Salinomycin toxicosis in male breeder turkeys

A sudden outbreak of mortality in one house of 600 48-week-old male breeder turkeys on a five-house turkey breeder farm was suspected to be feed-related. The turkeys gasped and became recumbent; 21.7% of affected turkeys died. No significant gross lesions were found at necropsy. Histological lesions, limited to skeletal muscle, consisted of degeneration and necrosis and were judged compatible with ionophore toxicosis. Feed samples from the affected house were analyzed by three techniques and shown to contain 13.4 to 18.4 g of salinomycin per ton of feed. An error at the feed mill was blamed for allowing contamination of the turkey feed with broiler starter feed containing salinomycin.