Gaining insights into the health of non-caged layer hens

[...]of the updated legislation, husbandry systems for laying hens have had to change significantly over a very short period of time. [...]data on vaccination and treatment with antimicrobials and anthelmintics are reported. 10 EPS occurs as sudden outbreaks causing high mortality and is considered an emerging disease in Europe as well as in the USA. 10 However, in the study by Zloch and co-authors 9 hens from the 15 flocks that were investigated in connection with increased mortality were mainly diagnosed with reproductive infections or other unrelated diseases. [...]it appears that EPS was not a major problem among the investigated flocks in the study. [...]a recent paper reported twice as high mortality during peak egg production of organic laying hen flocks with a high A galli egg output compared to flocks with low parasite egg shedding. 15 Additive negative effects are also known to occur in flocks co-infected by A galli and E coli or Pasteurella multocida, possibly induced by mucosal lesions from migrating larvae. 16, 17 Thus, parasite control is important, but difficult to achieve in commercial flocks.