THE GAME BREEDER 



21 



whether the young poults succumb to 

 the disease or grow to maturity, depends 

 upon the method of feeding more than 

 upon any other factor; it is therefore 

 this phase of the subject that will re- 

 ceive special consideration in this bul- 

 letin. Eventually there will be brought 

 together in a single publication all that 

 can be recommended, as a result of the 

 long-continued studies at the Rhode Isl- 

 and Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 for the prevention of the disease. 

 The Nature of the Disease and 



Methods of Diagnosis. 



Although it is probable that at least 

 95 per cent, of the turkeys that die be- 

 fore the age of six months succumb 

 to blackhead, it is always desirable for 

 the poultryman to be able to recognize 

 the presence of- the malady in his flock. 

 Although turkeys are susceptible to 

 blackhead at all ages, the greatest mor- 

 tality is among the young. Cases sel- 

 dom appear before the age of two weeks, 

 while the most critical period begins 

 when the birds are about five weeks 

 old. Old birds, though showing more 

 resistance, often manifest the disease in 

 semichronic form. In the young acute 

 manifestations only are observed. The 

 disease usually runs a rapid course ; birds 

 under six to eight weeks old are seldom 

 seen to be ill for more than four to 

 eight days and recovery probably never 

 occurs. Old turkeys, however, may 

 sometimes manifest symptoms for 

 months and recovery may occasionally 

 take place. 



The chief symptoms of blackhead are 

 lethargy, isolation from companions in 

 the flock, loss of appetite, muscular 

 weakness (drooping wings) and emacia- 

 tion. The head does not necessarily 

 turn black, though it may become dis- 

 colored. Diarrhoea is usually present. 

 But, since these symptoms are not char- 

 acteristic of blackhead alone, the diag- 

 nosis can most safely be based upon 

 definite and unmistakable changes in 

 some of the internal organs. This in- 

 volves a post mortem examination of 

 one of the sick poults.* 



The chief pathological changes involve 

 lesions in the ceca, or "blind pouches" 



of the intestine and in the liver. The 

 ceca are enlarged and inflamed. Some- 

 times only one cecum is involved, some- 

 times both, and sometimes only a part 

 of one. The walls are greatly thickened 

 and frequently contain a yellowish 

 cheesy core, with scarcely any central 

 canal remaining visible. Sometimes the 

 ceca are fused together, or attached to 

 the folds of adjacent intestine. Some- 

 times the necrotic cecal wall ruptures, 

 causing peritonitis. 



The gross pathological changes in the 

 liver involve chiefly the formation of 

 necrotic areas which may be deep or 

 superficial, large or small, gray or yel- 

 low, round or irregular, discrete or con- 

 fluent. The centers are usually slightly 

 depressed. Sometimes the liver lesions 

 appear alone, sometimes the cecal lesions 

 occur alone, and sometimes both appear 

 together. ' No other disease of turkeys 

 produces similar changes in these organs. 



These features are sufficient to enable 

 the poultryman to recognize the pres- 

 ence of the disease in his stock and we 

 may now turn directly to a considera- 

 tion of the problems of management and 

 feeding. 



Nature of the Range. 



The ideal turkey range consists of a 

 high, open and somewhat rolling pasture 

 land, bordered on one side at least by 

 woods and having a thin overgrowth of 

 grass, with brush and brier patches along 

 the walls. The soil should be light and 

 well drained, and the area should by 

 preference have a southerly slope. A 

 few low branched trees, for roosting 

 purposes and shade, and a brook or 

 spring add value. If foxes are a men- 

 ace, the area should be fenced. The 

 size of the range will depend upon the 

 number of turkeys to be raised. On the 

 whole, better results can be obtained 

 on a small fenced range, not far from 

 the house, than on an unlimited range 

 extending to remote districts. A fenced 

 range consisting of about six acres of 

 field or pasture devoted exclusively to 

 the birds is sufficiently large for the rais- 

 ing of about one hundred poults to the 

 age of six months. * 



(To be continued.) 



