The purpose of this trial was to determine the efficacy of Agrastim® in combating the effects of Gangrenous Dermatitis (cellulitis) in 10 week old commercially grown tom turkeys.   

At the recommendation of one of the largest turkey processors in the U.S., this study was conducted, by Stephen W. Davis, DVM, Dip. ACPV, of Colorado Quality Research, Inc., Wellington, Colorado. The trial involved 240 birds provided by Con Agra/Butterball, Platteville, Colorado.

The study was designed to demonstrate that AGRASTIM® can safely and effectively replace antibiotics in the feed of turkeys that have been challenged by Clostridium septicum, the bacterium most commonly responsible for the condition in turkeys known as gangrenous dermatitis.

Gangrenous dermatitis, also known as cellulitis, is one of the most severe diseases currently afflicting the turkey, duck and broiler industries. When gangrenous dermatitis is caused by Colostridium bacteria, morbidity (occurrence of disease) is generally rapid and may be up to 50% of birds exposed, and mortality is high.

For the purpose of this trial, 144 ten week old turkeys that had been fed a feed containing 40 grams/ton of Agrastim® for 6 weeks and 20 grams/ton for the following 4 weeks, and 72 turkeys that had been fed a standard diet, were obtained from a commercial grower.   The 144 turkeys were divided into two groups.  One group was fed a feed containing 20 grams/ton Agrastim® and one group was fed a feed containing 40 grams/ton Agrastim®.

The 72 turkeys fed the standard feed were fed a feed containing the standard antibiotics used to treat cellulitis.  Twenty-eight days after the turkeys arrived at the experimental facility, all turkeys received a subdermal injection of Clostridium septicum (109 cfu).  At day 42, lesion score and weight gain were determinedfor all turkeys.

The result of the study showed a decrease in average lesion score of 15% in the turkeys fed 20 grams/ton Agrastim®, and a 33% decrease in the turkeys fed 40 grams/ton Agrastim®.  It is noteworthy that, of the turkeys fed Agrastim®, 33/97 or 33% of the turkeys had minimal evidence of skin lesion (score = 0 or 1), and none showed evidence of severe lesion (score 4).  In the turkeys fed the diet without Agrastim®, only 15% (9/60) of the turkeys had minimal evidence of skin lesion (score = 1), and none had a score = 0, whereas 7% had evidence of severe skin lesions (score = 4).

The turkeys in the control group and in the group fed 20 grams/ton of Agrastim® gained a similar amount of weight (an average of 2.462Kg/bird and 2.408 Kg/bird respectively). However, the group fed 40g/ton Agrastim® gained an average of 3.175 kg/bird.

The gangrenous dermatitis challenge in this trial resulted in high mortality and severe lesion scores. “It was expected that this severe and excessive challenge in this study would overwhelm and negate any measurable benefit to the AGRASTIM® treatment,” reported Dr. Davis. “Overall, the AGRASTIM® treatment appeared to have positive effects on the performance and health of the tom turkeys receiving the severe bacterial challenge in this study.”

The turkeys that were fed AGRASTIM® experienced weight gain of about .20 lb/bird greater than the control group. The turkeys fed AGRASTIM®  recovered more quickly from the effects of Gangrenous Dermatitis, and had the turkeys been allowed to grow to full market weight, it is reasonable to speculate that the birds fed AGRASTIM®  would have continued to out-perform the control group in improved weight gain and feed conversion. Dr. Davis further reported that, “even with the excessive challenge, the results show obvious treatment effects” of AGRASTIM®.

The results of this study clearly show that Agrastim® alleviates the toxic effects of Clostridium septicum and that, given the right dose of Agrastim®, turkeys can continue to gain weight even though severely challenged.

The full report is available on BIOAGRA’s website. http://www.bioagra.net/

U.S. turkey producers processed approximately 275,000,000 turkeys in 2006.  Market weight for commercially grown turkeys averages 26 pounds, and feed consumption averages 100 lbs. for the life of the turkey.  The U.S. turkey market is estimated to represent potential sales of over 300,000 kilograms of Agrastim®.

Ranking of top 15 turkey producers in the United States, updated May 14, 2007.

The ranking is based on estimated PRODUCTIONin MILLIONS of pounds live weight turkeys in 2006.

1. Butterball, LLC - 1,349 Million Pounds
2. Jenny-O-Turkey Store - 1,265
3. Cargill Value Added Meats - 961
4. House of Raeford Farms, Inc. - 250
5. Perdue, Inc. - 249
6. Virginia Turkey Growers Cooperative (VPGC) - 225
7. Foster Farms - 223
8. Bill Mar Foods - 220
9. Farbest Foods, Inc. - 213
10. Prestage Foods, LLC - 210
11. Kraft Foods, Inc. - 205
12. West Liberty Foods - 196.7
13. Cooper Farms - 180
14. Michigan Turkey Producers - 171
15. Pilgrim's Pride Corporation - 166