Peridomestic (“backyard”) chicken flocks are gaining popularity in the developed world (e.g., North America or Europe), yet little is known regarding prevalence or severity of their ectoparasites. Therefore, five birds on each of 20 properties throughout southern California were surveyed in summer for on-host (permanent) and off-host dwelling (temporary) ectoparasites. Only four premises (20%) were entirely free of ectoparasites.

Peste des petits ruminants virus causes a highly infectious disease of small ruminants that is endemic across Africa, the Middle East and large regions of Asia. The virus is considered to be a major obstacle to the development of sustainable agriculture across the developing world and has recently been targeted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for eradication with the aim of global elimination of the disease by 2030.

The effect of the immunomodulator Natstim ® (lyophilised killed bacterial cells from Escherichia coli 29, Escherichia coli J5, Staphylococus aureus 27/58 at amounts corresponding to 10 10 cells of each species, stabilized with Dextrane 40) on growth performance and two factors of natural humoral immunity serum lysozyme concentrations and the activity of the alternative pathway of complement activation (APCA) was investigated. The results for the experimental group showed a tendency towards higher live weight at 35 and 49 days of age.