A comparison of Baytril, Tylosin and Tiamulin in the control ofMycoplasma iowaeinfection of turkey poults

Abstract

Comparison was made of the protection afforded by Baytril, Tylosin and Tiamulin for turkey poults infected with Mycoplasma iowae (MI) by injection of the organism into the lungs. Poults were infected at 2 days of age and treatment commenced 3 days later by including the appropriate drug in the drinking water. Following treatment with Baytril at 50 mug/ml for 5 days, MI was not isolated at 7, 14 and 19 days after infection from the oropharynx or cloaca, during life, but was recovered from five of 23 poults at necropsy. With the same concentration of Baytril, but for only 3 days, isolations of MI were made at 19 days post infection from the oropharynx and cloaca, from 2 of 23 live birds, but at necropsy at this time from 19/23 birds. From poults given Tylosin or Tiamulin (at 500 and 250 mug/ml respectively for 5 days) MI was isolated from a proportion of birds on all occasions during life, after infection, and from 19/21 and 18/21, respectively, at necropsy.