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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286494
Title: The effects of yeast feed supplementaion on turkey performance and pathogen colonization in a transport stress/Escherichia coli challenge

Author
item Huff, Geraldine
item Huff, William
item JALUKAR, SANGITA - Vi-Cor
item OPPY, JOHN - Vi-Cor
item Rath, Narayan
item PACKIALAKSHMI, BALAMURUGAN - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2012
Publication Date: 3/1/2013
Citation: Huff, G.R., Huff, W.E., Jalukar, S., Oppy, J., Rath, N.C., Packialakshmi, B. 2013. The effects of yeast feed supplementaion on turkey performance and pathogen colonization in a transport stress/Escherichia coli challenge. Poultry Science. 92(3):655-662.

Interpretive Summary: A commercial yeast culture feed supplement (Celmanax® SCP, Vi-COR, Mason City, IA, YC)was provided to turkeys throughout a 16 week grow-out to determine if it would prevent the effects of stress on production and pathogen colonization. YC was provided either continuously at 100g/tonne (YC-CS) or intermittently during times of stress at 200 g/tonne (YC-IS). Birds were stressed with an environmental challenge of Escherichia coli and transporting them in a vehicle for 3 hours after which they were penned in new social groups, without feed or water, for an additional 9 hours. Turkeys were transported and challenged at 6, 12, and 16 weeks of age to model the movement of birds within a 3-stage housing system. The YC-IS was provided only for the first week after hatch and for a one week period during each challenge. At weeks 7 and 9, a decrease in BW of challenged birds was prevented by YC-IS but not YC-CS. There were no significant differences in BW due to either challenge or YC during weeks 11 and 13. At week 16, challenge decreased BW but there was no improvement in either of the YC treatments. Overall FCR was increased by the stress challenge . YC-CS improved FCR of challenged birds by 21 points while YC-IS improved FCR by 36 points and this effect was significant. Both continuous and intermittent supplementation tended to decrease Salmonella isolation but only continuous supplementation tended to decrease Campylobacter isolation. These data suggest that the practice of transporting turkeys decreases performance and that YC-IS may be more effective than YC-CS for preventing the effects of this stressor on feed efficiency.

Technical Abstract: A commercial yeast culture feed supplement (Celmanax® SCP, Vi-COR, Mason City, IA, YC)was provided to turkeys throughout a 16 wk grow-out to determine if it would prevent the effects of stress on production and pathogen colonization. YC was provided either continuously at 100g/tonne (YC-CS) or intermittently during times of stress at 200 g/tonne (YC-IS). Birds were stressed with an environmental challenge of Escherichia coli and by transporting them in a vehicle for 3 hours after which they were penned in new social groups, without feed or water, for an additional 9 h. Turkeys were transported and challenged at 6, 12, and 16 wk of age to model the movement of birds within a 3-stage housing system. The YC-IS was provided only for the first wk after hatch and for a one wk period encompassing each challenge. At wk 7 and 9, a decrease in BW of challenged birds was prevented by YC-IS but not YC-CS. There were no significant differences in BW due to either challenge or YC during wk 11 and 13. At wk 16, challenge decreased BW but there was no difference in either of the YC treatments. Overall FCR was increased by transport/E.coli (P<0.0001). YC-CS improved FCR of challenged birds by 21 points while YC-IS improved FCR by 36 points and this effect was significant (P= 0.013). YC-CS tended to decrease both Salmonella and Campylobacter isolation from the ceca of stressed birds (P >0.05). YC-IS also tended to decrease Salmonella isolation (P.0.05) with no effect on Campylobacter isolation. These data suggest that the practice of transporting turkeys decreases performance and that YC-IS may be more effective than YC-CS for alleviating the effects of this stressor on feed efficiency.