White Poults Research Articles

Antibacterial Activity of Sulfadimethoxine Potentiated Mixture (Rofenaid®) in Turkeys

THE anticoccidial and antibacterial activity (Mitrovic et al., 1969a, b) as well as the safety and compatibility (Marusich et al., 1969) of Rofenaid, sulfadimethoxine ormetoprim-potentiated mixture, in chicks have already been reported; its anticoccidial activity (Mitrovic et al., 1971) and its safety (Marusich et al., 1971) in turkeys have also been discussed. The present report deals with its antibacterial activity in turkeys. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chemoprophylactic antibacterial studies were carried out in battery and floor pen trials. Battery trials. Day-old Broad Breasted White (B.B.W.) poults were used throughout these studies. Ten birds, evenly distributed by sex and body weight, were used per group. Each test was repeated four times. The poults, fed and watered ad libitum, were kept in electrically-heated wirefloored battery brooders throughout the experiments. Purina turkey starter mash, free of drugs, was used as the basal ration. The medicated feed was prepared by adding to the basal…

Toxicity and Safety Studies with the Antihistomonal Agent, Ipronidazole, in Turkeys

Abstract INTRODUCTION FROM a large number of 1,2-disubstituted 5-nitroimidazoles tested against experimentally induced histomoniasis in turkeys, Mitrovic et al. (1968) reported ipronidazole (1-methyl-2-isopropyl-5-nitroimidazole) to be the most effective. Subsequent to this report, Mitrovic and Schildknecht (1970) reported on the chemoprophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of ipronidazole against histomoniasis in turkeys when administered either in the feed or in the drinking water at graded concentrations ranging from 0.00625 to 0.025%. The toxicity and relative margin of safety (toxic level versus prophylactic use level [0.00625%]) of ipronidazole are reported for the turkey in this paper. SPECIFIC EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES AND RESULTS For all experiments, Broad Breasted White (B.B.W.) poults (sex identified) from a commercial hatchery were used. One-day-old poults were received and placed on test immediately or held up to 18 days of age, depending on the specific test. All birds were fed a commercial-type mash free of antibiotics, arsenicals or other medication. Depending on…

The Efficacy of 1-Methyl-2-Carbamoyloxymethyl-5-Nitroimidazole against Arizona Paracolon 7: 1,7,8 Infection in Experimental Poults

Abstract 1-Methyl-2-carbamoyloxymethyl-5-nitroimidazole. ** has been reported by Peterson (1967 ,1968) and Whitmore et al. (1967, 1968) to be a compound of unusual potency against histomoniasis in experimental turkeys. In the trials conducted by the author, there appeared to be clinical benefit conferred in some treated groups in addition to the control of histomoniasis. Some of these birds became blind in one eye, and Arizona Paracolon 7: 1,7,8 was recovered from intraocular fluids. Trials were subsequently set up to test the efficacy of Ronidazole against Arizona 7: 1,7,8 in experimental poults. MATERIALS AND METHODS A culture of Arizona 7: 1,7,8 was passaged parenterally several times through chicks to enhance virulence. Broad Breasted White poults maintained in electrically-heated brooder batteries were medicated continuously with Ronidazole in the feed or water from day-old, and infected subcutaneously from the 10th to the 12th day with 0.1 ml. of a 24-hour broth culture of…

Blood Pressure and Heart Rate of Turkeys, 17–21 Months of Age

Abstract BLOOD pressure studies on turkeys have interested research workers from the point of view of obtaining basic information which might have a bearing on aortic rupture. Changes in physiological measurements associated with aging of turkeys has also been considered. Blood pressure and heart rate of turkeys of different breeds and at different ages have been reported for Broad White poults at 6 weeks of age (Krista et al., 1963 a, b); Broad Breasted Bronze (BBB) at 8–22 weeks, 27 weeks and for males at one year of age, (Ringer and Rood, 1959; Speckmann and Ringer, 1962 ,1963). Other similar studies have been made with Jersey Buff turkeys, 6–7 weeks and 8–9 months of age (Weiss and Sheahan, 1958), and on Beltsville Small White (BSW) at 11–12 months of age (Ferguson et al., 1968). No studies were found with regard to heart rate and blood pressure of turkeys…

Prophylactic Efficacy of 1-Methyl-2-Carbamoyloxymethyl-5-Nitroimidazole Against Histomoniasis in Young Turkeys ,

Prophylactic Efficacy of 1-Methyl-2-Carbamoyloxymethyl-5-Nitroimidazole Against Histomoniasis in Young Turkeys ,

The protein requirements of Australian white turkeys from hatching to twelve weeks

One experiment from hatching to six weeks and two from six to twelve weeks were carried out to determine the protein requirement for maximum growth and feed efficiency of Australian white poults. The results were compared with the present recommended levels. Male, female, and unsexed poults that were fed a protein level of 32 per cent were significantly heavier at six weeks old than those fed either 24 or 28 per cent protein (males P<0.01 ; females and unsexed poults P<0.001). Efficiency of feed conversion was not significantly affected by any of these protein levels. From six to twelve weeks, 21 per cent protein was necessary for maximum growth of unsexed and male poults, but 19 per cent protein was adequate for female poults. Efficiency of feed conversion at 21 per cent was greater than at 17 or 19 per cent and equal to that at 25 or 27 per cent.

Feather Abnormality in Poults Fed a Diet Deficient in Vitamin E and Selenium

Abstract In recent tests in our laboratory, Maryland Medium White poults fed to three or four weeks of age on a vitamin E and selenium-deficient Torula yeast diet (Table 1) consistently developed a high incidence of gizzard dystrophy, the definitive sign of vitamin E deficiency in turkeys (Jungherr and Pappenheimer, 1937). It was also found that by the end of the third week the calami (quills) of the flight feathers of virtually all these poults had become more or less discolored and atrophied (Fig. 1). This condition was usually first seen in one or two secondaries, with all, or most, of both primaries and secondaries becoming affected within three or four days. Occasionally, however, it would appear in several feathers and either fail to develop further, or regress, leaving permanent brownish imperfections on the rachises. In a few instances, feathers plucked from the tail and breast were found to be similarly …

Observations on the Requirement of Young Turkeys for Dietary Potassium

Abstract Previous tests by Supplee and Combs (1960) with Maryland Medium White poults indicated that 0.6% potassium (hereafter designated as K) was required in a sucrose-soy protein diet for maximum early growth. When 50 to 75 p.p.m. oleandomycin phosphate was included in the diet, growth was improved and the K requirement was lowered to 0.45%. K2HPO4 supplied the increments of K in these tests, and Ca3(PO4)2, the basal phosphorus supplement, was reduced as necessary to provide the same total phosphorus level in all the diets. Sullivan (1963) in a study with Broad Breasted Bronze poults, used a similar type basal diet but with KCl as the K supplement. He concluded that 0.32% to 0.38% K was sufficient for maximum growth to four weeks of age, and that the presence of an antibiotic (66 p.p.m. of a 1:3 combination of penicillin—streptomycin) did not alter the requirement. Sullivan pointed out that our…

The Effect of Vitamin and Antibiotic Injections on Early Turkey Poult Growth and Mortality

Abstract Poor growth and high mortality were observed in Broad White poults during 0–10 days of age. In an attempt to ascertain the cause of the problem, various parenteral vitamin and antibiotic treatments were studied. Findings are reported herein. The poults were housed in standard starting batteries and supplied feed and water ad libitum. Rations, including that fed the poult’s dams, are listed in Table 1. Treatment details are given in Table 2 footnotes. In experiment 1, the poults receiving a complete B vitamin mixture by injection showed significantly improved growth but no decrease in the high mortality level. Poults given supplemental whole milk showed significantly higher viability, although growth remained unchanged. In experiments 2 and 3, poults injected with erythromycin or a B vitamin mixture gained at a more rapid rate than did their respective controls. Experiment 4 shows that in each case where folic acid was injected either…

Functional Persistency of Turkey Semen Following Different Reinsemination Intervals

Abstract IT WAS first reported by Kosin and Wakely (1950), and substantiated by Harper and Parker (1952) and Payne and Kahrs (1961), that turkey sperm cells present in the oviduct from earlier inseminations continue to maintain their fertilizing ability in spite of reinsemination with fresh semen. Kosin and Wakely (1950) observed a few poults with white down 55 days after removal of White males followed by five reinseminations with Bronze semen. Since white down is recessive to the darker down of the Bronze, the white poults hatched from White females must have resulted from ova fertilized by White sperm. Harper and Parker (1952) shifted from one group of males to another and found that 95 percent of the poults were sired by the second group after two inseminations on consecutive days were made and this procedure repeated 11 to 14 days later. Payne and Kahrs (1961) noted that fresh Bronze semen…

Response of germ-free and conventionally reared turkey poults to dietary supplementation with penicillin and oleandomycin.

SummaryMaryland Medium White and Beltsville White poults reared under germ-free conditions showed excellent growth on a purified type washed Drackett protein starch basal diet. Supplementation of the diet with procaine penicillin (45 mg/kg) or with oleandomycin (30 mg/kg) did not improve growth. In concurrent tests, conventionally reared poults fed the basal ration grew at a lower rate than the germ-free birds while those fed the basal ration supplemented by either penicillin or oleandomycin grew at a rate comparable to that of the germ-free birds.

Supplementation of a Practical Diet with Enzymes for Turkey Poults

ABSTRACT WORK of Clickner and Follwell (1926) indicated a growth response when “protozyme” (enzymes produced by cultures of Aspergillus orizae) was added to a commercial starter diet. Hasting (1946) reported that enzymes increased rate of gain and improved feed utilization of chicks fed a higher fiber diet; however, no appreciable advantage was found by supplementing a low fiber diet with enzymes. Recently Baker et al. (1956) reported an increase in growth and feed efficiency when pepsin was added to the diet of baby pigs. These studies with turkey poults were conducted to determine the effect of supplementing a practical diet with enzymes. Two experiments were conducted using straight run Beltsville Small White poults with two pens per treatment. The first experiment ran 5 weeks with 20 poults per pen. The second experiment ran 4 weeks with 14 poults per pen. The all-vegetable basal diet 101 consisted of the following percentages: ground . . .

The Availability of Phosphorus from Different Sources for Poults Fed Practical-type Diets

Abstract APREVIOUS study (Wilcox et al., 1954) determined the effects of various phosphates in a purified diet on the body weight, bone ash percentage and mortality to four weeks of age of Beltsville Small White poults. In this study, three samples of “colloidal” phosphate (also known as “soft phosphate in colloidal clay,” “phosphatic clay” or “soft phosphate”) and two samples of imported rock phosphates were found to be unsatisfactory in availability. Tribasic calcium phosphate, N.F. IX, and beta tricalcium phosphate were found to be intermediate in availability. The results with the poults receiving diets supplemented with “colloidal” phosphate were similar to the results of chick studies by Gillis et al. (1954), Miller and Joukovsky (1953), and Grau and Zweigart (1953). These investigators concluded that “colloidal” phosphates were not satisfactory as phosphorus supplements. Miller and Joukovsky (1953) found an imported rock phosphate to be a source of readily available phosphorus for New …

The Availability of Phosphorus from Different Sources for Poults Fed Purified Diets

Abstract A NUMBER of investigators (Gerry et al., 1947; Grau and Zweigart, 1953; Miller and Joukovsky, 1953; and others) have studied the availability of the phosphorus supplied by various supplements to chick diets in which common feed ingredients were used. Gillis and associates (1948 (1954) made use of both practical diets and purified diets to evaluate the phosphorus supplements more critically than had been done previously. The results of these investigations have shown steamed bone meal, dicalcium phosphates, defluorinated phosphates and certain other phosphates to be satisfactory as phosphorus supplements to chick diets. Since availability studies of this nature using poults and poult starting diets have not been reported, the following experiments were performed. EXPERIMENTAL Day-old Beltsville Small White (BSW) poults from the college breeding flock were sexed by means of an optical device, wing-banded, weighed and distributed equally into electrically heated batteries where they had free access to water and …

The Value of Antibiotic Supplements for Growth and Feed Conversion in Diets for Growing Turkeys

Scott and Jensen (1952) reported that the addition of aureomycin to the ration of poults which had not received this supplement prior to 8 weeks of age caused a marked increase in growth. MacGregor et al. (1952) reported that poults fed penicillin after eight weeks showed no stimulus in growth over those not receiving penicillin. The experiments reported here were conducted early in 1952 with the purpose of studying the usefulness of feeding an antibiotic to turkeys in the later growing stages, for effects on feed conversion as well as growth. Approximately 4,000 Beltsville Small White poults were divided into five equal groups of each sex. A random 10 percent sample of each group was weighed and feed conversion calculated at ten day intervals. The diets used were commercial type mash and grain rations. Mash #1 contained 28%; #2, 24%; and #3, 20% protein. All mashes contained approximately 5 grams …

Further Evidence for an Unidentified Growth Factor Required by the Poult

Abstract Several investigators have reported that the growth of poults is improved by the inclusion of a source of the “animal protein” factor in the ration. Scott et al. (1948) concluded that the poult has higher requirements than the chick for both the “animal protein” factor and factor S. McGinnis et al. (1949) reported that turkey poults fed a soybean meal-cereal grain turkey diet responded to a commercial fermentation product, whereas no response was obtained from a liver preparation containing vitamin B12. Similar results have more recently been reported by Stokstad et al. (1950), in studies involving the use of aureomycin fermentation mash. The results of the experiments presented here further demonstrate that vitamin B12 alone cannot adequately supplement a poult starting ration containing soybean meal as the primary source of protein. Day-old Beltsville White poults of mixed sex were reared to 5 weeks in electrically heated batteries with raised wire . . .

Cow Manure as an Ingredient of Turkey Diets

Abstract COW manure was found to have a marked beneficial effect on growth in chicks, if added to a diet deficient in riboflavin (Hammond, 1942). Bunyea and MacDonald (1942) found evidence that some strains of Aerobacter aerogenes and of Escherichia acidi lactici may be responsible for considerable poult mortality. These organisms are commonly present in cow manure. Hence it seemed possible that it might not be safe to use cow manure in turkey diets unless it was heated at temperatures that would destroy these bacteria. Accordingly an experiment was conducted at the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, to investigate the use of cow manure dried at different temperatures and of undried fresh cow manure in the diet of growing turkeys. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five lots of Beltsville Small White poults, 20 to the lot, were brooded in electrically heated battery brooders. The following basal feed mixture . . .