What are some turkey diseases?

Answer 1

There are a number of common diseases which affect turkeys, in particularly those which are intensively reared, these include the following;

Lameness
The selective breeding for rapid weight gain, along with the use of high nutrient feed, has meant that many turkeys are unable to support their own weight. Due to the large size of male breeding turkeys, lameness and infections of leg and hip joints are a problem, with leg pain in particular being considerable .Lameness may also be the result of foot ulceration caused by turkeys having to stand on wet, dirty litter.

Turkey Rhinotracheitis (TRT)
This is an acute respiratory disease of turkeys caused by a pneumovirus, characterised by coughing, sneezing and sinusitis which can make the face look very swollen. Secondary bacterial infection, with organisms such as E.coli or Pasteurella, usually follows and this can lead to high mortality. Any disease which causes diarrhoea and wet litter can have a drastic effect on the ability of the birds to make a full recovery. If a flock becomes infected, antibiotics are used to minimise the effects of secondary infection. A live vaccine is available commercially and is usually applied by spray application in the first 10 days of life. However, this is not always totally effective and some outbreaks still occur .

Bacterial infections
The bacterium E.coli is always present in the digestive tract of poultry with most strains being non-pathogenic. Coli septicaemia is one of a small number of pathogenic strains and it has been suggested that male turkeys may be more susceptible to this than females, especially when under severe stress . The unhealthy intensive nature of farms means bacteria can spread easily through flocks. Salmonella and Campylobacter are widespread in broiler farms and frequent causes of food poisoning in humans.

Bird Flu
Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory, digestive and/or nervous system of many species of birds. It is caused by a Type A influenza virus, a disease which must be notified to the local State Veterinary Service Divisional Veterinary Manager. There are two types of avian influenza virus, low pathogenic (LPAI) and highly pathogenic (HPAI). Within the LPAI types there is evidence that certain H5 and H7 viruses may mutate and become highly pathogenic. On April 5th 2006 a dead swan which was found in Scotland tested positive for the highly pathogenic virus H5N1. On February 3rd 2007, H5N1 was confirmed on a poultry farm in Holton, Suffolk. A 3 km Protection Zone (PZ) and 10 km Surveillance Zone (SZ) were imposed along with a wider Restricted Zone. On March 12th 2007 the restrictions around the farm in Holton were lifted. Only the movement of meat produced from birds originating within the PZ that were killed prior to the PZ merging with the SZ will need to continue to be licensed and reported. A Food Standards Agency (FSA) investigation has thoroughly examined the possibility that food waste at the Bernard Matthews cutting plant at Holton may have been stored inappropriately. The investigation concluded that there was no evidence of any offences under the Animal By-Products Regulations 2005.
All of the evidence collected indicates that the infection has not spread beyond one site. Defra have not yet located the exact source of the infection but the lack of evidence of another outbreak indicates that the risk of spread of infection has now reduced. European Union (EU) trade will recommence from the restriction zones and Defra are working with exporters, British Embassies overseas and non-EU countries' veterinary authorities to try to keep export markets open and to facilitate exports .

Answer 2

One disease is bird flu.

It is not a disease, but they have a chemical that makes you tired and sleepy.

Answer 3

Asian bird flood, AIDS