Mycoplasma iowae infection in broiler breeders

Experimental infection of broiler breeder chickens at one day of age with two strains of Mycoplasma iowae resulted in stunting and poor feathering accompanied, in some cases, by rupture of the digital flexor tendon, tenosynovitis, tendon fibrosis and arthritis. Broiler breeder birds appeared to be more susceptible to the effects of infection than were light, layer-type birds inoculated with the same two strains in an earlier experiment. The two strains of organism did not persist in the affected birds nor did they consistently stimulate the production of agglutinating antibodies.