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- Title
Prevalence of wet litter and the associated risk factors in broiler flocks in the United Kingdom.
- Authors
Hermans, P. G.; Fradkin, D.; Muchnik, I. B.; Morgan, K. L.
- Abstract
A postal questionnaire was sent to the managers of 857 broiler farms in the UK to determine the prevalence and risk factors for wet lifter. The response rate was 75 percent. Wet litter was reported by 75 per cent (95 percent confidence interval [cl] 71.3 to 78.3) of the respondents in at least one flock during the year 2001 and 56.1 percent (95 percent cl 52.O to 60.0) of them reported that they had an outbreak of wet litter in their most recently reared flock. Wet litter occurred more often during the winter months and farms using side ventilation systems were at an increased risk (odds ratio 1.74; 95 percent cl 1.09 to 2.76). A multivariable analysis was carried out using two different definitions of wet litter as outcome variables - all cases of wet litter, and cases of wet litter associated with disease. Consistent risk factors for both outcomes were coccidiosis, feed equipment failures and the availability of separate farm clothing for each house. Cases of wet lifter associated with disease were reported by 33.7 percent (95 per cent cl 28.8 to 39.1) of the managers in their last flock and were associated with the use of hand sanitisers and broiler houses with walls made of concrete.
- Subjects
UNITED Kingdom; BROILER chickens; CHICKEN diseases; COCCIDIOSIS in animals; VETERINARY parasitology; VETERINARY medicine
- Publication
Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association, 2006, Vol 158, Issue 18, p615
- ISSN
0042-4900
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1136/vr.158.18.615