problem at all there is no urgency I appreciate the discussion hope your eye soon recovers

[StevieAus]

I have been requested to shown photos of the medication Bendon 4% referred to in my earlier post my veterinarian obtained the first supply but have since got a local shop that sells chicken food pet supplies to obtain some.

It is a powder supplied in 30gm sachets at 55 baht per sachet, one packet will treat about 30 guinea fowl

I treated them for three consecutive days mixing the powder with poultry food and adding a small amount of water so that the powder would stick to the food

I am seeking clarification as to follow up treatment.

The supplier named on the packet if not visible is Namping Livestock Ltd in Chiang Mai Tel (053) 809018-19

[Crossy]

Great stuff Stevie, thanks for that.

 

I shall set Madam on course to obtain same, we lost a couple of chooks recently, they just stopped eating and faded out ????

 

[cornishcarlos]

We are down to 4 Guinea fowl, I think. May have been some more casualties since I've been away.

Often get a random bantam dropping with similar symptoms too. 

The useless male Muskoveys just keep on going though !! I'm sure they must be immortal...

[Speedo1968]

21 hours ago, StevieAus said:

 

No problem at all there is no urgency I appreciate the discussion hope your eye soon recovers

Posted 05 May 2020

 

 

Any comments I make relate in general to any size of farm whether it is backyard or a commercial exercise.

 

 

Helminthaisis and General Comments

 

It is rare for birds to develop clinical signs such as apathy or diarrhea.

High levels of infection with parasites is common with free range birds.

There are things that you can do to minimise risk by way of good husbandry but this depends on ‘how free range’ your birds are.  

 

 

YOUR COMMENTS - We do have fruit trees which we irrigate with water so perhaps this could be providing the breeding ground for the worm not sure what the answer to that is.  Please see below:

 

Anywhere damp will encourage all kinds of insects, try to fence off areas for the birds to forage.   If dong this birds should be treated and allow time for them to be free of infection.

Keep dogs and cats out of the area.   Wear boots and use a footdip into and out of the bird’s area.

Obviously some of these points relate also to other health issues of poultry i.e. vaccination.    Vaccination protects not only your birds but also helps protect others in the vicinity.

 

YOUR COMMENTS - Since the flock has been treated and although they were not showing any problems before they generally seem to look better a strange comment I know.   Please see below:

 

Not a strange comment – what happened was that the birds were probably infected to a lesser extent, hitting them with antibiotics reduced the infection, however, it often does not take long for them to be re-infected as your site sounds to be fairly heavily infected, you have had mortality.    It may also mean that the next time you use the drug it will not work as well.

 

 

YOUR COMMENT - The Fenbenzadole is made here in Thailand and I was trying to contact the company regarding how often it could be used as a preventative measure, do you have a view or suggestion? Please see below:

 

Yes you are right about Fenenzadole, my apologies it is available here, I was thinking of it in relation to the FDA.

Chemotherapy ( use of antibiotics ) can help prevent / control BUT antibiotic resistance can quickly become an issue and at a high level with certain infections such as parasites.   

Birds should only be treated if they are severely infected so as to help avoid resistance.    For this to occur it means a higher level of husbandry i.e. take notice of any changes to your bird’s behaviour and consider all possible causes.   Even for a small flock it is worth recording important events.

I would not recommend treating on a regular basis.   Others may disagree but I believe there is a loss ( complete or partial ) of efficacy of using the same medication over even a relatively short period of time within a farm site.

Less drugs are now available due to the high over use in livestock – especially poultry – since the 1980’s, when I can remember bags of penicillin and streptomycin ( which is what Baytril has now become ) first being used in the Middle East.

Many drugs “available !!!” here in Thailand may not be FDA approved or even “approved” by anyone.

As to which medication and dosage, discuss with your local vet / animal store.     Discuss with other people who have / had similar problems about their loses and medication; perhaps use a different medication to them.

When using powder form ensure you wear a mask and ideally gloves, also be careful about your eyes.     Dispose of packaging carefully.  Record medication given, for what purpose, date etc.

Efficacy of treatment will vary according to type of treatment and application, e.g. syringe, in water, in feed.     Syringe gives more certainty of who received what treatment.

***Ensure you give the correct withdrawal period from any medication before eating any produce from the birds, both meat and eggs.   To this you may wish to consider whether or not to set eggs for hatching.***

 

 

 

YOUR QUESTION - Regarding the guinea fowl we originally bought a few adults to which we added some more from a different source the rest of the chicks we obtained from our own eggs from the flock is there an issue with this ?    Please see below:

 

 

 

Certain helminthiasis can become enshelled in the egg, this is not a public health problem PROVIDING egg candling has been done.

( NB – such infection may be a problem with dayolds that you hatch by machine or natural incubation. )
 

Fertlised eggs or dayolds that you buy from outside may already be infected.

 

 

If you have a small number of birds ring band them so you know what comes from where and which ones become ill or die.

Keep young birds away from the older ones – if possible – for at least 10 – 14 days.

If practical house birds at night.    Protect from feral cats and dogs as well as rats etc.   Housing has its own issues but can be a low cost solution input.

 

 

Can you clear up the infestation issue ?    Unfortunately very difficult even with depleting the birds you have now as, you would need to keep the area empty for some weeks and control the area the birds have access to.      Do as much as you can to reduce the infection of the birds you have now and those you will get in the future. 

 

 

Any questions or comments please ask – good luck.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Speedo1968
text check

[StevieAus]

14 hours ago, Crossy said:

Great stuff Stevie, thanks for that.

 

I shall set Madam on course to obtain same, we lost a couple of chooks recently, they just stopped eating and faded out ????

 

If you cannot get it send me a message I will post some  to you I bought about 12 packets ( I am just one of those people who doesn’t like to be left short)

My local supplier now seems to have plenty