Epizootiological Significance of Avian Clinical Cases Treated at the Poultry Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching and Research Farm, Calabar

A study on Avian clinical cases handled at the Poultry Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching and Research Farm, Calabar from January 2006 – December 2009 revealed that a total of 120,344 cases were treated with an annual mean of 30,086 cases. A total of 20,881 cases or 17.35% were treated in the months of February followed by 14,400 cases or 11.97% in August months; 12,460 cases or 10.47% in July months, 11,107 or 9.23% in March months; 9,600 or 7.98% in September months; 9,300 or 7.80% in January months; 8,860 or 7.40% in May months; 8,796 or 7.31% in June months; 8,700 or 7.23% in November months; 5,800 or 4.82% in April months and 2,860 or 2.38% in October months, 8700 cases or 7.23% in December months.Of the clinical cases treated, other cases (otherwise referred to or comprising cases of Avitaminosis and other Nutritional deficiencies) accounted for 30,687 or 25.50%; followed by Coccidiosis 18,216 or 15.14%; Ectoparasitism, 16,930 or 14.07%; Infectious Coryza 14,733 or 12.24%; Helminthiasis, 12,655 or 10.52%; Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) 10,960 or 9.11%; Salmonellosis, 8988 or 7.47% and Fowl cholera 7,175 or 5.96%. The Epizootiological significance of this study lies principally on an assessment of the causative agents, the environment, close monitoring, prompt and accurate diagnosis of these clinical cases as well as maintaining and also recommending effective disease control measures.