Litter and Commercial Turkey Strain Influence on Focal Ulcerative Dermatitis (“Breast Buttons”)

Abstract

Focal ulcerative dermatitis (FUD), commonly referred to as “breast buttons,” is a chronic skin disease affecting unfeathered skin over the keel of the breast of turkeys and occurring most frequently in males. A series of six studies with male turkeys (n=11,680) examined risk factors associated with the occurrence of FUD. Factors studied included age, litter treatments (perlite, lime, or brooding on crenelated paper), litter type (pine sawdust, soft pine shavings, coarse pine shavings, peanut hulls, or find pine shavings), litter conditions (moisture, pH, or ammonia), commercial strain of turkey, and body weight. In all studies, occurrence of FUD is low (< 1%) in birds less than 10 wk of age and peaks (average of 19%) between 16 and 18 wk of age. Three trials with male turkeys concluded that litter type can significantly influence the incidence of FUD, with the highest incidence in birds raised on coarse pine shavings. A series of three experiments also concluded that commercial strain of turkey significantly influenced the incidence of FUD, with the lowest incidence in Hybrid turkeys. Litter treatments, litter conditions, and body weight did not significantly influence the incidence of FUD.