Treatment of captive giant Canada geese affected by avian cholera

In the spring of 1975, an epornitic of avian cholera in Nebraska affected wild waterfowl, common crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), and a captive flock of guant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima). Measures taken to control the disease in the captive geese included flushing the water of their pen with fresh well water, parenteral (50mg oxytetracycline intramuscularly) and feed (tetracycline 500 g/ton) antibiotic treatment, and removing dead waterfowl and crows from the pen, and keeping wild waterfowl and crows out of the pen. Other measures taken to prevent a recurrence of the outbreak included monitoring the area with susceptible sentinel birds and culturing nasal swabs for Pasteurella multocida. Young Canada geese and wood ducks (Aix sponsa) raised in the area also were cultured before release to assure that carriers would not be released into the wild. Presently, ponds in the pen have been dried up so that the area is less attractive to wild waterfowl. Swine feeders and waterers that have been modified to discourage their use by crows are being used to feed and water the geese.