REVIEW OF MORTALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF NEONATAL TREATMENT IN CAPTIVE ATTWATER'S PRAIRIE CHICKENS ( TYMPANUCHUS...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Wildlife Conservation
• Avian Pathology

Background:

• Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) is an endangered subspecies requiring effective conservation strategies.
• Neonatal mortality presents a significant challenge to captive breeding programs for this species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify primary causes of mortality in neonatal Attwater's prairie chickens.
• To evaluate the impact of specific treatments on chick survival and disease incidence.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records, gross necropsy, and histopathology for 975 chicks (2009-2015).
• Review of data for chicks less than 8 weeks of age at the Houston Zoo.

Main Results:

• Overall mortality rate was 36%, with yolk sac infection, maladaptation, and musculoskeletal abnormalities as leading causes.
• Gavage feeding with a highly digestible formula increased necrotic enteritis but decreased mucoid enteritis and maladaptation.
• Meloxicam administration significantly reduced mucoid enteritis incidence.

Conclusions:

• Improving survival past 10 days, preventing neonatal bacterial infections, and utilizing meloxicam are crucial for captive breeding success.
• Dietary adjustments, such as gavage feeding with low-carbohydrate diets, may mitigate necrotic enteritis.
• Targeted interventions can enhance the survival rates of endangered Attwater's prairie chicken chicks.