After necropsy of the surviving turkeys in a comparative vaccine study for fowl cholera, in the turkeys with only one lung lobe consolidated, a significantly (P < 0.01, chi square test) higher number of turkeys were found with a consolidation of the left lung lobe than with the right lung lobe. When the circumferences of the left and right pulmonary arteries 0.5 cm rostral from the bifurcation were measured and converted to cross-sectional area, the left pulmonary artery had an average area of 29.6 +/- 2.8 mm2, and the right pulmonary artery had an average area of only 22.9 +/- 2.8 mm2, which was nearly one-fourth smaller. This finding suggests that the left lung lobe receives more blood than the right lobe and that, during an acute Pasteurella multocida septicemia, it would receive more of this organism than the right lung lobe.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship of increased fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys with high environmental temperatures.

The relationship of an increase in fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys with an increase in environmental temperatures during June, July, August, and September between 1959 and 1992 was analyzed. High environmental temperatures were found to be influential in the development of fowl cholera in turkeys. When the average monthly maximum environmental temperatures for 5 mo of July and 7 mo of August during the 13 yr between 1967 and 1979 were above 30.5 C, there was a significantly (P < 0.05) higher number of fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys for each month than during the same months when the average maximum temperatures were below 30.5 C. To test the hypothesis that an increase in fowl cholera outbreaks was preceded by an increase in temperature, the pre- and postoutbreak temperatures for 46 selected outbreak clusters occurring between 1959 and 1992 were averaged. Both the average maximum and minimum temperatures for the latter 9 days of the preoutbreak period were highly significantly (P < 0.001) higher than those of the average cluster outbreak day and the following four postoutbreak days. Also, for the nine individual days of the latter pre-outbreak period, the daily average maximum temperature was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for 3 days and partially significantly (P < 0.10) higher for 3 days than that of the average cluster outbreak day, and the daily average minimum temperature was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for 2 days and partially significantly (P < 0.10) higher for 1 day than that for the average cluster outbreak day.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

DNA fingerprint patterns of Pasteurella multocida from the same turkey farm on the same and different years.

The DNA fingerprint profiles of 126 isolants of Pasteurella multocida from 41 turkey farms in Missouri were analyzed after digestion with the restriction endonuclease HhaI and compared with their somatic antigenic type. The goal was to determine if the same isolant of P. multocida was reisolated from the the same farm during the same and consecutive years and after an interval of one or more years. Of the 37 pairs of P. multocida collected during the same year from the same turkey farms, the DNA fingerprint profiles were the same with 26 pairs (70.3%) and different with 11 pairs (29.7%). Of the 33 pairs of P. multocida collected during consecutive years from the same 22 turkey farms, 21 pairs (63.6%) were the same and 12 pairs (36.4%) were different. Of the 15 pairs of P. multocida collected with an interval of one or more years between them from the same 14 turkey farms, only four pairs (26.7%) were the same and 11 pairs (73.3%) were different. There did not appear to be any relationship between the DNA fingerprint profiles and the typing of their somatic antigens because, although 44 pairs of isolants had the same DNA fingerprint profile and somatic antigenic type, 42 pairs differed in these parameters when all pairs were combined.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Histologic pattern of testicular regrowths in caponized tom turkeys.

Testicular regrowths were observed in 10 of 21 tom turkeys between 28 and 32 weeks old, which was between 19 and 23 weeks after surgical caponization at 9 weeks of age. Regrowths were not observed in younger caponized toms. Two types of histologic patterns that differed from the normal pattern were observed in these regrowths. The first pattern was observed in seven regrowths and was characterized by a higher density of seminiferous tubules and more interstitial cells. The second pattern was seen in three regrowths and was characterized by extensive intertubular fibrosis, tubular detachment, and an increased number of interstitial cells. No correlation was found between the presence of these regrowths and plasma testosterone levels. The interstitial cell hyperplasia in all regrowths possibly was related to a diminished negative feedback by the endogenous testosterone on the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary. The appearance of regrowths at this age probably was related to the onset of normal physiological puberty.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative susceptibility of caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys to Pasteurella multocida.

When susceptibility to virulent Pasteurella multocida was compared, there was no significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys. Neither was there any significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between the surviving caponized and uncaponized toms in the development of serum anti-P. multocida antibody. However, at 28 weeks of age, the average live body weight of the caponized toms was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than that of the uncaponized toms. Turkeys were caponized when 9 weeks old, and different groups were exposed to P. multocida when 13, 18, 23, and 28 weeks old.

Age Factors↗