Size of Flock Number of Flocks 



0-50 34 



51-100 11 



101-150 7 



151-200 4 



201-500 15 



501-1000 8 



1001-2000 1 



2001 and more 2 



Among the 26 flocks with 200 birds or more, 11 were infected. A further 

 analysis of these data shows that the bulk of the turkey breeding stock tested 

 in Massachusetts is located in infected flocks. This presents a situation which is 

 not very encouraging to the Massachusetts turkey industry; and unless steps are 

 taken to correct it, the future of the Massachusetts turkey breeder cannot be 

 looked upon with a great deal of optimism. 



Turkey breeders have not appreciated fully what is necessary for the control 

 and eradication of pullorum infection. Greater caution should be exercised in 

 the selection of sources of new stock. Far too many turkey raisers buy from in- 

 ected flocks. Those breeders with infected flocks fail to follow a sound and 

 complete eradication program. Too much reliance is placed on one or two tests 

 for eliminating the infection from their flocks. Too few make a conscientious 

 effort to adopt and follow a sound program for the establishment of a puUorum- 

 free flock. 



Owners of infected breeding flocks are advised to plan an eradication program 

 which is suitable and workable for their own flock and which, if conscientiously 

 carried out, should lead to the establishment of a pullorum-free flock. The 

 eradication measures listed in the previous section apply to turkeys as well 

 as to chickens. 



NON-REACTING AND POSITIVE FLOCKS CLASSIFIED BY COUNTIES 



In Table 4 the non-reacting and positive flocks are classified by counties. A 

 total of 431 non-reacting flocks, representing 792,551 birds, was detected in 12 

 counties. Of this total, 413 flocks were 100 percent tested, representing 776,089 

 birds; and 18 were partially tested, including 16,462 birds. Middlesex, Worcester, 

 Essex, and Bristol counties have the largest number of birds in non-reacting 

 flocks. 



Twenty-seven flocks (5.9 percent of the flocks tested) were classified as positive 

 at the close of the season. The number of birds represented was 43,930 which 

 is 5.2 percent of the total birds tested. Berkshire, Dukes, and Hampden counties 

 had no positive tested flocks at the end of the season. 



These results show that Massachusetts has a large supply of pullorum-free 

 stock and that pullorum infection is still a problem in approximately 6 percent 

 of the flocks tested. The number of infected flocks can be reduced if flock owners 

 will recognize the possible ways infection can be eliminated. Too often owners 

 of infected flocks delay their plans until it is impossible to correct the situation 

 before the main hatching season commences. 



