DISEASES AND PREDATORY ANIMALS 



lining of the caeca and from there are carried to the liver, 

 establishing a diseased condition in both places. Regard- 

 less of what may be the specific cause of the disease there 

 seems to be quite a close agreement of opinion that prac- 

 tically all turkeys in the sections where the disease is 

 prevalent are subject to the infection and that the ques- 

 tion of whether or not the disease develops at all or 

 whether it reaches serious proportions is largely a matter 

 of management. 



There really is no treatment for blackhead which will 

 give definite and satisfactory results. It will scarcely ever 

 pay to attempt to treat sick birds since they are always a 

 menace to the rest of the flock, as they are likely to cause 

 further spread of the disease, and if they are seriously 

 sick it is best to take no chances but to kill them and bury 

 them deeply or burn them. Precautions can also be 

 taken in keeping the droppings cleaned out from the 

 roosting place and also in spreading lime on the soil in 

 such places as the turkeys frequent to a great extent. It 

 is also well to use some form of disinfectant in the drink- 

 ing water such as potassium permanganate to the extent 

 of about as much as can be placed on a dime to each gallon 

 of water. 



Overfeeding seems to predispose the birds to the dis- 

 ease and if the beginnings of any trouble are noted it will 

 be well to cut down the feed. Many turkey raisers feel 

 that the feeding of sour milk or buttermilk is advantage- 

 ous in keeping the turkeys in good condition and in re- 

 ducing the likelihood of blackhead. Another remedy 



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