Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXV, Issue 2
Written by Rumyana IVANOVA, Hristo HRISTEV
We studied the influence of environmental factors on the prevalence and clinical manifestations of pasteurellosis in rabbits of the California and New Zealand breeds over a period of one year. It was found that the minimum temperatures in winter and the maximum in summer were out of the optimal values: 4-7 and 16-18ᴼС, respectively. The relative humidity during most of the year was out of the recommended levels / 60-70% /, both at the average and at the maximum measured values. The concentration of ammonia exceeded the average values by about 16 mg / m3, and the maximum values by about 30 mg / m3. The dust content varied from 0.9 to 6 mg / m3 with average values of 3.6 mg / m3. The total number of isolated microflora in m³ air was 6.83 x 103 (6.5-7.3 x 10³).Dominant in the biological material and washes / from cages, walls and inventory / were the representatives of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pasteurella and Colibacteria; and from the molds Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, Penicillium, Alternaria and Mucor. Antibodies against Pasteurella multocida were found in 60% of the population. Exacerbation of the disease and higher mortality was observed during pregnancy and during the suckling period. The main complications were - respiratory disorders (51%) followed by inflammation of the conjunctiva. About a quarter of the affected animals (26.4%) suffered from the mixed form of the disease. We found that Inflammation of the ears was extremely rare (0.2%). A relationship has been established between the number of environmental factors and the incidence of respiratory diseases. We can conclude that environmental factors are actively involved in the development, form and severity of pasteurellosis in rabbits.
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