Infectious diseases of poultry are mostly associated with severe economic losses. Many of these diseases once re-emerging or introduced into a geographic area, can explode into an epidemic and may have a significant negative effect on international trade. Beside general control approaches like biosecurity, improvement of rearing management, monitoring, and vaccination several governmental measures on control of poultry diseases were adopted in European countries.

Eradication policy and killing of animals for disease control purposes are commonly applied in cases of suspicion or confirmed outbreaks of emergency diseases, outbreaks of diseases with a considerable public health and/or economic impact and in case of possible irregularities during the intra-community trade of live animals and their products.

The List A of the Office of International Epizooties (OIE) including rapidly spreading diseases of major economic importance, such as highly pathogenic Avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle Disease (ND). The EU legislation to control Avian influenza is laid down in Council Directive 92/40/EEC (EEC, 1992a) introducing Community measures for the control of Avian influenza. For the Newcastle disease the Council Directive 92/66/EEC (EEC, 1992b) introducing Community measures for the control of Newcastle disease is laid down. In addition, the European Union adopted a Council Regulation 2160/2003/EC (EC, 2003b) on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents.

There are also a number of Council Directives covering the control of diseases such as:

- Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (EEC, 1982).

- Directive 90/425/EEC concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable to intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (EEC, 1990a).

- Directive 90/667/EEC laying down the veterinary rules for disposal and processing of animal waste, for its placing on the market and for the prevention of pathogens in feedstuffs of animal or fish origin (EEC, 1990b) and amending Directive 90/425/EEC.

- Directive 90/539/EEC on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries of, poultry and hatching eggs (EEC1990c).

- Directive 91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries (EEC, 1991) and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC.

The aim of this paper is to describe the regulations related to control of the above mentioned diseases and /or infections.

Conventional methods of assessing bone integrity of layers have involved destructive testing on dissected samples. Bone ash, calcium and phosphorus levels give an indication of mineral content while breaking strength is at best a relative measure subject to numerous potential errors in methodology. More recently non-destructive methodologies have been accepted in human medicine, the most promising being quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) and axial x-ray micro-computed tomography (Micro CT). QUS relies on capturing sound waves that have travelled through the bone, where density will influence time between emitting and capture of the signal. In our preliminary studies, the humerus is the most appropriate bone for such studies since there is a minimum of overlying tissue. Micro CT relies on 720 images, taken at 0.5° angles around a sample, and then software allows rebuilding of a 3-D image. Micro CT also provides quantitation of density in selected areas on the image. Most Micro CT scanners currently necessitate isolated bone samples, although second generation machines will have the capacity to scan sedated animals such as chickens and small mammals.

This paper reviews and presents data suggesting that the use of thyroxine (T4) to induce moult in poultry may be a viable alternative to previous methods involving feed withdrawal or feed avoidance. Studies completed in wild and domestic avian species have indicated that T4 is associated with the natural moulting process. Four experiments, spanning the range from using a purified, injectable form of T4 to a cost effective commercially available product, iodinated casein (economical source of T4) that can be fed to hens via a standard poultry ration, are presented. Since hens have full access to the diet during the induced moult, it is hoped that the procedure will be acceptable both to the poultry industry and to organizations concerned about the welfare of birds during this period of their annual cycle.

The ovulatory cycle and moulting are associated with physiological and endocrinological mechanisms involving a complex interplay of light stimulus, hypothalamus, pituitary, gonads, thyroid and adrenal glands. During ovulation, the LH surge triggers the release of a mature follicle. With advance in the age of a laying hen, egg production decreases coinciding with decrease in ovarian steroids and gonadotropins. Moulting occurs when oestrogen, progesterone and luteinizing hormone are low while thyroid hormones and corticosterone are high. The physiological processes observed during induced moulting are common to those found in natural moulting. Moulting results in the rejuvenation of reproductive tissues of old laying hens, preparing them for another laying cycle. Vitellogenin provides the two proteins (lipovitellin and phosvitin) to the developing yolk, at the same time serving as their transport protein through the blood stream. Low levels of vitellogenin in the plasma of moulting hens are attributable to decrease in oestrogen during moulting since production of vitellogenin from the liver is stimulated by oestrogen.

European duck meat production is based on the use of Pekin, Muscovy and Mule duck genotypes that vary in their behavioural and physiological characteristics. Furthermore, large differences exist in their housing and management conditions. The aim of this review is to discuss the welfare of these different genotypes in typical husbandry systems, focusing on ducks kept for meat production. Firstly, factors that can affect duck welfare, such as stocking density and group size, access to straw, an outdoor run, or open water, are described. Secondly, welfare problems such as feather pecking, fear and stress, and health problems are assessed. Thirdly, the various systems used in Europe are described for these aspects. Giving ducks access to straw, an outdoor run, or open water increases the behavioural opportunities of the ducks (foraging, preening, bathing, and swimming), but can also lead to poor hygiene and increased health- and food safety risks. Therefore, practical solutions that allow expression of natural behaviour, but do not lead to hygiene or health problems have to be found and some practical suggestions are provided.

Hydropericardium syndrome has caused huge economic losses to the poultry industry in Pakistan. The disease was reported for the first time in 1987 at Angara Goth, a broiler producing area near Karachi and given the name Angara disease. The disease is prevalent in 3–7 week old broilers and characterized by its sudden onset, accumulation of a jelly like fluid in the pericardial sac, inflamed liver with basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies, congested kidneys and up to 70% mortality rates. Fowl adenovirus 4 has been found to be the causative agent. In Pakistan, the status of scientific research on various aspects of hydropericardium syndrome is quite unsatisfactory. There is an extensive use of formalin inactivated liver homogenate vaccines for the prevention and control of disease. Moreover, the gross lesions seen in post mortem examination are only the criteria for the clinical diagnosis of disease. Keeping in view the economic significance of hydropericardium syndrome, the need for additional scientific research on proper diagnosis and control of disease is suggested.

Poultry is a major reservoir of Campylobacter jejuni, which is currently the leading cause of acute bacterial diarrhoea in western countries. This results in substantial accumulated economic loss due clinical costs and lost working hours. In developed countries reinforcement of hygienic practices and consumer education have so far been inadequate to significantly decrease numbers of human cases of campylobacteriosis. The control of poultry associated infection in humans may also depend upon the control of Campylobacter colonization in broiler flocks. However, sources of C. jejuni and the transmission routes through which broilers become colonized are not clearly defined. A better understanding of C. jejuni epidemiology is urgently needed. This review summarizes current theories on the epidemiology of C. jejuni broiler colonization.

In the near future EU-legislation will ban the use of conventional battery cages, while national legislation in some countries in Western Europe will ban beak trimming as well. The ban on battery cages and beak trimming causes an increased risk of feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hens. Many factors influence feather pecking behaviour, but this paper focuses on nutritional factors. Nutritional factors can have positive and negative effects on feather pecking behaviour in laying hens. Severe feather pecking has been demonstrated in birds that were fed a too low mineral level in the diet, a too low protein level or a too low amino acid level (methionine, arginine). Sometimes somewhat more feather pecking was found when layers were fed diets with mainly vegetable protein sources as compared with diets with protein from animal origin. Also more feather pecking may occur when the diets were fed restrictedly, fed coarsely ground, or fed as pellets. Feeding high-fibre diets, low energy diets, or roughages reduced feather pecking. Providing additional grain or straw in the litter during rearing could result in lower levels of feather pecking behaviour in adult stages. Some of these positive effects on feather pecking seem to be related to the time birds spend on feed intake and foraging. This paper gives an overview of the relationships between the occurrence of feather pecking behaviour and nutritional factors, such as diet composition and feeding strategies in laying hens.

An investigation was undertaken to study the farming system of Nageswari ducks in the North Eastern part of India (Assam), where this important egg-type native variety of duck was found only in few areas of the Cachar and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley zone. A total of 1702 respondents were selected randomly covering 40 villages spread over 8 zones within two districts. Results of the study in respect of socio-economic status of the farmer, geographic and demographic distribution, husbandry and feeding practices, production performance, incidence of diseases, mortality pattern and health protection programmes, marketing, finance and costs and returns from the flocks are highlighted.