ADVERSE-EFFECTS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI INFECTION OF TURKEYS WERE NOT ALLEVIATED BY SUPPLEMENTAL DIETARY VITAMIN-E

Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of dietary v itamin E on the response of young male turkeys to Escherichia coli inf ection. A complete factorial arrangement of two concentrations of supp lemental dietary vitamin E (12 or 300 IU/kg as dl-alpha-tocopheryl ace tate) and infection or no infection of turkeys with E. coli was used i n both experiments. In Experiment 1, each dietary treatment was fed to four pens of turkeys from 1 to 28 d of age. At 28 d, turkeys in two p ens per dietary treatment received an injection of 3.0 x 10(7) E. coli cells into the left and right thoracic air sacs. All turkeys were nec ropsied 7 d after E. coli injection and the incidence and severity of lesions in air sacs, lungs, pericardium, and liver were determined. Th e same dietary vitamin E treatments were used in Experiment 2. Each di et was fed to eight pens of turkeys from 1 to 47 d of age. At 47 d, tu rkeys in four pens per dietary treatment received an injection of 3.0 x 10(7) cells of the same E. coli used in Experiment 1 into the left a nd right thoracic air sacs. All turkeys were necropsied as in Experime nt 1 at 54 d of age. Weight gain and efficiency of feed utilization we re impaired markedly by E. coli infection during the 7 d after injecti on. Livability also was decreased by E. coil infection in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. adverse effects of E. coli on performance an d livability were not affected by dietary vitamin E concentration. Les ions observed in turkeys that received E. coli injection ranged from m ild to severe, with the most severe lesions observed in air sacs. Lung lesions were observed frequently but were less severe than in air sac s. Dietary concentration of vitamin E had no effect on incidence or se verity of lesions in air sacs or lungs. Overall, the results of these experiments show that adding 300 IU of vitamin E/kg, of diet did not a lleviate the adverse effects of E. coil infection in young turkeys.