We describe simple, inexpensive, and reliable methods for isolating DNA from avian blood, semen, or feather pulp. The procedures are readily applicable to high-throughput 96-well plate isolation for genotype analysis of chicken DNA based on restriction endonuclease digestion or PCR. Isolation cost is primarily the cost of a deep-well assay block and a few pipet tips; current price is less than ...

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly contagious herpesvirus which induces T-cell lymphoma in the chicken. This virus is still spreading in flocks despite forty years of vaccination, with important economical losses worldwide. The feather follicles, which anchor feathers into the skin and allow their morphogenesis, are considered as the unique source of MDV excretion, causing environmental co...

One hundred and sixty chickens (Gallus gallus) from 31 small, private backyard flocks in the eastern part of the Czech Republic were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera). At least one species of chewing lice was found on every bird examined. Seven species of chewing lice were identified in all; they had the following prevalences and mean intensities: Goniocotes gallin...

A novel feather-degrading Bacillus Sp. was isolated from chick manure. The bacterium produces keratinolytic enzyme using chicken feather as a sole of carbon and nitrogen source. The effect of temperature, pH on keratinase production of this keratinolytic strain was studied. Maximum enzyme activities were obtained within 48 hrs (780U/ml) of cultivation. The optimal conditions for the keratinolyt...

Methenamine salts have been traditionally used in the veterinary and human medicine, but its use is sometimes associated with some side effects.Toxicopathological effects of methenamine salt have always been a major concern. There is scantly information available about the lesions of methenamine compound in embryo. The objective of this study was to determine the teratogenic effects of methenam...

Silky fowl, a breed of chicken, is hyperpigmented in its various internal tissues. The pigment was extracted from various tissues of two strains of Silky fowl to determine its molecular structure and internal distribution. Analysis by infrared spectroscopy showed two spectrum patterns of the pigment in Silky fowl; one is from ovary and testis, the other is from periosteum and feather. The diffe...

Circoviruses are small, nonenveloped icosahedral animal viruses characterized by circular single-stranded DNA genomes. Their genomes are the smallest possessed by animal viruses. Infections with circoviruses, which can lead to economically important diseases, frequently result in virus-induced damage to lymphoid tissue and immunosuppression. Within the family Circoviridae, different genera are ...

The introduction of the naked neck gene (Na) into modern meat type chicken is known to be helpful in increasing the tolerance for a high ambient temperature (AT) by reducing the feather coverage which allows for a higher level of heat dissipation compared to normally feathered (na/na) birds. In addition, reduced feather coverage could affect requirements for sulfur containing amino acids. As a ...

The conversion of a live chicken into safe and wholesome meat products suitable for human consumption takes place in a series of processing steps. Few of the processes require force to carry it out successively among which are slaughtering and de-feathering. The latter is the focus in this paper, plucking force of chicken produced from two breeds of chicken. Each sample of the chicken carcass w...