REMARKS ON THE FORENSIC VETERINARY MEDICAL JUDGMENT OF FOWL CHOLERA

Most important aspects of the development of fowl cholera have briefly been reviewed and - based on these - conclusions have been drown for the forensic veterinary medical judgement of the disease. After buying and selling day-old poultry flocks, because germinative infection does not take place, and the disease usually does not occur in chicken flocks before 8 to 10 weeks of age and the in duck and goose flocks before 4 to 6 weeks of age, the responsibility and liability for damages of disposer for warranty is not raised up even. However, in case of buying and selling growing or adult flocks, considering the shortest incubation period of one day, the disease can be traced back to the disposer when it was diagnosed during the transportation or within 24 hours thereafter, as well as - irrespective of the time of diagnosis - when it is demonstrable that the shipment originates from a flock which recovered from fowl cholera earlier at any time. In all other cases, the circumstances of population and management (contact with other flocks, as well as animal species, watering from infected lakes, streams, etc.) should precisely be considered. Damage diminishing duty of the new owner, i.e. the earlier possible treatment, is essential.