Turkey Production Research Articles

Exudados gomosos de Prosopis spp. localizados en Ecuador: potencial prebióticos en la alimentación animal

Fiber-rich plant foods have been tested as prebiotics (adjuvant to the growth and activity of the gut microbiota) in animal production, due to their high inulin and fiber content, in order to reduce the use of antibiotics and microbial resistance. The gummy exudate produced by Acacia senegal is a source of nutritional fiber that has been tested as a prebiotic in animal feed. The objective of this study was to analyze the potential use of novel sources of Prosopis spp. gummy exudates as prebiotics in animals of zootechnical interest based on a systematic literature review in indexed journals of the use of gum-hydrocolloids as an alternative supplement in animal feed. The scientific articles reviewed show the benefits of using the gummy exudate of Acacia senegal as a prebiotic in the production of broilers, turkeys, rabbits, and pigs. The gums obtained from Prosopis spp. present physicochemical and nutritional characteristics analogous to those published for gum arabic. Therefore, based on the bibliographic reports consulted, the gummy exudate obtained from Prosopis spp trees located in Ecuador could present a nutritional profile with excellent fiber content, oligosaccharides, essential minerals, and phenolic compounds, which would enhance its use as a promising prebiotic in animal feed, improving the function of the intestinal barrier, favoring the growth of beneficial microbiota, significantly reducing the populations of pathogenic bacteria, optimizing animal welfare and production. Keywords: dietary fiber, hydrocolloids, animal production, alternative growth promoters.

New Turkey, social policy, and a daytime talk show as a remedy: Müge Anlı as a modern Çalıkuşu

ABSTRACT ‘Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert’, which investigates unresolved criminal cases with interactive audience support, is one the most popular daytime television shows in contemporary Turkey. The neoliberal restructuring of the welfare system in New Turkey posits that providing protection and security against social risks is the sole responsibility of individuals and families. In line with this approach, the show individualizes social problems ready to be resolved by ‘Müge Abla’ (Sister Müge) and her audience. Müge Anlı's image, which conforms to the ideal modern and modest Republican woman, allows her to gain authority, trust, respect, and popularity. The show’s discourses, structure, and communicative strategies are the product of the New Turkey where ‘the sacred family’ is the central political unit and the nation is an extended, happy family reproduced through this show.

First Report of Citrus Leaf Blotch Virus on Nagami Kumquat in Turkey.

Kumquat, known as the smallest of citrus fruits, has seen an increase in the number of commercial orchards in recent years. In May of 2022, a PCR-based survey for citrus virus diseases was conducted in commercial Nagami kumquat (Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swingle) orchards in the Cukurova region of Turkey. During the survey, five trees with bud union disorder symptoms were found in two different kumquat orchards in the Erdemli district of Mersin province. Young leaf samples from the five trees showing bud union disorder symptoms and two symptomless trees were collected from 6-year-old kumquat. Common citrus viruses and viroids, such as citrus psorosis virus, citrus exocortis viroid, and hop stunt viroid, were not detected in PCR tests performed on all collected samples. The samples were also tested for citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV; genus Citrivirus, family Betaflexiviridae), a virus associated with a bud union crease in kumquat (Vives et al.2001). Total RNA was isolated from collected leaf samples using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, USA). In the RT-PCR assay, two separate specific primer pairs were used to determine the presence of CLBV. The coat protein gene (CP), was amplified with primers KU-18 (5'-TTAAGATTACAGACACGAAGG- 3') and KU-19 (5' CTGTTTTTGAATTTTGCTCG-3'), and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene (RdRp) was amplified with KU-27(5'-GATGCAAGCCAGGATGAATAC-3') and KU-15 (5'-CAGACACTCCAAGACCTTTCC-3') primers (Vives et al. 2002). All of symptomatic samples yielded amplicons of the expected size (456-bp RdRp and 438-bp CP). No amplicons were obtained from symptomless samples. Two PCR products were sequenced to confirm their identity by direct sequencing (GenBank accession no: OQ718432, OQ718433, PP726107, PP726108). Consensus sequences of these two genes showed 96% and 97% nt identity with CP and RdRP genes of the CLBV sequence in GenBank (MT038390, EU857539), respectively. For biological indexing, four RT-PCR-positive samples were used as inoculum sources. Four of Etrog citron (C. medica) and four of Dweet tangor (C. tangerina) seedlings were graft-inoculated for each source, and two seedlings for each cultivar were used as a negative control. Two months later, chlorotic blotching symptoms were observed on Dweet tangor leaves. Six months later, Etrog citron exhibited stem pitting symptoms. None of the negative control seedlings developed any symptoms. RT-PCR was performed to confirm the presence of CLBV in the virus-inoculated seedlings, and amplicons of the expected sizes (456-bp RdRp and 438-bp CP) were obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the CLBV infection in citrus in Turkey. CLBV is thought to have originated from infected grafting material in the country, although it is not known where it may have originated. Further research is needed to determine the distribution of CLBV and its potential to impact commercial citrus production in Turkey.

Relationship Between Heterosis and Genetic Distance Determined by SSR Markers in Oriental Tobacco

Hybrid cultivars could be beneficial to achieve high leaf yields while maintaining good quality properties in oriental tobacco. Identification of parents constitutes a major part of a hybrid breeding program. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the genetic distance of parents determined by simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and heterosis levels in hybrids produced from those parents for leaf yield and quality properties in oriental tobacco. Twenty-one hybrids produced by half diallel crossing among seven tobacco genotypes used in oriental tobacco production in Turkey were grown along with their parents in three locations in 2012 and 2013. Twenty-nine SSR markers were used to determine genetic distances among seven tobacco genotypes. A total of 80 alleles were produced by all twenty-nine markers. Average number of observed alleles per polymorphic marker was 2.96. Twenty-seven of 80 alleles were observed in only one of the seven parents. The polymorphic information content of markers varied from 0.215 to 0.810 (average 0.480). Mid-parent heterosis levels ranged from 18.03 to 42.00% for leaf number, between -19.75 and 38.06% for leaf width, between -17.51 and 36.25% for leaf length, between -34.38 and 76.12% for leaf yield, between -78.30 and 154.01% for sugar content and between -45.40 and 143.29% for nicotine content. Heterosis levels were correlated with genetic distances between parents for leaf number in Erbaa 2012 and Tokat 2012 locations, for leaf width in Erbaa 2013 location, for leaf length in Erbaa 2013 location, and for leaf yield in Tokat 2012 location only. SSR markers were very effective to determine genetic distance of oriental tobacco, and only two markers could distinguish all seven genotypes used in the study. The findings indicated that genetic distance determined by SSR markers used in the present study is not sufficient to predict hybrid performance in oriental tobacco.

Anatomic and Phytochemical Investigation of Herbal Tea Bags Sold as Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in the Market

Melissa officinalis L., an ethnobotanically valuable plant, has been used for the treatment of several diseases since ancient times. However, different plants with the same name are sold instead of lemon balm in markets that sell herbal products in Turkey. For this purpose, 15 different brands of tea bags in crushed form, sold as lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in markets, were analyzed. The total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant capacities of the hydroalcoholic extracts of these tea samples along with the stomatal structure were investigated. Additionally, chemical compositions and rosmarinic acid contents were determined by the high-performance thin layer chromatography method. Among the samples examined, S1, S2, S9 and S12 tea samples were found to meet the eligibility criteria. The leaves of these samples had diacytic stomata and the rosmarinic acid ratio in their phytochemical composition was over 2%. Furthermore, caffeic acid was detected in these samples.

Development and use of Biocheck.UGent™ scoring system to quantify biosecurity in conventional indoor (turkey, duck, breeder) and free-range (layer and broiler) poultry farms

To assess and enhance the application of biosecurity measures in poultry farming, an objective measurement tool (Biocheck.UGent™) was already available for broiler and layer. This study describes the development, validation and application of a risk-based weighted scoring tool for breeder, turkey, duck, free-range layer and free-range broiler production. In collaboration with an expert panel (n= 38), five different questionnaires were developed, following the format of the existing Biocheck.UGent scoring tools. Weights were attributed to external (7–9 subcategories) and internal (3–4 subcategories) biosecurity categories, as well as to the corresponding individual questions within each subcategory. The biosecurity measures were prioritized and weighed based on their relative importance in preventing disease transmission. Upon completion of the questionnaire, and upload of all answers to the Biocheck.UGent website, the algorithm generates a biosecurity score varying between ‘’0’’ which equals the total absence of any biosecurity measure up to ‘’100’’ which refers to full application of all biosecurity measures. The final scoring systems are available online (https://biocheckgent.com/en) for free and have been used to assess biosecurity in 70 breeders, 100 turkeys, 23 ducks, 16 free-range broilers, and 15 free-range layer farms originating from 12 countries so far. On average, the overall biosecurity score (mean ± std. dev) was 78 ± 7 % for breeders, 73 ± 11 % for turkeys, 71 ± 8 % for ducks, 73 ± 8 % for free-range layers and 70 ± 13 % for free-range broilers. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in biosecurity (both at the overall and subcategory levels) across different poultry types. The overall farm biosecurity score for breeders was significantly higher than that for turkey (p <.001) and duck production (p = 0.001). External biosecurity levels were highest in breeders in comparison to turkeys (p < 0.001), ducks (p = 0.008) and broiler free-range (p = 0.005). There was a notable difference in internal biosecurity levels between duck and turkey (p = 0.041) production as well. The study contributed to the poultry biosecurity database which allows benchmarking of the biosecurity levels of the users’ farm results to national or international averages, indicating room for improvement and aiding to motivate stakeholders to enhance their biosecurity levels.

Implementing concepts from green logistics in the turkey production supply chain

IntroductionThe global turkey market represents a sector of increasing growth in the previous decade, and projections for the next decade reflect the probable continuation of this growth. Industry trends also indicate the globalization of turkey meat production, as the loci of production has continually shifted from one dominated by the United States to one with an increasing number of production units globally. In contrast with other popular meat products, comparatively fewer resources have been devoted to academic research concerning the growth, production, distribution, and sale of turkey and turkey products. This lack of research is particularly notable in the area of supply chain management and environmental sustainability. Given the increasing volume of turkey production and lower volume of academic interest, it stands to reason that there remain many opportunities for improvement across the value chain in this industry.MethodsIn this paper, we take a “green logistics” approach and use data provided by one of the largest turkey producers in the United States to formulate a mixed-integer program aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of turkey products in a segment of the product supply chain.ResultsImplementation of the resulting brooder-finisher farm assignments developed by the model would yield an average 50% decrease (184 metric ton) in greenhouse gas emissions at the operation under investigation while also addressing other areas of significant vulnerability for the industry (production costs, biosecurity risk, and animal wellbeing).DiscussionAs consolidated turkey meat production systems continue to expand globally, we argue that a similar approach could readily be deployed by these growing and emerging production systems.

Aflatoxins, fumonisins, citrinin, and zearalenone contents and health risk estimates in bee products in Turkey

Food contamination is an important global food safety issue. This study aimed to detect aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), fumonisins (FB1, FB2), citrinin (CIT), and zearalenone (ZEA) in four bee product groups (honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis) in Turkey. Additionally, exposure and risk assessments were made for mycotoxins detected in these products. Mycotoxin analyzes in bee products were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) methods. The most frequently detected mycotoxins in all bee products were ZEA (37.5%) and AFB2 (36.6%). The analysis showed that the average concentrations of FB2 (2.091 μg/kg), AFB1 (0.595 μg/kg), and ZEA (0.009 μg/kg) in all bee products were above the detection limit levels, while the levels of AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, FB1, and CIT were below the limit of detection. When comparing bee products, it was found that honey samples were more exposed to AFB2 and FB1, bee pollen to FB1, propolis to AFB2, and royal jelly to ZEA contamination. AFG1 and CIT were not detected in propolis and bee pollen, respectively. All mycotoxins analyzed in the study pose no health risks when bee products are consumed daily.

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on lemon production in Turkey – the case of Mersin Province

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on lemon production in Turkey – the case of Mersin Province

The risk of acquiring avian influenza from commercial poultry products and hen eggs: A qualitative assessment

High pathogenicity and low pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI and LPAI) viruses primarily infect birds, but they can also cause illness in other species, including humans. Some avian influenza (AI) strains can cause fatality rates of over 50 % in human infections. In October 2021, there was a substantial increase in the number of AI infections reported in birds in the UK. Given concerns that more infected and/or contaminated poultry products might reach retail, a risk assessment was performed to ensure that advice relating to the handling and consumption of these products remained appropriate.The products considered in this risk assessment were commercial chicken and turkey products, farmed duck and geese products, and table eggs. The risk pathway included the likelihood animals or eggs from an infected flock would be sent for further processing, whether the resulting products would be released to retail after inspection, viral persistence during distribution and storage, and the ability of AI viruses to infect humans via the gastrointestinal route. The risk from any AI virus, not just the A(H5N1) strain that began circulating in 2021, was considered. Data was obtained from literature searches and FSA surveys.The risk assessment determined that the likelihood of human infection with AI from poultry products for the UK population from handling and consuming commercial chicken or turkey products was negligible with low uncertainty, and for farmed duck and geese products was very low with medium uncertainty. The likelihood of infection for people in the UK from handling and consuming hen table eggs was very low with low uncertainty. The uncertainty rankings relate to the differing amounts of data available for each group of poultry products. The severity of illness in humans from AI infection was considered high with medium uncertainty. The conclusions of this risk assessment for UK consumers largely reflected advice and assessments from other countries and previous UK assessments. Given this, current guidance for handling and consuming poultry products was considered appropriate despite the increase in infections in birds during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 avian flu seasons. Since AI viruses were considered generally, these risk characterisations may need to be revisited based on evidence specific to a circulating virus to support risk management decisions.

Present and future of chestnut production in Turkey

Present and future of chestnut production in Turkey

Economic analysis of the biological control in citrus production in Turkey with Green Deal policies

Economic analysis of the biological control in citrus production in Turkey with Green Deal policies

The Relative Frequency of Histomonas meleagridis Infection in Turkey Flocks in Some Provinces of Iran

Background: Histomoniasis is caused by the protozoan Histomonas meleagridis with an intermediate host of Heterakis gallinarum, which results in ulceration of the ceca walls, enlargement of the ceca by large casts, mesenteric inflammation, and liver necrosis. This disease is very important in Iran’s growing turkey breeding industry. Objectives: The present study aims to evaluate the relative frequency of H. meleagridis infection in different turkey flocks to draw a cross-sectional picture of H. meleagridis infection in Golestan, Mazandaran, Guilan, and Tehran provinces of Iran. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey of H. meleagridis infection during spring. Dropping samples were taken from backyard and commercial turkey flocks. After taking the fecal samples, they were investigated by Giemsa staining under a light microscope. A PCR test was performed to confirm the diagnosis of infection. Results: Out of 240 samples (from 19 flocks), 20 infected samples were detected by direct microscopic observation of H. meleagridis, and PCR confirmed 15 samples. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the relative frequency of H. meleagridis infection was lower than in similar studies in other parts of the world. This finding may be due to Iran’s less widespread use of turkey production. Considering the growth of the turkey production industry in Iran over the last decade and its further production over the next few years, it is necessary to evaluate histomoniasis.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Red Meat Production in Turkey in 2020

This study aims to evaluate the amount of meat consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath on a monthly and seasonal basis for the years 2019 and 2020 in our country. The normality of the data distribution was analyzed using histogram graphs, Q-Q plots, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The significance of the difference between two independent groups in terms of carcass quantities was evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test, while the significance of the difference between more than two groups was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Bonferroni tests were used for multiple group comparisons. Data are presented as Median (1st and 3rd Quartile). A significance level of P&amp;lt;0.05 was set. COVID-19 is a major pandemic that has spread worldwide and affected the lives of many people. From the beginning of the pandemic, many individuals and sectors have been impacted. Furthermore, it has been observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected the economy of people and countries but also significantly impacted many businesses operating in the food and health sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a broad impact encompassing health, economy, psychology, socio-cultural, and political areas. In this process, it has become a critical necessity to develop short- and medium-term economic and technical solutions for problems in the agriculture and livestock sectors and to plan long-term agricultural and livestock policies. Additionally, to ensure the continuity of agricultural and livestock activities in Türkiye under challenging conditions such as pandemics, natural disasters, and wars, there is a need to review existing agricultural policies and create urgent action plans.

Innovation in the dairy industry: forecasting cow cheese production with machine learning and deep learning models

This study focuses on the use of deep learning and machine learning models to forecast cow cheese production in Turkey. In particular, our research utilizes the LSTM (long short-term memory) model to forecast cow cheese production for the next 12 months by extensively utilizing deep learning and machine learning techniques that have not been applied in this field before. In addition to LSTM, models such as GRU (Gated Recurrent Unit), MLP (Multi-Layer Perceptron), SVR (Support Vector Regression), and KNN (K-Nearest Neighbors) were also tested, and their performances were compared using RMSE (Root Mean Square Error), MSE (Mean Squared Error), MAE (Mean Absolute Error), MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error), and (Coefficient of Determination) metrics. The findings revealed that the LSTM model performed significantly better than the other models in terms of RMSE, MSE, MAE, and MAPE values. This result indicates that the LSTM model provides high accuracy and reliability in forecasting cow cheese production. This achievement of the model offers important applications in areas such as supply chain management, inventory optimization, and demand forecasting in the dairy industry.

Enhancing growth performance, feed efficiency, and economic feasibility of turkey production through the incorporation of zootech feed fortifier in a high-fiber turkey diet

This study evaluated the impact of incorporating Zootech feed fortifier mix into a graded ration of sawdust and palm kernel cake (PKC); a high fibre diet, on the growth performance, carcass, organoleptic, and bio-economics of turkey birds. This eight-week feeding trial involved 320 unsexed indigenous strains of turkey poults brooded in deep litter and assigned to four dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3, and T4). The experimental design involved four treatments with four replicates, with a total of twenty birds per replicate. The treatment diets/groups were as follows: T1 (farmer’s practice turkey diet/standard turkey feed), T2 (5% sawdust/18% PKC), T3 (10% sawdust/13% PKC), and T4 (15% sawdust/8% PKC). It was revealed from this study that turkeys fed T4 diets exhibited significantly higher differences (p < 0.01) in final weight gain and average daily weight gain compared to other treatments. At the same time, T1 (control) had the lowest weight gain. Average daily feed intake had a significantly higher difference (p < 0.01) in turkeys fed T4 diets, with the lowest intake in the control group. Turkeys fed T4 and control diets achieved the best feed conversion ratio, while T2 and T3 groups were less efficient. Carcass traits and internal organ proportions were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in turkeys fed T4 diets. The organoleptic assessment indicated superior meat quality (p < 0.05) in treatment four groups . Economic analysis revealed significantly lower costs per kilogram of feed and total feed consumed in T2, T3, and T4 groups compared to the control (p < 0.05) groups. In summary, incorporating a Zootech feed fortifier into a sawdust/palm kernel diet positively influenced turkey growth, feed efficiency, carcass traits, tastes, and economic viability.

Correction: Using machine learning to enhance agricultural productivity in Turkey: insights on the importance of soil moisture, temperature and precipitation patterns

Correction: Using machine learning to enhance agricultural productivity in Turkey: insights on the importance of soil moisture, temperature and precipitation patterns

High-resolution Serotyping Reveals Salmonella Surveillance Challenges in the Turkey Industry

Despite extensive Salmonella controls used at processing, 5.5% of salmonellosis cases are linked to turkey. This study had two objectives: (i) to summarize USDA-FSIS turkey Salmonella verification program data and (ii) to evaluate Salmonella through turkey production and processing of 22 flocks. In objective 1, USDA-FSIS data show the average Salmonella prevalence in ground turkey from 2016 to 2022 was 15.9%, and that the leading serovar changes frequently. For objective 2, bootsocks (n = 22) were collected on-farm right after load-out. At processing, prescald wingtips (n = 6 composites of 10/flock), prechill wingtips (n = 6 composites of 10/flock), mechanically separated turkey (MST; n = 6 bins/flock), and ground turkey (n = 6 bins/flock) were collected. Salmonella prevalence was determined by a commercial qPCR and culture confirmed. In 33.2% of PCR-positive samples, Salmonella was not confirmed by culture, highlighting a discrepancy between molecular and culture detection. On-farm, 8/22 flocks were Salmonella positive, compared to 21 flocks that were positive at one or more processing locations, including 18 flocks that were positive in at least one final product sample. A logistic regression showed higher Salmonella prevalence in prescald (53.8%) than in prechill (18.2%), MST (27.3%) or ground turkey (26.5%). CRISPR-SeroSeq analysis of 148 culture−positive samples detected 18 Salmonella serovars and showed 35.1% of samples contained multiple serovars. In 16 flocks, one or more serovars detected in final products were absent from any upstream samples. Two−thirds of final product samples containing serovar Typhimurium typed as a live-attenuated Typhimurium vaccine strain. Salmonella on-farm and at prescald did not reflect Salmonella observed in final product. These data underscore the complexity of serovar tracking in turkey production and highlight challenges to identify surveillance samples that accurately represent Salmonella in turkey products.

Econometric Analysis of Corn Production in Turkey

Econometric Analysis of Corn Production in Turkey

Cochlosoma anatis in Poultry and its Industry Impact.

Cochlosoma anatis is a flagellated protozoan parasite classified in the Trichomonadidae family and is the causative agent of cochlosomiasis, an enteric disease of turkeys, waterfowl, and other wild birds. Cochlosomiasis symptoms largely consist of watery diarrhea, lethargic birds, depressed weight gain, and widespread flock morbidity causing flock nonuniformity. The known distribution of C. anatis is centered around areas of turkey production farms in the southeast United States, e.g., North Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas, but has been reported in other states and some other countries. Diagnosis is confirmed through examination of enteric mucosal scrapings using light microscopy. Following the withdrawal of approval of effective antiprotozoal medications for use in commercial animal production, cochlosomiasis has become a greater concern for commercial turkey industry professionals. Transmission of C. anatis occurs via the fecal-oral route, but the organism is fragile outside the host, suggesting the implication of a vector in the introduction of disease to susceptible farms. Research regarding C. anatis pathogenicity, transmission, and environmental involvement has been limited, creating a gap in cochlosomiasis knowledge. Future research is needed to further explore ways to prevent and treat cochlosomiasis, with needs centered on disease pathogenesis, transmission patterns, and prophylaxis and treatment methods.