Diseases of turkeys: symptoms and home treatment, prevention

Turkeys are disease-prone, susceptible poultry. Infectious and non-infectious pathologies that affect turkey livestock cause enormous damage to poultry farming, making meat unsuitable for sale. Treatment of diseases of turkeys should be carried out in a timely manner, identify the infection in the initial stages, in difficult cases, seek veterinary help to prevent a significant reduction in the population.

Non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases occur when a farmer does not follow the rules of hygiene, poorly cares for birds, provides poor-quality feed.

Sagging goiter

The disease is easily treatable. The reasons for the stretching and sagging of the goiter are unbalanced nutrition, excess water consumption, the presence of birds in hot weather under direct sun or in an unventilated room. Treatment involves a diet prescribed by a veterinarian. Sick turkeys are kept in silence and solitude, their physical activity and contact with other birds are minimized.

Firm goiter

More complicated than the previous disease. The goiter hardens when it becomes clogged with solid particles and plant food husks. A surgical operation is required, but for many farmers it is unprofitable, it is easier to slaughter sick birds.

Hypovitaminosis

Lack of vitamins is the result of poor-quality feeding. Hypovitaminosis in turkeys is manifested, as in chickens, by dermatitis, visual impairment, thinning and deformation of the skeleton, and inflammation of the mucous tissues. Treatment involves the preparation of a balanced diet.Sick turkeys are transferred to feed with compound feeds containing a complete list of substances necessary for birds of a specific age category.

Mechanical injury

Most often, turkeys injure their legs, this is manifested by an incorrect gait, eversion of the paws, and curvature of the bones. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cause of the injury.

Reasons:

calcium deficiency and hypovitaminosis;
inbreeding;
pathology of the skeleton and bone tissues;
confused content causing pets to step on each other.

If a turkey has a fracture, then the limb is fixed with a splint, a cast is applied.

Perverted appetite

The reason is the lack of vitamins and minerals in the feed. The disease is often observed in heavy broiler breeds that require a lot of quality feed, for example, in Big-6 English turkeys.To replenish scarce substances, pets begin to eat inedible objects: pebbles, sawdust, sand, straw. To eliminate oddities in nutrition, the farmer must revise the diet of birds, enrich it with vitamins and minerals.

Paw problems

To correctly identify the cause of paw problems, the farmer must observe the turkeys:

underdevelopment of the skeleton due to lack of calcium is manifested by unsteady gait and weakness of the legs;
when crowded, turkey poults fall, break and twist their limbs;
unsteady, staggering gait - a sign of a lack of nutrition (if the bird looks normal and behaves actively) or an infectious lesion (if the turkey is lethargic, inactive);
deformed and swollen joints indicate arthritis.

In the diet, increase the amount of food rich in vitamins D and group B, reduce the amount of fatty foods. Arthritis is treated with a mummy solution - 0.4 mg per 100 g of body weight, given to drink for 10 days, regularly rubbed into inflamed limbs for 5 minutes.

Infectious diseases of turkeys

Infection is dangerous due to its rapid spread, the ability to put all the livestock in a short time. Turkeys are prone to bacterial, fungal, viral diseases. At the first signs of infection, the sick individual is separated from the he althy ones, and they are immediately taken for treatment.

Smallpox

The incubation period of a viral disease lasts 2-3 weeks. The infection enters the bird's body through the respiratory tract, contaminated feed, open skin injuries. Sick birds are lethargic, their skin is covered with a small rash.

Prevention - vaccination of 6-week-old chicks. Vaccine protects against smallpox virus for six months

Sick birds are separated from the livestock, their diet is enriched with vitamin supplements to strengthen immunity. The poultry house and inventory are disinfected. A remedy for treating affected skin is glycerin and an alcohol solution of iodine in equal proportions. Eyes washed with 2% boric acid.

Newcastle disease

Viral disease affects the nervous system of turkeys. The limbs are paralyzed, the neck unnaturally twists. The bird falls to the ground, defecates gray or greenish gray stinking diarrhea. Sick birds are killed.

Worms

Helminths enter the body of birds through drinking, food, feces, bedding, soil.Parasites are carried by insects with which turkeys can come into contact. There are no clear symptoms of helminthiasis; a laboratory test is required to clarify the diagnosis. Sick turkeys in most cases:

sluggish, apathetic;
drastically losing weight;
grow slowly;
drink lots of water;
defecate green diarrhea;
lose feather covering at the anus;
give eggs with thin, deformed, bumpy shells.

Helminthiasis is treated with Fenbendazole. The drug is added to the feed during morning feeding (7.5 mg per 1 kg of body weight). Birds can be slaughtered half a month after the completion of treatment. Prevention of helminthiasis in turkeys - disinfection of the poultry house, regular cleaning of the walking area, cleaning of bird droppings.

Tuberculosis

Bacterial disease occurs when poor-quality feeding and poor living conditions for turkeys.

Avian TB symptoms:

apathy, lethargy;
diarrhea;
poor appetite;
leg weakness;
sedentary state;
nodular skin rash.

Sick turkeys are slaughtered.

Synovitis

Bacterial disease, accompanied by inflammation of the synovial lining of the joints, affects both adult turkeys and chicks from 7 weeks of age.

Symptoms of the disease expressed:

apathy;
sedentary state;
slow movements;
limping;
pallor of the skin;
high body temperature;
Knuckles are unnaturally soft to the touch.

Antibiotics "Streptomycin", "Biomycin" are used for treatment. A strong, well-nourished bird can recover without medication.

Respiratory mycoplasmosis

Turkeys are affected by mycoplasmas when crowded and unbalanced diet.

Disease symptoms:

discharge from eyes and nasal passages;
inflammation of the infraorbital sinuses;
inflammatory process in the tissues of the beak;
impaired vision;
heavy breathing;
leg weakness;
weight loss.

Treat turkeys with antimicrobials. Very weak birds are killed.

Coccidiosis

Coccidia enter the body of turkeys through food, drink, in close contact with an infected individual.

Symptoms of the disease:

oppressed and lethargic state;
baldness;
rumpled plumage;
bloody diarrhea;
lack of appetite;
conjunctivitis;
lowering wings.

Treatment must begin immediately, juvenile mortality reaches 30%.

Medicines Used:

"Coccidiovitis" (2.5 g per 1 kg of food, intake during the week);
"Aviaks" 5% (1 g per 1 kg of food, for 5 days);
"Avatek" 15% (1 g per 1 kg of food for 5 days).

Juvenile disease

In young turkeys, the body is not strong, so they endure diseases harder than mature birds. Especially dangerous for young animals are infectious pathologies that threaten the death of the entire livestock.

Infectious sinusitis

Bacterial infection affects the upper respiratory tract. The pathogen spreads with sick individuals, through eggs prepared for breeding, through dirty equipment and shoes of farm workers.

Symptomatics:

apathetic, emaciated state;
nasal discharge;
swelling of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
hoarse sounds;
heavy breathing.

Antibiotics are used for treatment:

"Streptomycin" (injection 0.1 g per 1 kg of body weight);
"Biomycin" (5 mg in food per 1 kg of body weight, taken during the week);
"Terramycin" (2 mg in food per 1 kg of body weight, 2 times a day for 5 days).

Paratyphoid

Salmonella enters the body of turkeys through food, equipment, dirt on the territory of the poultry house, with birds and rodents-carriers. Mostly young 2-6-week-old turkeys get sick.

Symptoms of an acute illness:

sluggish, sedentary state;
ruffled plumage;
lower wings;
lacrimation, sticking of the eyelids with pus;
birds falling upside down;
green diarrhea.

Either the turkey dies after 2-4 days, or the disease turns into a subacute form, manifested by inflammation of the joints and respiratory organs, taking the life of up to 50% of the young livestock. In surviving individuals, after 10 days, the pathology takes on a chronic form, accompanied by paralysis of the legs.

Sick turkeys are given immunostimulants, paratyphoid serum is administered intramuscularly (2.5 ml per 1 kg of body weight). In food for 5 days, 2 times a day, add the antibiotic "Biomycin" (5 mg per 1 kg of weight). As a drink for 5 days, they give "Furacilin" (a solution in a ratio of 1: 5000 to water).

Hemophiliasis

Upper respiratory disease spreads rapidly, affecting birds up to 3 months of age. Symptoms expressed:

inflammatory processes in the tissues of the beak, pharynx, organs of vision with liquid secretions;
swelling of head tissue;
exhaustion;
lack of appetite;
hoarse voice;
heavy breathing.

Sick turkeys are killed. The rest are treated with iodine monochloride for prophylactic purposes.

Pullorosa (typhus)

Infection is rapidly destroying young individuals. Birds squeak plaintively, breathe heavily, they have white, unpleasantly smelling, frothy diarrhea. The infection spreads through the body with blood, kills the digestive tract and respiratory organs. At home, turkeys become infected through food, drink, equipment, from sick relatives. Infected eggs hatch into sick chicks.

The younger the infected individuals, the more severe the disease. In young chicks, mortality reaches 70%.

For treatment, the veterinarian prescribes an antibiotic. It is better to kill completely exhausted birds.

Histomonos disease

Infection affects the tissues of the liver and the caecum. Sick turkeys are lethargic, disheveled, refuse to eat, defecate red, smelly diarrhea, gradually turning brown. Turkeys are treated with Furazolidone (0.04% per serving of feed per day, taken for 2 weeks, after a 2-week pause, repetition of the course) and Osarsol (15 mg per feed per 1 kg of weight, taken for 5 days).

Diseases of little turkeys

Small turkeys are susceptible to disease. From the first days of life, with illiterate care, they can become seriously ill.

Cannibalism (pecking)

At a young age, turkeys grow actively, their body requires a sufficient amount of nutrients.With a protein, vitamin or mineral deficiency, the chicks begin to cruelly peck each other. First, feathers are plucked, then the skin is pierced, the insides are pecked out. But turkey poults suffer from cannibalism not only because of poor nutrition, but also because of:

open wounds and ulcers in the anus with digestive disorders;
excessive lighting;
planting new individuals;
congested content;
joint keeping of birds of different ages (older ones attack younger ones);
too dry air in the house (the plumage dries up, they start to pluck it);
parasitic diseases (turkeys peck out the affected itchy areas of the body).

Adult turkeys can peck eggs when they lack protein, calcium or sulfur.

To prevent cannibalism, you must:

keep separate turkeys of different ages;
adjust the light level;
avoid overstocking;
give compound feed corresponding to the age and production category of turkeys;
disinfect the house regularly.

Avitaminosis

Symptoms of a lack of different vitamins in chicks appear differently:

With a lack of retinol (A) in turkeys, vision deteriorates, eyeballs become cloudy, lacrimation occurs, body weight is poorly gained.
With a deficiency of group B, the limbs are paralyzed. Feathers fall out, dermatological pathologies appear.
With a lack of calciferol (D), the chicks do not grow well. Due to the softening and fragility of the bones, the risk of damage to the skeleton increases.

Rickets

The most susceptible to rickets are turkeys and broiler chickens, which need a lot of protein and minerals. But with poor-quality nutrition, the disease is also observed in chicks of egg breeds. The main reason is calcium deficiency. But to restore the body, it is not enough just to use a mineral supplement. It is necessary to ensure sufficient intake of vitamin D, without which the mineral is not absorbed. Also, an excess of phosphorus, which contributes to the leaching of calcium from the bones, should not be allowed. In order for vitamin D to be normally absorbed, turkeys must move, walk for a long time in the fresh air.

Enteritis

Causes of enteritis - poor-quality or spoiled food, lack of vitamins. Usually the disease is observed in chicks up to 3 months.Due to inflammation of the intestinal walls, it is painful for turkeys to feed, they lose their appetite, and become weak. Defecate diarrhea with undigested pieces of food. The feathers around the anus are covered with feces. Sick chicks should be treated separately from he althy flocks. They are placed in a quiet and peaceful place, given quality food and clean drinking.

If you follow the rules of care and maintenance, high-quality feeding, maintaining the immunity of turkeys, the likelihood of disease is significantly reduced. In order for the birds to remain he althy, it is important to take preventive measures in a timely manner, keep animals and strangers out of the house, disinfect, and clean equipment.