Pasteurella multocida and Ascaridia galli are observed with high prevalences in free range chickens in Denmark, but the impact is unknown. A study was carried out to examine the interaction between A. galli and P. multocida in chickens and the impact on production.Five groups, each with 20 18-week-old Lohmann Brown chickens were infected. Group 1 was orally infected with 1000 AE 50 embryonated A. galli eggs. Group 2 received 10 4 cfu P. multocida intratracheally. Group 3 was infected with A. galli and subsequently with P. multocida. Group 4 was infected with P. multocida followed by A. galli. Group 5 was the control. The study ran for 11 weeks where clinical manifestations, weight gain and egg production were recorded. Excretion of P. multocida was determined on individual basis and blood smears were made for differential counts. At the end of the study pathological lesions and the number of adult worms, larvae and eggs in the faeces were recorded.The birds were more severely affected when infected with both pathogens compared to single infections with A. galli or P. multocida, respectively. A lower weight gain and egg production was observed with dual infections. A. galli infection followed by a secondary P. multocida infection resulted in more birds with pathological lesions and continued P. multocida excretion.In conclusion a negative interaction between A. galli and P. multocida was observed and it is postulated that free range chickens are at higher risk of being subjected to outbreaks of fowl cholera when they are infected with A. galli. #

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. 2015. Colostrum production in sows fed different sources of fiber and fat during late gestation. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 211Á223. The objective was to study yield and composition of colostrum and transient milk from 36 second-parity sows fed a standard lactation diet (CON) low in fiber or one of two high-fiber diets based on sugar beet pulp (SBP) or alfalfa meal (ALF), combined with one of three fat sources, palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), soybean oil (SOYO) or trioctanoate (C8TG) from day 105 of gestation onward. Sows were milked at 0, 12, 24 and 36 h relative to onset of parturition. Jugular vein blood was collected on day 112 of gestation. Plasma acetate content was affected by dietary fiber and fat treatment (PB0.05), indicating altered intermediary metabolism. Colostrum yield, predicted from piglet birth weight, suckling duration and weight gain, was unaffected by dietary treatments (P 0.10). Colostral (24 h) and transient milk dry matter contents were greater in SOYO compared with PFAD and C8TG sows (P B0.05). Colostrum (12 and 24 h) and transient milk lactose contents were greatest in CON-fed sows compared with sows fed ALF or SBP diets (PB0.05). In conclusion, nutrition in late gestation affected the intermediary metabolism and colostrum composition, but did not affect colostrum yield of sows.

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