Causes of mortality and culling in adult pheasants

The causes of the deaths or culling of 155 adult pheasants in breeding pens on one site between 1995 and 1997 were investigated. Approximately half th e deaths were the result of problems associated with the reproductive tract or trauma, including injuries acquired during fighting or mating. Sinusiti s was the commonest infectious cause of mortality or culling, despite medic ation of the flocks for mycoplasmosis. Marble spleen disease and pheasant c oronavirus-associated nephritis, two viral conditions capable of causing hi gh mortality, were diagnosed in a few birds in 1996 and 1997. Histomoniasis (blackhead) contributed to the mortality in 1996. A lymphomatous condition of uncertain aetiology was detected in a small number of birds.