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“Each year the rearing of turkey poults for the Christmas
trade brings with it incidents of ionophore toxicity. This
causes a severe animal welfare problem and will reduce income
from the birds”. Scientists of the Veterinary Laboratories
Agency (VLA) and Veterinary Medicines Directorate issued a
seasonal reminder last Christmas (Poultry World, November
2001), to anticipate the surge of small-scale production and
on-farm slaughtering as farmers rear turkeys for the Christmas
trade of 11 to 12 million slain birds. The advice states that
most incidents occur on non-specialized poultry-premises where
the farmers decide to rear turkey poults at this time of the
year as a sideline and may be unaware of the potential risks”.
Residues of the ionophores are detected in poultry-meats
and eggs, although the usage in feeds may be banned. “Ionophores
such as salinomycin, narasin, lasalocid, monensin are used
at varying concentrations in poultry-feed as anticoccidial
agents to prevent diseases such as dysentery taking hold.
Depending on the product they may be licensed for use in turkeys
up to 16 weeks old. However, toxicity varies with species
and age: turkeys are particularly susceptible to toxic effects
from around 9 weeks of age. Clinical signs, which can develop
within 24 hours, include muscular weakness with collapse,
.phping respiration (mouth breathing) and death. Disease and
death rates are often very high. The cause has usually been
a recent change in feed. Once this has been identified, the
incident rapidly subsides after its removal.
“The main situations under which ionophore toxicity
occurs in turkeys are: inadvertent use of broiler or other
feed containing ionophores, continuing to feed rations containing
ionophore to older birds (either accidentally or through lack
of awareness), and the accidental inclusion of ionophore in
feed due to contamination at the mill. Although the individual
circumstances may vary, it is usually necessary to restrict
the sale of birds for human consumption until ionophore residues
have been eliminated, following removal of the source of contamination.
Farmers are advised to consult their veterinary surgeons and
feed suppliers for further advice”.
That “fresh”, “home-bred” turkey, brought
at the farm-gate, may come to the customer already stuffed
with some unexpected ingredients.
So That’s All Right Then
The second phase of tests on dioxin and PCB levels in foods
such as eggs and milk produced in the vicinity of FMD pyres
fall “within the normal range”, states the Food
Standards Agency.
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