“Wing Rap” by Dr. Teresa Morishita
Question: A couple of my turkeys had swellings on their breasts. What is
the cause of this?
Answer: The swellings on the breasts of your turkeys are most likely due
to a bacterial infection. The infection and swelling are often referred
to as breast blisters. Breast blisters are often the result of the birds
being down on their breasts for a long period of time. The skin can
become irritated and if punctured, bacteria can enter through the open
skin to form abscesses. Bacteria commonly isolated from breast blisters
include Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) or Escherichia coli (E. coli). To
prevent breast blisters, we have to find out the cause of why the birds
are on the ground. This is usually due to leg lesions. Check the
underside of the foot to see if there are ammonia burns (brown scabbing
on the bottom of the foot) that are formed by standing for prolonged
periods on wet litter and/or feces. There can also be lameness due to
joint problems, as a result of diseases like Mycoplasma or reovirus, or
from non-infectious causes (genetic or nutritional). A serological test
can help you determine if something infectious is causing leg problems
in your flock.
Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACPV is a Professor and Extension
Poultry Veterinarian in the Department of Veterinary Preventive
Medicine. She is a board-certified poultry veterinarian and is also the
Director of the Avian Disease Investigation Laboratory at The Ohio State
University. She welcomes your questions and invites you to contact her
at the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State
University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 or contact her through
this website at www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/poultry/
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