Metabolic Disorders in Poultry

Modern poultry production now has the ability to control most infectious diseases and it is evident that the economically significant issues relating to poultry health and welfare world-wide are non-infectious, most commonly referred to as metabolic disorders. General mortality of both meat birds and laying hens seem to affect birds with the greatest growth rate or the highest egg output, and is now most commonly due to disorders of various biological systems. Metabolic disorders such as those impacting skeletal development have also now become important animal welfare issues in many countries. This book addresses the problems of all the significant metabolic disorders such as ascites, sudden death syndrome, liver and kidney problems and skeletal disorders. In some instances we have indicated methods of treatment or prevention. Metabolic disorders by their very nature are a perennial challenge to efficient modern poultry production. Their control requires astute management and a nutritional strategy geared towards health maintenance and general disease avoidance in poultry.
We hope that the information provided in this book can contribute to a better understanding and management of metabolic disorders in poultry.