Poultry News & Events

There is a shortage of the pullorum antigen used to test all poultry (except turkeys) for Pullorum-Typhoid disease. If the birds you exhibit at the county Fair or Minnesota State Fair originated directly from an National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP) classified Pullorum-Typhoid Free hatchery or flock, this issue will not affect you.  If not, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MN BAH) exhibition rules require a test within 90 days of the exhibition. Because MN BAH does not plan to waive the testing requirements at this time, we are trying to preserve what antigen we do have and are encouraging the use of this  Poultry Exhibition Statement of Origin form instead of pullorum testing birds if they originated from an NPIP flock or hatchery.  Additional information on the poultry exhibition requirements can also be found on the Boards website using the links provided below. BAH Poultry exhibitions BAH Poultry exhibition requirements As a reminder, turkeys must still have blo

By: Gabriella Furo, Ph.D. student Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota What is footpad dermatitis (FPD) and why should I care? Footpad dermatitis is a skin inflammation, and a frequently occurring problem in turkey production worldwide, which can affect the turkey performance, including body weight and feed intake. The signs of FPD include thickened scales (hyperkeratosis), discoloration, dark brown and black lesions, ulcers which develop on the footpads and toes of poultry. Footpad dermatitis is associated with potential pain, therefore it is an animal welfare issue, and FPD can affect turkeys at any age. There are many contributing factors in the development of FPD, such as nutrition, past and existing diseases, but the most important factor is litter moisture. Research studies recommend to keep litter moisture under 30% in order to minimize the incidence of FPD. The lesion develops quickly with early signs seen 24-48 hr after exposing the birds to high litter