On this episode of The Turkey Talk Show, Sheila and Gretta discuss prepping and handling your flocks that become affected by aMPV, and the importance of doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well. Dr. Eliza Ripplinger, a veterinarian with BVS, joins us to discuss to the new-to-the-market aMPV vaccine and the next steps to getting it on your farm.
On this episode of The Turkey Talk Show, Sheila and Gretta discuss prepping and handling your flocks that become affected by aMPV, and the importance of doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well. Dr. Eliza Ripplinger, a veterinarian with BVS, joins us to discuss to the aMPV vaccine, which is new to the market and the next steps to getting it on your farm.
aMPV is an upper respiratory virus that suppress the immune system and stays in the birds body for 3-5 days. The primary cause of mortality isn't aMPV itself, it is that the birds immune system is repressed for that time and the turkey's are easily susceptible to secondary infections and bacteria. This is what is causing mortality in flocks. The best way to get ahead of the disease is to see it coming. The first things farmers have noticed before any symptoms show is a drop in water consumption. If you can track water consumption, you can get ahead of aMPV hitting your flock.
The best way to get ahead of aMPV is to:
There is other drugs and methods out there to help combat disease. There are anti-fever and anti-inflammatory drugs, disinfect mixed with water is commonly sprayed on the birds, essential oil products in water lines, and products that can help thin the mucus and get rid of the bad particles in their systems.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel! There is new aMPV vaccination approved that is new to the market and is being further tested to find the best way to apply it to your farm. It has been applied to hatchery's but we know it will have to be boosted and industry professionals are currently trying to find the best application methods. This is a live vaccine and it seems the best method will be spraying the birds with it. Dr. Ripplinger's best advice for the vaccine, is to practice spraying so when it comes time to apply the vaccine to your farm, you are positive the vaccine will take affect on your birds. She stresses the importance of the time of day when apply the vaccine, you want the birds to be calm and stress free. It is good to have dedicated equipment to spraying and applying this virus because it is a live virus, and it would be a waste of your time and money if it died because it became cross contaminated with other substances. The best tool to test if the vaccine took affect, is to take a blood sample before application and 2 weeks after to look at the antibodies present in their blood. The turkey industry is headed in a positive direction with aMPV, but it will take a lot hard work, patience and everyone's commitment to learning for the vaccine to take affect and treat aMPV in the United States.
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