Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination Avian and Poultry Production Management: practice questions

1 · Broiler management · medium

How does tunnel ventilation cool broilers in hot weather?

1. It lowers the relative humidity of the house air
2. It raises static pressure, which lowers air temperature
3. It removes ammonia, which is the main source of heat
4. High air speed along the house produces a wind-chill effect on the birds

2 · Broiler management · medium

What is the main disease-control reason for all-in, all-out management of broiler farms?

1. It lets older birds immunise younger birds naturally through shared air space
2. It maximises the number of birds on the site at any time, spreading fixed costs
3. It allows full cleaning, disinfection and downtime between flocks
4. It removes the need for vaccination

3 · Layer management · hard

A layer flock's hen-day production matches the strain standard every week, but its hen-housed egg number at 60 weeks is well below standard. The most likely explanation is:

1. Poor egg weight
2. Higher-than-standard mortality or culling
3. A lighting programme with too short a day
4. Low hen-day production early in lay

4 · Incubation · hard

Cold hatching eggs are taken straight from the egg store into a warm, humid setter room. What is the main risk?

1. Immediate embryonic death from heat shock, as the egg warms too quickly in the room
2. Loss of the air cell
3. Increased fertility
4. Condensation, or 'sweating', on the shell, helping bacteria enter the pores

5 · Candling and hatchability · hard

A hatchery reports an early hatch with small, dehydrated chicks, many with red hocks, and more late-dead embryos. The most likely incubation fault is:

1. Temperature too low
2. Humidity too high
3. Temperature too high
4. Too frequent turning

6 · Biosecurity · hard

A farmer reports sudden high mortality, swollen heads and a sharp drop in egg production in a free-range layer flock near a wetland. What should the veterinarian do first?

1. Treat as suspected notifiable disease: stop movements and report to the authorities
2. Start a broad-spectrum antibiotic in the drinking water and review the flock in a week
3. Vaccinate the remaining birds against Newcastle disease
4. Send the birds to slaughter quickly to recover their value before more of them die

7 · Biosecurity · hard

Why are inactivated (killed) oil-emulsion vaccines commonly given to layer and breeder pullets before lay, often after live priming?

1. They can be given in drinking water to large flocks
2. They multiply in the bird and spread to unvaccinated hens
3. They give high, lasting antibody through lay and to progeny, and boost well after live priming
4. They give the fastest local immunity in the respiratory tract, within a day or two of injection

8 · Egg quality · hard

A layer flock at 35 weeks shows a sudden fall in production with thin-shelled, soft-shelled and shell-less eggs, but the birds look healthy. Which set of causes should be investigated first?

1. Egg drop syndrome or infectious bronchitis, calcium error, water failure or heat stress
2. Marek's disease and lymphoid leukosis
3. Coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis
4. Riboflavin deficiency and curled-toe paralysis, which affect laying hens more than chicks