ABSTRACT

Diseases remain a significant burden to poultry production and its future. Whilst it is widely recognised that vaccines have a major role in inducing protection, they can only be considered as part of the solution to this growing problem. Recent research efforts have focussed on developing effective preventative measures that reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in flocks. Optimising poultry flock health reviews the wealth of recent research on the mechanisms of transmission for infectious diseases, such as Avian Influenza (AI), and how our understanding of this transmission can be used to improve poultry flock health. This collection considers how improved surveillance, testing, diagnostics and nutritional strategies can be used as preventative measures, as well as how bird health can be optimised at the differing stages of production.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1 Understanding infectious diseases in poultry
1.Understanding the molecular biology of avian viruses and their role in poultry health: Alejandro Banda, Mississippi State University, USA;
2.Advances in understanding bacterial diseases in poultry: challenges and perspectives: Surya Paudel, Michael Hess and Claudia Hess, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria;
3.Advances in understanding parasite infections of poultry: protozoa and the red mite: Damer P. Blake, Royal Veterinary College, UK; and Dieter Liebhart, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria;

Part 2 Preventing diseases in poultry
4.Improving biosecurity in poultry flocks: Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt and Manon Racicot, Université de Montréal, Canada; and Mattias Delpont, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France;
5.Nutritional strategies to boost immune response in poultry: M. T. Kidd, Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, USA; and P. F. Surai, Vitagene and Health Research Center, UK, Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K.I. Skryabin, Russia, Trakia University, Bulgaria, Szent Istvan University, Hungary and Saint-Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, Russia;
6.Developments in vaccines to protect poultry against diseases: Yongxiu Yao and Venugopal Nair, Viral Oncogenesis Group - Pirbright Institute, UK;

Part 3 Optimising health at differing stages in poultry production
7.Incubation and chick health: Ron Meijerhof, Poultry Performance Plus, The Netherlands;
8.Optimizing the health of poultry broilers: Edgar Orlando Oviedo-Rondón, North Carolina State University, USA;
9.Optimizing the health of poultry layers: Yuko Sato, Iowa State University, USA;
10.Optimizing the health of poultry breeder birds: Rick van Emous, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands; and André Steentjes, Veterinary Centre Someren, The Netherlands;