EFFECT OF LITTER MOISTURE AND BROODING TEMPERATURE ON BODY WEIGHTS OFTURKEY POULTS EXPERIENCING POULT ENTERITIS AND MORTALITY SYNDROME

Studies were conducted to determine the influence of the interactions among litter moisture (high [HiM] greater than or equal to 40% vs low [LoM] less than or equal to 20%), brooding temperature (high [HiB] = 3 8 C vs normal [NrB] 34 C), and development of poult enteritis and mort ality syndrome (PEMS) as indicated by body weights, relative weights o f lymphoid organs, and mortality in Control [C] vs Infected [I] groups . There was a significant interaction between litter moisture and broo ding temperature that had a significant influence on BW. The brooding temperature main effect was not significant, but there was a significa nt litter moisture effect on BW. Body weights were suppressed by PEMS infection, but infected poults brooded at HiB on LoM had significantly greater BW than those brooded at NrB and HiB on HiM. Main effects sho wed that there were significant litter moisture-and brooding temperatu re-mediated responses for BW. Relative weights of lymphoid organs reve aled significant disease main effects but no effect due to brooding te mperature and litter moisture. There was a significant effect of disea se and brooding temperature with regard to mortality. The results from this study suggest that litter moisture influences productivity and m ortality associated with PEMS, but brooding temperature has the greate st influence on PEMS-associated mortality. Therefore, higher brooding temperature for turkey poults being placed into a facility where they may be at risk for PEMS exposure is recommended.