Several factors and problems are influencing turkey production and health. These include intense global competition between producing countries, permanent changes in social, political and consumer perceptions regarding food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection. Several human foodborne infections are linked to poultry and poultry products, causing a serious challenge because it is difficult to control. Moreover, contamination of the turkey meat and product with antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a constant public health hazard. The loss of consumer confidence and trust in turkey meat product safety and quality will also be a major concern. The current and future turkey health concepts should cover the control of diseases in birds and the relationship between birds health, welfare and environmental protection. Additionally, infectious turkey diseases\' emergence and re-emergence will remain an important and never-ending challenge. Only a few authorized pharmaceutical veterinary products are available to treat turkeys. The development of efficient vaccines and natural antimicrobials against bacterial infections will reduce antibiotic use and reduce resistant bacteria\'s development. Genetic selective breeding to improve production traits and health is a long-standing goal of the turkey industry. Furthermore, rearing technology, management, and feeding will help maintain the birds healthy and comfortable. Finally, all other partners involved in the production chain, including farmers, veterinarians, stockholders, need to collaborate to meet the consumer expectations for high quality and safe products

To gain further knowledge of the equine synovial fluid (SF) proteome, we propose a protocol based on the equalization of the relative concentrations of its proteins, which leads to the modification of the standard electrophoretic pattern revealing low-abundance proteins that otherwise remain undetected. Fresh SF samples were collected from ten macroscopically normal metacarpophalangeal joints of crossbred horses. The samples were processed using standard procedures as the control and via combinatorial peptide ligand libraries (CPLL) using low ionic forces (NaH2PO4 10 mM) at different pHs (4.0, 7.0, and 9.3) with 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 25 mM DTT for protein resolubilization. Proteins were then separated by conventional 8% SDS-PAGE and stained with coomassie blue. After separation of the equalized proteins, there was a significant reduction in the albumin (the most abundant protein in the SF) and, at the same time, other protein bands arise that were not visible without CPLL processing. In addition, there was variation in the protein profiles at different pHs. The results suggest that protein equalization of the equine SF by CPLL could be a useful tool to better understand the articular homeostasis and/or for the detection of new biomarkers of joint pathology.

The conditions on turkey fattening farms, including management, housing, and feeding, have been constantly improved recently in favor of animal health. Many studies deal scientifically with poultry health. However, specifically concerning liver health, there are still open questions regarding the influence of dietary factors on the metabolism and function of the liver. Consideration of the factors that could influence and alter liver metabolism is therefore of critical relevance. The liver, as a major metabolic organ, is the main site of fat synthesis in turkeys. Under certain conditions, fat can excessively accumulate in the liver and adversely affect the birds health. The so-called hepatic lipidosis (HL) in fattening turkeys has been known for years. This disease has unacceptable economic and animal welfare impacts, with high animal losses up to 15% within only a few days. To date, little is known about the causes and the metabolic changes in fattening turkeys leading to HL despite the increasing focus on health management and animal welfare. To understand what is different in turkeys compared to other species, it is necessary to discuss the metabolism of the liver in more detail, including HL-associated gross and microscopic lesions. In the current review, aspects of liver structure and lipid metabolism with special regard to lipogenesis are explained to discuss all dietary factors attributing to the development and prevention of HL. As part of the prevention of the HL, dietetics measures can be helpful in the future.

Abstract Turkey producers are facing a changing world in that many consumers perceive one thing about food production while the truth may be something else. However, when it comes to consumer acceptance, which affects consumer purchasing behavior, perception has become reality. In this regard, in many cases and genre, the public perception of antibiotic use in turkey production can be generally negative. The truth that antibiotics and other antimicrobials can be beneficial to both turkeys and consumers is lost. Therefore, turkey producers are accepting the challenge to rear turkey flocks without growth promoting antibiotics or antimicrobials. In some cases and in some locales this has become the law. In other markets, consumer desires and purchasing habits are the driving force for change. Turkey producers are scrutinizing production practices to ascertain and provide the optimal environment for turkey production. In addition, alternatives to antibiotics are being developed, tested, evaluated, and used for turkey production in increasing frequency. These include, but not limited to, probiotics (Direct Fed Microbials), prebiotics, organic acids, essential oils, spices, and plant extracts. Turkey producers are developing use plans for these feed additives that, in most cases, are not the same as for antibiotic administration. Turkey producers have become proactive in developing these plans and are preparing to provide products of exceptional quality that will meet with consumer acceptance.

Increased resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolates to existing antimicrobials constitutes a major concern in human and veterinary medicine. This study aimed at determining the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and molecular characteristics of S. aureus from raw bovine milk in dairy and pastoral farms in Morogoro urban and Mvomero districts, Tanzania. In a cross-sectional study, 397 raw bovine milk samples were collected and carried to the laboratory. Conventional Gram staining, colony morphology on blood agar, and mannitol salt agar, along with biochemical tests, were used for S. aureus identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using the disk diffusion method, while multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. Data were analyzed using Epi Info (Version 7). Out of the 397 samples, S. aureus was confirmed in 124 (31.2%). Contamination of raw bovine milk by S. aureus in the study area was associated with poor hygienic measures. The AST revealed that all S. aureus isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol and cefoxitin, while the highest resistance 116/124 (93.5%) was noticed for penicillin. Resistance to other antimicrobials varied between 1.6-28.2%. Of the 124 S. aureus isolates, 80 (64.5%) possessed spa gene, with 76/80(95.0%) being pathogenic. One of the S. aureus isolates, 1/124 (0.8%), harbored a mecA resistance gene. The presence of antimicrobial-resistant S. aureus isolates in raw bovine milk at the farm level is alarming and requires herd health improvement interventions to protect society.

Two battery trials were conducted to determine the effects of dietary direct-fed microbial (DFM) and dietary fat inclusion on broiler chick and turkey poult performance and dietary apparent metabolizable energy, nitrogen corrected (AMEn) when fed corn, wheat, and soy diets. For both experiments, a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design was used with supplemental fat at low (1%, LF) or high (6%, HF) levels and DFM inclusion (0 or 0.91 kg/ton) as main effects. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to 72 cages of birds and fed to 21 d. Growth performance was measured weekly and cecal contents were collected for volatile fatty acid (VFA) analysis on d 21. Fat supplementation resulted in increased body weight gain (BWG) in both broilers and turkeys. Specifically, in LF diets, DFM inclusion resulted in increased BWG compared to the non-DFM treatments. Cumulative feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved in HF treatments and in the LF with DFM treatment compared to the LF with no DFM. In both trials, as expected, feeding HF diets resulted in increased AMEn. However, the DFM inclusion resulted in a greater uplift in AMEn in LF diets for both broilers and turkeys. Cecal VFA concentrations were not impacted by diet in either trial, and thus the impact on DFM on VFA production remains uncertain. In conclusion, the performance of broiler chicks and turkey poults was improved by DFM inclusion in reduced fat diets which was associated with increased energy digestibility as measured by AMEn.

Mareks disease (MD), caused by a highly contagious and oncogenic herpesvirus, causes immunosuppression and tumours in chickens. Although several reports on occurring lymphomas (MD-like conditions) in turkeys were published in the past less attention has been paid to the disease in this species. Recently, Mareks disease virus (MDV) has been demonstrated in lymphomatous tumours in commercial turkeys in several countries. The present review describes the past and recent history of MD in turkeys, clinical picture, and methods used for diagnosis. Additionally, three hypotheses might explain the emergence and re-emergence of MDV in turkeys including virus evolution and evolution of MDV variants, modern hybrid turkeys, and raising of turkeys close to chickens. Although the HVT vaccine didn't protect turkeys against challenge with a virulent MDV strain, Rispens strain vaccine is effective against MDV in turkey. The pathogenesis of MDV infection in turkeys remains unclear and further investigations are necessary. Additionally, the effectiveness of MDV vaccines needs to be assessed in turkeys.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in veterinary medicine. Additionally, interest regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of phytochemicals has emerged in recent years. In the present study we aim to investigate the in vitro effects of meloxicam, flunixin meglumine, and harpagoside on the respiratory burst of porcine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). We observed that harpagoside was able to suppress the respiratory burst, similarly to flunixin meglumine. Conversely, meloxicam enhanced the PMNs response. However, these effects were only detected at concentrations higher than those achievable in plasma and tissues. The present study intends to offer insights into the role of these molecules on phagocytosis mechanisms in animals to complement what is already known regarding human PMNs.

In Zambia, poultry is a rapid increasing sector contributing 4.8% of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), thus providing a significant income generating activity. Worldwide, poultry is a major reservoir of Salmonella with increasing incidence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing strains. ESBLs are enzymes produced by bacteria and are capable of inactivating a wide range of beta-lactam antibiotics. Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium are the most important foodborne serotypes in many countries infecting both humans and animals and are transmitted to humans through the food supply chain. CTX-M ESBLs have been described in Salmonella Typhimurium isolates with resistant genes located on transferable plasmids. This study aimed to detect S. Typhimurium, their antimicrobial resistance and CTX-M-type ESBL Producing strains in commercial poultry farms in Copperbelt Province, Zambia. Five districts were considered for this study where one poultry farm per district was randomly selected for sampling. An overall number of 384 faecal samples were analysed using microbiological and molecular methods. S. Typhimurium was detected at 17.7% (CI: 14.2%-21.8%) in commercial poultry farms in Copperbelt Province of which 12.8% (CI: 9.8%-16.5%) were found harboring the CTX-M-Type ESBL genes. S. Typhimurium isolates showed 88.2% resistance to at least one antimicrobial compounds. All the isolates showed 100% resistance to tetracycline followed by ampicillin and amoxicillin at 91.2%. These isolates also showed 58.8% resistance to cefotaxime and 54.4% to ceftazidime. Detection of CTX-M ESBL producing Salmonella Typhimurium suggests that there is contamination of chicken food chain at farm level and call for public health protection measures.

Brucellosis is an endemic disease among livestock and humans in Egypt. Sheep are the most common type of livestock ruminant in Egypt and considered the fundamental etiology for spreading and maintaining B. melitensis either in human being or animal populations. In the current study, we investigated the seroprevalence of brucellosis in sheep herds reared in Bilqase, one of the biggest cities at Dakahlia governorate in Egypt\'s Delta region. In total, 610 sheep from seven herds were investigated. Anti-Brucella antibodies were detected in 48 (7.8%) samples tested by Buffered Acidified Plate Antigen Test (BAPAT), in 44 (7.2%) samples tested by Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and in 41 (6.7%) samples tested by Milk Ring Test (MRT). The isolation rate was 29.6% (16 out of 54 examined samples). Brucella organism was isolated from three aborted fetuses, one tissue sample of slaughtered serologically positive ewe and 12 milk samples. The Abortus Melitensis Ovis Suis-PCR (AMOS-PCR) confirmed all Brucella strains as B. melitensis. More than three successive negative serological tests are required to declare that the infected herd is free from brucellosis. In conclusion, no single serological test could conclusively diagnose brucellosis in endemic areas. Confirmation of results with molecular diagnosis or culture is indispensable in diagnosis. B. melitensis was the prevalent serotype among sheep in Dakahlia governorate