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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Poultry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126997
Title: EFFECTS OF AN S6 STRAIN OF MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM INOCULATION BEFORE BEGINNING OF LAY ON LEUKOCYTIC CHARACTERISTICS IN COMMERCIAL LAYERS

Author
item PEEBLES, E - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item PARKER, T - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item Branton, Scott
item WILLEFORD, K - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item JONES, M - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item GERARD, P - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item PHARR, G - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item MASLIN, W - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2003
Publication Date: 2/15/2004
Citation: Peebles, E.D., Parker, T.A., Branton, S.L., Willeford, K.O., Jones, M.S., Gerard, P.D., Pharr, G.T., Maslin, W.R. 2004. Effects of an s6 strain of mycoplasma gallisepticum inoculation before beginning of lay on leukocytic characteristics in commercial layers. Avian Diseases. 48:196-201.

Interpretive Summary: Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a disease of poultry often associated with sub-optimum egg production, downgrading of carcasses, reduced feed efficiency and weight gain, and decreased hatchability. Commercial layer hens raised in a controlled environment were inoculated with S6 strain of MG at 10 weeks of age. Egg production and selected egg and egg quality parameters were campared over the entire lay cycle for inoculated and control birds. The S6 inoculation had no effect on bird weight, egg production, associated egg quality parameters, or histopathologic lesion scores. This study shows that in the absence of environmental stressors, S6 MG inoculation before the laying cycle begins does not produce detrimental effects on layer hen performance.

Technical Abstract: Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a contagion of poultry implicated in sub- optimum egg production, downgrading of carcasses, reduced feed efficiency and weight gain, and decreased hatchability. Commercial layer hens raised in a controlled environment were inoculated with S6 strain of MG at 10 weeks of age. Egg production and selected egg and egg quality parameters were quantitated over the entire lay cycle for inoculated and control birds. The S6 inoculation had no effect on bird weight, egg production, associated egg quality parameters, or histopathologic lesion scores. This study shows that in the absence of environmental stressors, a pre-lay S6 MG inoculation does not produce detrimental effects on layer hen performance.