What is Pullorum-Typhoid?

[Warren420]

I have seen that Texas and most other states have rules about testing your birds for Pullorum-Typhoid. Seems that it's a type of salmonella. But I haven't really found anything about where it comes from or how your birds get it. Once you have infected birds how hard is it to get a clean "bill" of health. How is this salmonella different from the regular salmonella that birds and reptiles already have? Not that reptiles have this type. Are the effects on human different? I don't have any birds now. I am just about to get into this "hobby" I have no plans now to take things to market but I might one day.

BTW this is my 1st post here. Thanks for having me!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Hi, and

Salmonella pullorum and gallinarum (also called Pullorum and Typhoid) are bacterial diseases which can produce heavy losses in chicken flocks, turkey flocks and other gallinoformes.
Losses are greatest in very young birds but can be seen at almost any age. Survivors of these infections remain carriers for life and can become a source of infection for other birds. Breeders produce hatching eggs which contain these bacteria and chicks are hatched with the infection and frequently die.

Pullorum disease will affect turkeys, ducks, guinea fowl, pheasants, sparrows, quail, bittern, geese, pigeons, doves, parakeets and canaries. The infection may spread by breathing contaminated dust or coming into contact with down from infected poultry or with other material in the incubator, shipping box, brooder, or pen that has been touched by an infected bird.
Blood-testing adult breeding birds in combination with biosecurity and sanitation have all but eliminated the disease in the United States. Pullorum-typhoid testing is available through the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory.

Copied from Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

Hope that helps.

 

[Warren420]

So is it best to test all birds before you bring them home? Say if I went to Atwoods to buy my birds should I test them before I add them to my flock should I just cull any that test positive? How much of a problem is this?

 

[Chickenfan4life]

So is it best to test all birds before you bring them home? Say if I went to Atwoods to buy my birds should I test them before I add them to my flock should I just cull any that test positive? How much of a problem is this?

No, most hatcheries have already done that. I don't think it's a huge problem, especially since it's the hatcheries job to test the chicks before they get shipped out. Or at least that's what I read...

 

[Warren420]

But I if still want to sell them anywhere other then my yard I'll have to get them tested?

 

[Chickenfan4life]

But I if still want to sell them anywhere other then my yard I'll have to get them tested?

Yes.

 

[Warren420]

Thanks!