Ascarid-associated hepatic foci in turkeys

Hepatic foci are a serious economic problem for most turkey-producing areas in the United Stares. Current estimates indicate that as much as 43% of th e flocks sent to slaughter may experience condemnations because of hepatic foci. The present experiments were designed to duplicate naturally occurrin g lesions with Ascaridia dissimilis. Newly hatched poults were placed on fr esh litter and given feed containing either 500 embryonated A. dissimilis o va/bird/day (from day of hatch) or no ova, in three experiments. Hepatic fo ci were reproduced in exposed poults in all three experiments, indicating t hat A. dissmilis is directly involved in the etiology of hepatic foci.