Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.

Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 3713-3716

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7706 Special Issue-7 pp. 3713-3716
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article

A Study on Mortality Pattern of Poultry in and around Ranchi

Sanjit Kumar*, Brajesh Kumar, M. K. Gupta, K. K. Singh and Sanjiv Kumar

Department of Veterinary Pathology, RVC, BAU, Kanke, Ranchi-06, India

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

A study was undertaken to ascertain the cause of mortality pattern in poultry birds. The
present work was carried out on one year (2017) data of carcases of poultry presented to
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Ranchi Veterinary College, Ranchi for post-mortem
Keywords examination. The major causes of mortality were chilling and coryza (42.41%) followed by
Poultry, Mortality enteritis (12.94%), nephrosis (10.48%), yolk sac infection (7.73%), coccidiosis (6.83%),
pattern, Chilling, colibacillosis (5.88%), ascardiasis (5.60%), oophoritis (5.43%), egg bound codition (1.90%)
yolk sac infection, and egg peritonitis (0.78%). Age wise incidence of disease revealed that starters were more
coccidiosis,
Oophoritis susceptible to chilling and coryza, yolk sac infection, enteritis, nephrosis, coccidiosis and
colibacillosis. Mortality in growers was due to chilling and coryza followed by ascardiasis
and enteritis. Incidence of oophoritis, egg bound condition and egg peritonitis found to be
highest in adults.

Introduction

Poultry is one of the fastest growing reluctance of farmers invest in poultry

segments in agricultural sector in India production is not only lack of resources but
today, while production of agricultural crop also risk of uncontrolled diseases (Bessei,
has been rising at the rate of 1.5 to 2% per 1988).
annum; over the past 2-3 decades poultry
production has been rising @ rate of 8-10% Mortality records in a poultry farm are of
per annum. immense importance to know the prevalence
of diseases and for adopting preventive and
This rapid growth of poultry industry to control measures. Information regarding
supplement their income with the fast mortality pattern of poultry and the causes
development of poultry industry, the under local condition of Jharkhand is
occurrence of diseases has increased many inadequate.
folds which remain the major problem
affecting its economy as a results disease Considering the importance of poultry for
play a vital role to better understand the the livelihood of the Jharkhand people and
status and pattern of diseases. its role in providing supplementary income
to the rural farmers, the study was
High incidence of poultry diseases play a undertaken to find out the causes and pattern
major role in reduction of the productivity of of poultry mortality under agro climatic
poultry rearing. The main reason for the conditions in Jharkhand. This study was

3713
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 3713-3716

carried out at the department of veterinary (7.73%), enteritis (7.62%), nephrosis

pathology, at Birsa Agricultural University, (4.93%), coccidiosis (4.82%) and
Kanke, Ranchi. colibacillosis (3.25%). Mortality in growers
was due to chilling and coryza (7.17%)
Materials and Methods followed by ascardiasis (3.31%) and
enteritis (3.25%). Incidence of oophoritis
Total 1785 dead poultry birds of different (5.43%), egg bond conditions (1.90%) and
age groups under different categories from egg peritonitis (0.78%) found to be highest
January 2017 to December 2017 were in adults. In this study chilling and coryza
presented at the Department of Veterinary (33.61%) was the more prone syndrome to
Pathology, Ranchi Veterinary College, cause mortality in starter which was similar
Kanke, Ranchi-06, Jharkhand. The birds to the findings of Jha et al., (2012).
were classified according to age into three
groups viz. 0-8 weeks (Starter), 9-18 weeks Higher incidence of yolk sac infection
(Grower) and 19 weeks and above (Adult). (7.73%) might signify the poor quality of
This study was carried out in different age day old chick. Ghodasara et al., (1992) also
group of dead poultry birds received from stated that the yolk sac infection were the
experimental poultry unit of Ranchi major causes of chick mortality in chickens.
Veterinary College, Government farms and Khan et al., (2002) also reported that yolk
private farms of Ranchi including local retention and yolk sac infection is
farmers. considered as an important cause of death in
chicken as well as in guinea fowl, duck,
Necropsy was carried out as per approved turkey, quail and goose. Yolk sac infection
procedure (Chauhan and Roy, 2003) of bacterial origin is most important factors
Laboratory tests were conducted to confirm which slow down the rate of yolk absorption
specific cause of deaths as and when and may in turn lead to yolk retention. Other
required (Brar et al., 2004). factors which may contribute include post
hatch starvation, type of initial feed,
Results and Discussion brooding temperature, prolonged exposure
to hatcher environment and size of birds.
The causes and mortality pattern of poultry
birds are shown in the Table.1. Chilling and This study recorded 12.94% mortality due to
coryza syndrome caused highest mortality enteritis in chickens, out of which 7.63% in
(42.41%) which was similar to the findings starter, 3.25 % in growing and 2.07% in
of Jha et al., (2012). Enteritis was observed adult chickens which is in conformity with
to be the second major causes of mortality the report of Das et al., (2001) who reported
(12.94%) followed by nephrosis (10.48%), its highest incidence in 4 weeks old birds.
yolk sac infection (7.73%), coccidiosis
(6.83%), colibacillosis (5.88%), ascardiasis Mortality due to Ascaridia galli infection
(5.60%), oophoritis (5.43%), egg bound was recorded in 5.60% in chickens. This
conditions (1.90%) and egg peritonitis helminth parasite was recorded in growing
(0.78%). (3.31%), starter (0.56%) and adult (1.74%)
birds. Rahman and Samad (2003) reported
Age wise incidence of disease revealed that highest case fatality in growers (43.33%),
starters were more susceptible to chilling followed by adult layers (18.52%) reared in
and coryza (33.61%), yolk sac infection litter system.

3714
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 3713-3716

Table.1 Disease and category wise mortality percentage (%) in poultry birds

0-8 weeks 9-18 weeks >18 weeks Total mortality %

(Starter) (Grower) (Adult)
Chilling and coryza 33.61 7.17 1.62 42.41
Enteritis 7.62 3.25 2.07 12.94
Nephrosis 4.93 2.75 2.80 10.48
Yolk sac infection 7.73 0.00 0.00 7.73
Coccidiosis 4.82 1.85 0.17 6.83
Colibacillosis 3.25 0.62 2.02 5.88
Ascardiasis 0.56 3.31 1.74 5.60
Oophoritis 0.00 0.00 5.43 5.43
Egg bound codition 0.00 0.00 1.90 1.90
Egg peritonitis 0.00 0.00 0.78 0.78

Coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria spp. is the in the abdominal cavity. This indicates that
only recorded protozoan disease in chickens, eggs continued to form but were refluxed
which is characterized by blood tinged back into the peritoneal cavity. Mortality
feces, ruffled feathers, loss of appetite, poor due to this disorder was recorded as 1.90%
growth and reduced egg production (Karim in layer chickens. Mortality due to the egg
and Trees, 1990; Mosleuddin et al., 1993; peritonitis was recorded as 0.78% layer
Samad and Chakraborty, 1993). This study chicken.
recorded 1.85% mortality rate in growers
supports the report of Sil et al., (2002) who A study was undertaken to assess the causes
reported 2.29% mortality among 8 to 20 of mortality of poultry birds of different age
weeks old cockerels. The reason for groups. The major causes of mortality in
decreasing the morbidity and mortality rates starters birds were chilling and coryza
caused by coccidiosis could be due to followed by yolk sac infection, enteritis,
improve hygienic management in cage nephrosis, coccidiosis and colibacillosis.
system and routine use of coccidiostats in Mortality in growers was due to chilling and
their flocks. coryza followed by ascardiasis and enteritis.
Incidence of oophoritis, egg bond condition
Oophoritis (5.43%) was the major cause of and egg peritonitis found to be highest in
death in layer birds. It is an inflammation of adults.
the ovaries. It is often seen in combination
with salpingitis and may develop in response References
to infections. Egg bound disorder is a
condition in which an egg is lodged in the Bessei, W. 1988. In: Proc.18th world’s
vagina but cannot be laid. It may be due to poultry congress, Nagoya, Japan 156-
inflammation of the oviduct, partial 160.
paralysis of the muscles of the oviduct or Brar, R.S., Sandhu, H.S. and Singh, A.
production of a large egg that is difficult to 2004. Veterinary clinical diagnosis by
lay. Young pullets laying an unusually large laboratory methods. 1st edn. Kalyani
egg are more prone to the problem. When Publishers, New Delhi. p 231-249.
impaction occurs in the uterus or vagina, egg Chauhan, H. V. S. and Roy, S 2003. Poultry
enclosed by shell membranes may be found disease diagnosis and treatment. 2nd

3715
 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) Special Issue-7: 3713-3716

edn. New Age international (P) Broiler Chicks. Pakistan Veterinary

Limited, Pub. New Delhi. p 196-236. Journal, 22 (4): 175-180
Das BC, Dutta GN and Phukan A 2001. Moslehuddin, Kabir M H, Hossain M I and
Necrotic enteritis among fowls in Rahman M H 1993. An investigation
Assam. Indian Journal of into coccidiosis in chicken.
Comparative Microbiology, Bangladesh Veterinarian, 10: 13-16.
Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Rahman M A and Samad M A 2003. Pattern
22: 82-83. of occurrence of single and concurrent
Ghodasara DJ, Joshi BP, Jani PB, diseases associated with mortality in
Gangopadhyay BM and Prajapati KS commercial chickens in Bangladesh.
1992. Pattern of mortality in chickens. Bangladesh Journal of Veterinary
Indian Vet. J., 69: 888-890. Medicine, 1: 15-20.
Jha, D. K., Prasad, S., Mahto, D., Soren, S. Samad M A and Chakraborty S R 1993.
K., Bachan, M. and Kumar M 2012. Chemothrapeutic management of
Disease incidence in poultry under acute outbreaks of caecal coccidiosis
intensive management. Indian vet. J., in broiler birds in Bangladesh. Journal
89(10): 39-41. of Protozoological Research, 3: 140-
Karim M J and Trees A J 1990. Isolation of 143.
five species of Eimeria from chickens Sil G C, Das P M, Islam M R and Rahman
in Bangladesh. Tropical Animal M M 2002. Management and disease
Health and Production, 22: 153-154. problem of cockerels in some farms of
Khan K. A., Khan, S. A., Aslam, A. and Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
Rabbani, M 2002. A Study on the International Journal of Poultry
Pathogenesis of Yolk Retention In Science, 1: 102-105.

3716