68 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 441 



It is encouraging to note that the pullorum disease status of Massachusetts 

 poultry flocks has steadily improved during the past six years, even though both 

 the poultrymen and the laboratory have been faced with many difficulties. 

 Massachusetts can feel proud of the fact that 95 percent of the chickens tested 

 are in 100 percent non-reacting flocks. 



2. Diagnostic Service. During the calendar year of 1946, 4763 specimens 

 were received in 858 consignments, of which 448 were delivered in person. The 

 specimens were classified as follows: 4028 chickens, 642 turkej^s, 18 pheasants, 

 17 rabbits, 11 each of bovine semen and canine feces, 10 each of ducks and pi- 

 geons, 7 quail, 3 trout, 2 bovine organs, and 1 each of bovine blood, bovine fetus, 

 canary, and swine. 



Coccidiosis (105), tumors (64), pullorum disease (58), fowl paralysis (37), and 

 Newcastle disease (47) were the disturbances identified most frequently. A 

 definite diagnosis was not reached in 46 outbreaks of respiratory disease. Avian 

 tuberculosis was not identified during the year. Fowl cholera was identified in 

 19 instances, including 10 new premises. Fowl typhoid was recognized 19 times, 

 and 17 were on premises where the disease was not known to have existed pre- 

 viously. There were fewer cases of cholera and more of typhoid than in the pre- 

 vious year. 



Cockleburs caused severe injury in one group of chicks three weeks of age. 

 Peanut shell litter containing cockleburs had been added to the litter already on 

 the floor, and the chicks began eating the burs almost immediately. As many as 

 five were found in some of the chicks examined. The cockleburs caused severe 

 mechanical injury and inflammation at the site of lodgment, usually the lower 

 esophagus. 



The 642 turkeys were received in 140 consignments. More than half of the 

 examinations were on birds less than four weeks old. Coccidiosis, paratyphoid 

 infection, pullorum disease, and swine erysipelas were the conditions encountered 

 most frequently. 



The number of cases of E. rhusiopathiae infection (swine erysipelas) in turkeys 

 called to the attention of the laboratory equalled that of the previous ten years 

 combined. In previous years the outbreaks had occurred principally on porches 

 in September and October or on range in November and December. In 1946 one 

 outbreak occurred in February in housed breeders, and several were on range 

 during the summer and early fall. The latter outbreak continued for some time 

 and one owner reported losses of approximately 12 percent. 



3. Flock Mortality Studies. Necropsies were made on 225 birds from the 

 Experiment Station flock, including 141 females, 76 males, and 8 unidentified 

 of the group hatched in the spring of 1945. No new observations of significance 

 were made on examinations of these birds. 



4. Infections Bronchitis Control. During 1946, 217 flocks were enrolled in the 

 infectious bronchitis control program. The results continue to be satisfactory, 

 and the flock owners regard this control program as a valuable service to the in- 

 dustry. During the year birds from 101 flocks were tested for their immunity to 

 infectious bronchitis, 64 of which were found to be immune, 35 susceptible, and 

 2 questionable. 



Furthermore, 114 flocks were tested for Newcastle disease with the serum-virus 

 neutralization and hemagglutination-inhibition tests; and 47 w^ere found positive, 

 64 negative, and 3 questionable. When indicated, attempts were made to isolate 



