64 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 428 



DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 

 J. B. Lentz in Charge 



Poultry Disease Control Service. (H. Van Roekel, K. L. Bullis, O. S. Flint, 

 and M. K. Clarke.) 



1. Pidlorum Disease Eradication. During the 1944-45 season, a record 

 number of flocks (529) and samples (975,041) have been tested. The percentage 

 of reactors detected among chickens was 0.12. It is encouraging to note that 

 progress in eradication is being made, as is indicated by the fact that 93 percent 

 of all birds tested are in 100 percent tested, non-reacting flocks. 



Furthermore, there was a considerable increase in turkeys tested during the 

 past season, due in large measure to the recent marked expansion in the turkey 

 industry. Unfortunately, the pullorum status in turkey flocks in Massachusetts 

 is not so encouraging as it is in chickens. However, this situation may be im- 

 proved by working in closer cooperation with the flock owners and through more 

 eff'ective education regarding pullorum disease eradication and prevention. 



It has been extremely difficult to meet the testing demand during the past 

 year. Most of the flocks, however, were tested without serious delay. This was 

 made possible by the willingness of the testing personnel to put forth extra effort 

 in the collection and testing of the samples. 



A detailed report of the 1944-45 testing season has been published in Control 

 Series Bulletin 124. 



2. Diagnostic Service. A total of 3801 specimens was received duiing 1944 

 in 716 consignments, of which 360 were delivered in person. The specimens were 

 classified as follows:- 3221 chickens, 451 turkeys, 23 quail, 22 fish, 21 ducks, 13 

 rabbits, 12 bovine semen, 8 foxes, 7 swine, 6 guinea pigs, 3 each of canine feces 

 and geese, and 1 each of the following: canary, canine, feline sputum, goat, goat 

 feces, horse meat, ovine semen, pheasant, pigeon, porcine semen, and sheep. 



Coccidiosis (121), tumors (70), infectious bronchitis (49), fowl paralysis (36), 

 internal parasites (32), pullorum disease (31), and fowl cholera (29) were the 

 disease disturbances encountered most frequently. The tumors were classified 

 on the basis of gross examination as follows: 26 lymphocytoma, 14 myelocytoma, 

 9 hemangioma, 8 embryonal nephroma, 3 fibrosarcoma, 2 each of carcinoma 

 and heart tumor, and 1 each of chondrosarcoma, hematoma, leiomyoma, and 

 my.xoma. 



The tumors identified as hemangioma represent an interesting problem which 

 is of consequence in some flocks. One owner reported a loss of 25 out of 200 pullets 

 between the ages of five and eight months. Sporadic cases only are noted in 

 most of the cases directed to our attention. Affected birds show a small raised 

 opening in the skin which bleeds recurrently. The site of bleeding has been ob- 

 served on various parts of the body, including the feet, legs, breast, and head 

 of different birds. Afflicted birds usually die within a month from loss of blood. 

 In some cases there is metastasis of the tumor to the liver, spleen, kidneys, and 

 other internal organs. It is possible to salvage a bird by excising the tumor in 

 the skin if metastasis has not occurred. 



The incidence of fowl cholera was greater than in any previous year and infec- 

 tion was detected on 19 new premises. Fowl typhoid was observed much more 

 frequently than in any year since 1939 and occurred in widely separated places 

 within the State. One case of avian tuberculosis was identified. No paratyphoid 

 infection in chickens was brought to the attention of the laboratory. There has 

 been an increase in the incidence of avitaminosis A during the past two years 

 and a dermatitis syndrome believed to be due to deficiency of pantothenic acid 

 and biotin has been observed more frequently. 



