The farmer, engaged in breeding livestock and poultry, must remember that the correct conditions for keeping animals are observed, otherwise diseases cannot be avoided. Among the diseases of chickens associated with improper content, the leading role is played by mycoplasmosis, which is usually combined with other infections and can seriously undermine the entire population. Consider the main characteristics and dangers of this ailment below.

What is mycoplasmosis?

Respiratory Mycoplasmosis - a dangerous viral disease of chickens. It affects the respiratory system. It’s easier to prevent than to treat. The simplest organisms that cause the disease, mycoplasmas, are neither viruses nor bacteria, but occupy an intermediate niche. They easily penetrate the respiratory tract of birds, spreading very quickly in tissues and embryos, therefore this disease is especially dangerous for chickens.

Causes of occurrence

The slightest non-compliance with the conditions of keeping chickens is dangerous with an outbreak of mycoplasmosis. Immunocensed chickens and chickens are usually the first to fall ill.

Did you know? Broilers are the most susceptible to the disease, as they are grown in closed enclosures with poor ventilation, where the litter gets wet and provokes the disease.

Among the main reasons are the following:

1. High density birds per square meter aviary.
2. Poor ventilation.
3. High amount of dust and dirt in the chicken coop.
4. Draft, cold.
5. Poor heating.

Pathogenesis

The main method of infection is through air and water. The virus is also transmitted to offspring. Chickens are almost 100% likely to become infected by their mother in the egg or after birth through the respiratory tract.

Important! Free-range hens outside the compound are undesirable, especially in areas prone to frequent outbreaks of infections and viruses.

The epidemic flares up with autumn cooling and rains when the temperature in the chicken coop drops sharply and the humidity rises.

Symptoms

The incubation period of the disease lasts a long time - from 2 to 4 weeks, so the infection can catch 100% of the livestock. The disease itself proceeds slowly and chronically.

There are four stages of development of mycoplasmosis with the corresponding symptoms:

First stage - hidden. The virus latently spreads in the chicken body.Second stage - 5-10% of diseased birds show the first signs:

• poor appetite;
• apathy;
• lethargy;
• decrease in growth rate;
• diarrhea of ​​an uncharacteristic color: yellow or green.

Third stage - active, in which the bird's body resists the disease. At this time, the main symptoms appear:

• sneezing
• dyspnea;
• mucus secreted from the nostrils;
• swelling of the eyelids;
• difficulty breathing.
• eyes are blushing.

Layers may also show other symptoms:

• egg production decreases;
• the number of eggs that are unfertilized increases;
• many embryos die;
• the cornea becomes inflamed.

Fourth stage - a decrease in the active stage, symptoms decrease, and the disease goes into a chronic stage.

An ill chicken remains a source of the virus for a long time, including for its offspring.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the ailment is quite complicated, because at the first stages the disease proceeds secretly, and there are no reasons for examination.If the poultry breeder noticed symptoms of the common cold, bronchitis in the chicken, he should immediately show it to the veterinarian, since in the case of mycoplasmosis they already appear in the active stage, and the bird becomes dangerous for the surrounding livestock. The diagnosis is made only by a veterinarian.

Did you know? Quite often, mycoplasmosis is confused with a very dangerous infectious disease, Gamboro, which affects only hatched chickens. However, it is a disease of the kidneys and factory bag, not the respiratory tract.

The examination should exclude:

• bronchitis;
• hemophilosis;
• pneumonia
• pneumovirus infection.

Examination of a sick bird is carried out in the following ways:

1. Agglutination reaction - analysis of blood serum using a special diagnostic kit.
2. The study of smears in a Petri dish with agar is the isolation of mycoplasma bacteria.
3. Gene polymerase chain reaction, which allows to identify the possibility of mycoplasmosis disease long before the onset of infection.

How to treat mycoplasmosis in chickens?

Treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian. Folk remedies do not exist. Some farmers give the goat milk or herbal preparations (for example, St. John's wort, chamomile, elderberry) to the birds, but this can only increase their immunity, due to which the chicken will suppress the active symptoms, but the disease will not be cured, but will only go into the chronic stage.

Insulation

At the slightest suspicion of mycoplasmosis, the infected bird must be isolated from the rest of the flock and quarantined, since respiratory disease is transmitted very quickly.

Antibiotics

If a specialist cannot make an accurate diagnosis, then antibiotics containing tylosin, tiamulin and enrofloxacin are prescribed.Antibiotics must be diluted in a daily dose of water (200-300 ml for an adult chicken), calculating the norm:

• "Farmazin" - 1 g / l;
• "Eriprim" - 1 g / l;
• Enroflox or Hylodox - 1 ml / l;
• "Tilosin" - 0.5 g / l;
• "Tilmicovet" - 3 ml / l.

The course of treatment is 5 days. Prevention - 3 days.

If there are few birds, you can give injections to each chicken separately, injecting intramuscularly:

• "Tilosin 50" - 0.2 ml per kg of weight;
• "Tilosin 200" or "Tilokolin AF" - 0.05 ml;
• "Tialong" - 0.1 ml.

Disinfection of air in the chicken coop is carried out by spraying means for sanitation: "Monclavit", "Ecocide", lactic acid.

Is it dangerous for humans?

People suffer from mycoplasmosis, but it is not the types of mycoplasma that are caused by birds. However, most often this disease in chickens is combined with other viral diseases - enterobacteriosis, trichomoniasis, and they can be dangerous to humans. Even a healthy bird in contact with the patient is sent to slaughter in the first place.

Important! It is not recommended to eat meat and eggs of birds that have had mycoplasmosis.

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of infection and its spread, preventive measures should be taken:

1. All new individuals must be quarantined.
2. The correct conditions for keeping the chicken coop: regulation of temperature and humidity, ventilation, disinfection of bedding.
3. Timely vaccination of birds.
4. Sanitation of air with disinfectants.
5. High-quality nutrition, including feeds that enhance immunity.
6. On 2-3 days after hatching, chickens are given a solution of tilan (0.5 g / l) for 3 days.
7. Sick bird goes to slaughter.

Any disease can cause serious damage to the farm, so the task of the house is to ensure proper care of the bird and protection from adverse factors. Mycoplasmosis is a dangerous disease that is difficult to get rid of, and disease prevention is the main factor that should be emphasized by the poultry breeder.