[POULTRY]: Prevention and Management of Prolapse in Layers

 

PROLAPSE  can occur in very young or fat laying flocks. Prolapse is when the uterus stretches and tears and takes longer to properly return into body cavity after the egg is laid. This is most common in young flocks that start laying too soon  . When the uterus is exposed for a period of time, other birds will see it and pick at it out of curiosity . Once they pick at the uterus it bleed and the picking quick progresses to cannibalism.  It is performing birds that dies. Prolapse is not observe in non- laying bird . The more the number of deaths , the more the economic losses to the farmers.

 WHAT CAUSES PROLAPSE IN LAYERS 

1. Overweight or underweight birds = 40%

2. Poor debeaking = 15%

3. High light intensity = 5% 

4. unbalanced feed rations = 20%

5. Overcrowding = 15%

6. Mycotoxicosis = 2%

7. Infections ( E.coli , Salmonella etc)

8. Worms

9. Coccidiosis

1. OVERWEIGHT OR UNDERWEIGHT ( POOR PULLET WEIGHT UNIFORMITY)

Most cases of prolapse observed on the field are  usually traced to weakness during pullet growth and development period. The risk of a prolapse will be higher if the pullet at point -of-lay has an under- developed (small) body frame and /or excessive bodyweight due to fat deposit. The prolapse seen during the egg production period happens because the egg is having difficulty passing through the under-developed reproductive tract and this causes the layer to strain. Overweight layers will also have more fat within the tissues surrounding the vent. 

2. POOR DEBEAKING

Technical team of Adamore Nig.ltd found out that poorly debeaked and underdebeaked birds may increase mortality of a prolapsed flock by 15%. Also poorly debeaked or underdebeaked birds may waste  as much as 2268 grams ( 2.2kg) of feed per bird during the growing and laying periods.

3. HIGH LIGHT INTENSITY

Overlight stimulation especially during growing and laying  stage will result in prolapse and small sized eggs for longer period.

4. UNBALANCED FEED RATION

The layer birds of present day require higher calcium percentage.  Calcium deficiency result in calcium tetany.  Calcium tetany is also one of the major causes of prolapse.

 5. OVERCROWDING

Overstocking of birds either on deeper litter or inside cages can stressed the birds and this can lead to pecking .Once blood is visible on the bird as a result of prolapse, the vicious habit of cannibalism can be spread rapidly through the entire flock and this is worst in an overcrowded flock.

 PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PROLAPSE

1. UNDERWEIGHT AND OVERWEIGHT FLOCK

To solve prolapse in your layers you have to start early at the rearing period by enhancing your layer chicks to grow and getting the optimal body confirmation with large abdominal cavity and good muscles distribution over body bones and the only way to achieve that is  by monitoring the  weekly weighing of your flock and compare it to the breed standard. Adamore Technical found out that monitoring of body weights will signal a problem and allow time to react to reverse the negative effects of whatever it is that has happened. 12th week is very important in the life of the future layer . The body frame of the pullets is 95% fully developed by 13th week. The target of all poultry farmer is to attain the breeder weight of about 1Kg by the 12th week of age . At this time the growth plates of the long bones caclify and no further increases in bone size can occur. Any compenstory growth occuring after this period will not increase the size of the skeleton.

Any farmer supplying very dense feed from 13th week onwards in order to catch up with the body weight will fatten the birds and frame size will remain underdeveloped and this will lead to Prolapse when the flock come into lay. 

 Prolapse during production is usually related to poor skeleton development during rearing,even if body weight during production is at target weight.  Adamore Nig.ltd Technical team advise farmers to try to achieve target weight  of 1kg with 80% uniformity at 12th week. If bones of the flock are not fully developed at 12th week,then during production ,bird is more prone to prolapse and 90% of farmers are guilty of this point. Contact Adamore Nig.ltd Technical team for more details.

2. POOR DEBEAKING

Poor debeaking is also one of the causes of prolapse in layer birds. Please observe/ check beak status,if not properly trimmed,have retouching/debeaking again to control prolapse by preventing cannibalism. Consult your Veterinarians or poultry experts.

3. LIGHT STIMULATION

Don't over stimulate your layers by light to push them to lay early. Technical team of Adamore Nig.ltd recommends the lighting schedule as:

》 1-7 wks       24 hrs of light

》 8-20 wks    12 hrs ( Natural day light)

》21-30wks  15 min per week  up to 15 hrs 

》 31-80 wks 15 hrs light 

NB: First light stimulus of light should be given when the bird acquires the required body weight (1300grams) with good muscle development.  Over light stimulation will result in prolapse and small sized eggs for longer period.

Never give light if flock is underweight.

4. STOCK DENSITY

Observed stock density strictly according to breed recommendation. Overcrowded birds are more predisposed to this behaviours.  This is particularly important for floor managed bird/deep litter system. When birds are overcrowded, litter microbial profile increases rapidly beyond manageable level, exposing birds to increased microbial contamination. Such contamination results in increased susceptibility to salpingitis and prolapse.

5. Higher energy diets are also capable of predisposing to prolapse as a result of large egg size and increase in fat deposits. Use of Choline chloride has been particularly helpful .

》Use of HEPAROL PLUS is also helpful in liver metabolic function. 

》Continues use of ALL PRO FEED in feed will also help the flock to attain its body weight        and prevent fat deposit and keep infection at bay.

》Reduce the feed intake as recommended by Animal nutritionist.