# Necrotic Enteritis- why be concerned



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Found this article. This is a concern of mine because it's shown up in past necropsies I've gotten and symptoms of others. NE can kill chickens without any symptoms, symptoms similar to coccidiosis, or a long term chronic situation where it remains in the chicken's small intestines and just makes them unthrifty, never seeming to put on weight, laying less. This can go on for years.

I believe that my chickens get it because they are susceptible to it due suppressed immune system due to exposure to marek's. So when I have chickens that are skinny for no reason, I generally give them antibiotic and anti coccidial . They appear to gain weight after this, but I am limited to what I see, not experiments . I am just a person who has nothing to lose by having an unthrifty chicken , skinny, and may eventually die anyway, so I might as well make a last ditch effort.This article was published by World Poultry.

The true cost of necrotic enteritis

Oct 9, 2015 431 1

Necrotic enteritis has increased in occurrence and severity over the years. When it comes to the damage it causes, producers often adopt the figure of US$0.05 per chick derived from a US$2 billion loss on a worldwide scale estimated in 2000. Since then, parameters have changed, as have the true costs of NE, which could come close to US$6 billion in 2015.

Broiler growers should observe birds closely at around 17-18 days of age because this is often when outbreaks of NE occur. Typically, this is also the time that diets are switched from starter feed to grower feed, causing some dietry stress. [Photo: Frank Uylenbroek]
Broiler growers should observe birds closely at around 17-18 days of age because this is often when outbreaks of NE occur. Typically, this is also the time that diets are switched from starter feed to grower feed, causing some dietry stress. [Photo: Frank Uylenbroek]

For those with an interest in the bacterial pathology of chickens, most, if not all, will be aware of necrotic enteritis (NE), a disease found worldwide wherever chickens are farmed. This economically significant disease, caused by the bacterium Clostridium perfringens, causes lesions in the chicken's intestine and can lead to flock mortality of 1% per day (clinical NE). The true economic impact of NE though is felt not from those birds that die from infection, but those who suffer from disease but survive subclinical NE.

Removal of antibiotic growth promotants

These birds have a reduced ability to absorb nutrients, a poorer feed conversion ratio and, as a result, are ultimately less profitable. Not only that, but as the industry increasingly turns towards the removal of antibiotic growth promotants (AGP) from feed, NE is only increasing in occurrence and severity. The Scandinavian experience of an almost immediate increase of NE after AGPs were banned is illustrative of wider trends around the world. The increase in the incidence of NE is reflected in the intensity of research in the area, as measured by journal article publication. In the last 15 years, there has been nearly a 10-fold rise in publication at a steady increase of more than 15% per year.

Costs underestimated (below is not really concern of ours)

For many years, the cost of NE was grossly underestimated because, generally, only the effects of clinical NE were ever considered. It wasn't until 2000 that an attempt to estimate the true cost of NE was undertaken. The figure arrived at, using this data, was US$2 billion a year worldwide. A survey of poultry producers from around the world was used to generate this information and it was found that the majority of those surveyed estimated the cost of NE to be US$0.05 per bird or higher.

Although the figure of US$0.05 per bird was used to reach the US$2 billion amount (coupled with 1999 poultry production figures), the majority of respondents actually said that NE was costing more than US$0.05 per bird. And two of the most costly regions, in terms of NE treatment, were Latin America and Europe, which represent roughly a third of the world's broiler production. In keeping with these findings, a later study found that the cost was closer to US$0.0625 per bird.


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## MichaelA69 (Sep 5, 2015)

Water soluble powder of Spectinomycin-Lincomycin has been effective against bacterial enteritis in my experiences. I cannot state enough about the preventative use of coccidiostats like amprolium/toltazuril to prevent intestinal destruction with birds up to 9 months of age. Also, the use of probiotic water dispersable powder on a weekly basis does much to protect the intestinal tract. People who allow droppings to accumulate under roosts and around feeders and drinkers, never supplement with vitamins and minerals, don't keep nests clean, or sanitize drinkers are just asking for problems based on what I've seen over the years. If a feed mill doesn't have a mill date on the feed tag, it isn't worth a dime. Unfortunately we can't depend on formulated feed to provide the adequate amounts of nutrients since stress due to moult, breeding season, sickness, weather and other changes increase the need for certain nutrients. I believe those companies such as Purina (Dumor, Land O' Lakes) , which are regularly found on the FDA recall list for inadequate nutrients or toxins found, should be avoided.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi Michael. How right! I think any type of preventative measures could be super important. And anticoccidials are great, but not the only thing that can do damage. It's good to be aware of Coccidiosis and Enteritis. My first 3 deaths from enteritis were without any symptoms at all and overnight 3 times a pulled just started hemorrhaging. So sad. 

I'm just down to treating any "off" bird with a cocktail that covers everything I can think of, except for aspergillosis, which can't be treated for.


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