Domestic ducks with 'Rice Breast"

[erinreid]

Recently a friend of mine that I gave several older hens and 6 ducklings contacted me regarding "rice breast" in one of the old (7-8yr) hens that she butchered due to her inability to walk. She raises sight hounds and is looking for the source of their continual health issues.

My understanding is that wild waterfowl (especially mallards) due occationally show signs of sarcocystosis where they have been drinking from infected water sources and contracted the parasite. Merick says that the most likely source of the problem is wildlife. There are plenty of predators (raccon, fox, oppossum, etc) on her farm and she raises sheep. All of which are the preferred host species of the parasite.

My questions are:
Is there any reason to cull the other domestic ducks on the associated farm?
Does the sarcocystosis pass from duck to duck via the waste they regularily leave in there water pans?
Is there a treatment for domestic flocks for sarcocystosis?

Thanks,
Erin

 

[KansasKid]

Sorry only question that i can answer is that

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/chapter_28.pdf

"Birds ingest the eggs or oocysts of the ma-
ture parasite in food or water that is contaminated by carni-
vore feces, which contain the oocysts."

 

[erinreid]

Thanks for the info.
There is no way of knowing if those hens actually had the disease or not. Been gathering information and did necropies on two ducks this weekend just to be sure, neither showed any signs of the parasite ( or any other parasite for that matter).
Trying to be vigilant with my customers that purchase ducklings from me each year through the hatchery.
Erin

 

[KansasKid]

From what i read, it seems that young birds are should be fine because they haven't ingested the oocysts yet.