Turkeys can educate two distinct types of chest lesions : tit blister and breast push . Breast buttons are a type of inflammation on the surface of the skin commonly understand after keep up contact with a direct pelt irritant ( for example , ammonia water , wet , BM or clay ) . A breast blisters , on the other paw , is an inflammation under the skin in a small pocket , known as the bursa , located over the centre of the breast . This air pocket has a tendency to replete up with fluid and various type of inflammatory debris and is even a preferred subsiding internet site for bacterium . white meat blisters in turkeys are pretty common , and heavy tom dud are more prone to arise them .
The exact cause of breast blisters in turkeys is not completely understood , but it ’s most probably related to several factors . Anything that causes a turkey to be down for prolonged periods of clock time could serve as a continuous source of irritation and injury to the bursa . The actual blister is not thought to make a clinical consequence on the turkey , but it might be an important indicant of another issue . Common cause for a turkey to spend more meter lying down on its chest are pegleg problems either in the foot itself or in the peg joints or castanets , and turkey should be examine for such problems . Litter — made from rough , splintery or scratchy fabric , with high wet and ammonia levels , with improper pH , and with a high bacterial load — has also been suggested as a contributing factor .
A key scheme in breast - blister prevention strategy would be to ensure that turkeys are put up on “ well-disposed ” litter because the better the condition of the litter , the lower the relative incidence of ramification problem and titty blisters . Avoid allow your turkey , specially tom turkey , to reach unreasonable weights , too . This can be achieved by meal - feeding rather than providing free access to feed .
If you think the breast blister is taint with bacteria , systemic or local antibiotic therapy might be helpful . contact lens a local veterinarian for direction on this , as she might be capable to obtain a sampling of the bursa fluid for civilization and sensitiveness to better calculate you to the best antibiotic . Because breast blister tend not to cause clinical effects , the right option might be to identify the initiating lawsuit and to treat or desexualize that rather than potentially aggravate the blister by do any manipulation , such as lancing , draining , rinse or soak .
Any visible region of inflammation or contagion should be trimmed during processing and dispose . If a systemic bacterial infection is suspected prior to whipping , the intact carcase might be strike . In this case , postpone whipping following any administration of antibiotics to give the antibiotic time to seclude from the tissues .
This article primitively appeared in the March / April 2013 issue ofHobby Farms .
