A serial radiographic study was conducted on seven houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii), 10 rufous-crested bustard (Eupodotis ruficrista), four white-bellied bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis) and eight kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) chicks to determine the growth rate of long bones and to establish radiographic standards for assessing skeletal maturity. The growth rates of the tarsometatarsus and tibiotarsus in the bustard species investigated were similar to those in domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) and some long-legged avian species. Maturation of long bones occurred earlier in houbara bustards compared with rufous-crested, white-bellied and kori bustards.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Serum bile acids in captive bustards.

Blood samples were collected from clinically normal male and female houbara (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii), kori (Ardeotis kori), buff-crested (Eupodotis ruficrista gindiana) and white-bellied bustards (E. senegalensis) to determine serum bile acid concentrations. Bile acid concentrations were determined by analysis with an Ultrospec 3000 ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometer, using an enzymatic bile acid test. The results provided values of serum bile acid concentrations for the four species, with means +/- standard errors of 35.8 +/- 2.8 mumol; 51.1 +/- 5.0 mumol; 18.4 +/- 2.1 mumol and 20.8 +/- 5.4 mumol for the houbara, kori, buff-crested and white-bellied bustard, respectively. Although no gender or age differences were detected within species, the results demonstrated significant differences in concentrations in clinically normal individuals between the different species.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Intestinal protozoa and associated bacteria in captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) in the United Arab Emirates.

A protozoal survey was carried out in 114 captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) in the United Arab Emirates. Trichomonas gallinarum, Chilomastix gallinarum, Giardia spp. and Lophomonas spp. were detected from faecal samples of 49 (43%) captive houbara bustards. Culture and identification studies were carried out to assess associated bacteria. The bacteria isolated from birds negative to protozoa included Enterococcus spp., Aerococcus spp., Micrococci spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp., while Enterococcus spp., Micrococci kristinae, Aerococcus spp., Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella spp. and Alcaligenes faecalis were isolated from protozoa positive birds. Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., E. coli , Klebsiella spp., Aerococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. are considered part of the normal intestinal bacterial flora of captive bustards and they were also isolated from the food items used to feed the captive bustards. S. sciuri possibly originated from ingested mice; Alcaligenes faecalis and Micrococcus spp. are contaminants from soil or water.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Maternal transfer of paramyxovirus type 1 antibodies and antibody response to a live Newcastle disease vaccine in kori bustards.

Studies were conducted to monitor the decline of maternal antibodies to paramyxovirus type 1 (PMV-1) in kori bustard chicks (Ardeotis kori), and to determine the antibody response in birds with low levels of maternally derived immunity (MDI) after being given either one or five times the standard domestic fowl dose of a live PMV-1 La Sota vaccine intranasally. The results confirmed that PMV-1 antibodies were transferred to eggs and chicks derived from kori bustard hens immunized with inactivated vaccine 5 to 8 mo previously. The levels of inherited antibody in chicks varied considerably, with 21% of birds having no detectable antibodies at day 14 Chicks hatched from dams with high hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers had high titers of MDI. Mean antibody levels in seropositive chicks were log2 6.3 and log2 2.9 on days 14 and 42, respectively. The rate of decline of detectable antibodies (1 log2), was estimated to be 5.50 to 6.25 days and 12.25 days in 14 to 21 and 28 to 42 day old chicks, respectively. There was no significant HI antibody response in bustards given a primary vaccination of either one or five times the standard domestic fowl dose of live vaccine intranasally up to 3 wk post-vaccination. High levels of HI antibodies, log2 7.4, were detected in birds given a secondary dose of inactivated vaccine, but not in birds given a secondary dose of live vaccine at 2 wk post-vaccination.

Administration, Intranasal↗

PubMed1998

Antibody response of kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) and houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) to live and inactivated Newcastle disease vaccines.

Adult houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata) and juvenile kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) were given four regimens of commercially available inactivated and live poultry paramyxovirus type 1 (PMV-1) vaccines. Immunologic response to vaccination was assessed by hemagglutination inhibition assay of serum. Kori bustards, to which a dose of 0.5 ml of a commercially available inactivated vaccine for poultry had been administered intramuscularly (0.15 ml/kg body weight), failed to develop hemagglutinating antibodies, but antibody titers of low intensity and duration were detected following administration of a second and third subcutaneous dose of 2.0 ml vaccine per bird (0.40-0.45 ml/kg). In subsequent trials, when inactivated vaccine was administered subcutaneously at 1.0 ml/kg body weight following two or four live vaccinations administered by the ocular route, juvenile kori bustards developed higher, more persistent titers of antibodies. Kori bustards given four live vaccinations followed by inactivated vaccine developed higher titers of longer duration compared with kori bustards given two live vaccines followed by inactivated vaccine. Antibody titers of kori bustards given inactivated vaccine were higher and more persistent than the antibody response to live vaccination. Houbara bustards, previously vaccinated with inactivated vaccine, that were given a booster dose of inactivated vaccine maintained high mean antibody titers (> or = log, 5) for 52 wk. The authors recommend that inactivated PMV-1 vaccine should be administered by subcutaneous injection of 1.0 ml/kg vaccine to bustards. Adult bustards, previously vaccinated with inactivated vaccine, should be vaccinated annually with inactivated vaccine. Juvenile bustards should receive a second dose of inactivated vaccine 4-6 mo after the first dose of inactivated vaccine. Even though inactivated PMV-1 vaccines induced hemagglutination inhibition antibodies and produced no adverse reactions, further studies will be required to determine the protective efficacy of the antibody.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Radiographic monitoring of the ossification of long bones in kori (Ardeotis kori) and white-bellied (Eupodotis senegalensis) bustards.

A serial radiographic study was conducted on eight kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) and four white-bellied bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis) chicks to determine the pattern of long bone development and to establish radiographic standards for assessing skeletal maturity. The ossification pattern, appearance of secondary ossification centres, and epiphyseal fusion of the long bones in kori and white-bellied bustards were similar to those in houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii), rufous-crested bustards (Eupodotis ruficrista), domestic fowl (Gallus gallus), house wrens (Troglodytes aedon aedon), racing pigeons (Columba livia). and barn owls (Tyto alba). Secondary ossification centres were present at the proximal and distal tibiotarsus, proximal tarsometatarsus and proximal metacarpal III. The ossification of long bones occurred earlier in female kori bustards compared with males.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Normal haematological values in gyr falcons (Falco rusticolus).

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bacterial flora of the conjunctiva and nasal cavity in normal and diseased captive bustards.

A survey was carried out to describe the normal aerobic bacterial flora of the conjunctiva and nasal cavity of captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata), kori bustards (Ardeotis kori), and white-bellied bustards (Eupodotis senegalensis) maintained at the National Avian Research Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. A total of 58 samples were examined from the nasal cavity and 55 samples from the conjunctiva of healthy bustards. There was no bacterial growth in 45% of conjunctival samples. Bacteria isolated from the conjunctiva of healthy birds included Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus capitis, Staphylococcus warneri, Bacillus spp., and Enterobacter amigenus. Bacteria isolated from the nasal cavity of healthy birds included Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., S. auricularis, S. xylosus, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus cohnii, Staphylococcus sciuri, Aerococcus spp., and Providencia rettgeri. These findings were compared with bacterial isolates from bustards with clinical signs of ocular or upper respiratory tract diseases. Mycoplasma spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, and Staphylococcus aureus were the pathogenic bacteria isolated from the conjunctiva of 34.3% bustards with ocular discharges. Mycoplasma spp., P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas spp., P. mirabilis, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and S. aureus were the pathogenic bacteria isolated from the nasal cavity of 74% bustards with upper respiratory tract diseases.

Animals↗