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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #181358
Title: COLIBACILLOSIS AND TURKEY OSTEOMYELISTIS COMPLEX IN TURKEYS SELECTED FOR INCREASED BODY WEIGHT AND SUBJECTED TO STRESS

Author
item Huff, Geraldine
item Huff, William
item Rath, Narayan
item BALOG, JANICE - RETIRED, USDA ARS
item ANTHONY, N - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item NESTOR, K - RETIRED, OARDC WOOSTER OH

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2005
Publication Date: 7/31/2005
Citation: Huff, G.R., Huff, W.E., Rath, N.C., Balog, J., Anthony, N.B., Nestor, K.E. 2005. Colibacillosis and turkey osteomyelistis complex in turkeys selected for increased body weight and subjected to stress [abstract]. Poultry Science. M58 p. 17.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two stress models were used to induce colibacillosis and turkey osteomyelitis complex (TOC): Escherichia coli challenge following dexamethasone injection (Dex) and E. coli challenge preceding transport stress (Transport). A total of 160 birds from 3 lines of turkeys: a slow growing line selected for egg production (Egg line), a line selected for 16 wk BW (F line), and a commercial line (Comm), were studied in a 3 X 3 X 2 (Line X Treatment X Sex) factorial design. At 14 wks, the Dex group was treated with 3 injections of 2mg Dex/kg BW followed by airsac challenge with 100 cfu of E. coli. The Transport group was given 5000 cfu of the same E. coli, and 8 d later was transported for 3 h and held an additional 9 h in the transport vehicle. Birds were necropsied 2 wk post challenge. All birds were sexed, scored for airsacculitis (AS) and TOC, and knee synovia was cultured for E. coli. Percent mortality was unaffected by Sex, was increased by both treatments and was higher in the Comm line as compared to the Egg line. Both treatments increased AS scores and scores of Dex challenged birds were higher in both large lines as compared to the Egg line. Male Comm birds under Transport had higher AS scores as compared to females. TOC incidence was increased by Dex only and there was no TOC in Egg line birds. TOC incidence was higher in the F line as compared to the Egg line and was intermediate in the Comm line. Males had twice as much TOC as females and this approached significance in the F line (P = 0.06). The challenge strain of E. coli was isolated from more knee cultures of both large lines as compared to the Egg line and isolation was increased by Dex and unaffected by Sex. The difference in disease resistance between these lines suggests that selection for fast growth of turkeys may affect the stress response, resulting in increased chronic bacterial disease such as TOC.