The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-06-03
WORMS IN POULTRY
EASILY DETECTED IN
POST MORTEM TESTS
Immediate Treatment Gives
Best Results

Gray Summit, Mo.-Some poultry
yards contain more rOundwOrns and
tapeworlls than chickens. Thousands
of dollars are lost aeh year by infes-
tatiOns Of these worms, and unfortu.
nately, the trouble seems to be on the
increase. Ten years ago tapeworms,
particularly, were not nearly so pre-
veIant as they are today In the United
States and Canada.
Worms are truly the greatest profit
absUrbei of the poultry yard. Good
feed, good management, and raising
birds from good stock count as nothing
against the ravages o. worms. They
get the feed intended for the bird and
cause severe losses In body weight
while tearing down resistance. Worms
may also blind birds and cause them
to become lame or paralyzed. They
lower vitality, and cut down egg pro-
duction because wormy birds are
robbed of the feed that should 60 into
egg making.
lrritate intestines
Tapeworms irritate the lining of the
intestines and cause the formation of
pus pockets, making the bird an easy
prey for severe enteritis. coccidiosis,
and other diseases.
Symptoms of worms are danger
signal to the poutryman who knows
that only worm-free flock can give
him the kind of production he wants,
and turn in a real profit for him.
Some of the indications of worms are
failure of growing stock to continue
growing properly, unusually rough
feathers on birds, paleness around the
head, listlessness or lameness, and any
unexplained drop in egg production
among mature birds.
"Posting" Is Sure Test
The surest and most definite way of
finding out whether birds are wormy
is to post" an average bird from the
flock, according to poultry specialists
here at the Purina Experimental Farm.
Post mortem examinations are easy
to make and always give accurate in
formation.
To kill a bird for post mortem ex.
animation, the legs and tip of the wing
feathers should be grasped in one hand
to prevent the bird from Hopping after
being killed. Then, with the head of
the bird between the thumb and first
finger, and the little finger under the
birds beak slight tug will stretch the
neck until the head can be bent back
sharply, dislocating the neck at the
base of the skull.
Worms Easily Detected
After the bird is cut open roundworms
and tapeworms are easily detected.
Roundworms are round, white, or vel.
lOwish white In color, and vary In
length from one to six inches, usually
about two to four inches, and often
curlad up. They are found loose in
the intestines of birds. TapewOrms
are white, or almost colorless, and are
always fastened by the hea( to the in
testinal wall. They are fiat and In
sections, and can be most easily de.
tected by splitting the intestines with
a sharp knife, and washing them back
and forth In warm water If segmented
threads float in the water perpendicu-
lar to the intestines, the bird has tape
worms. If the white worms sink to
the bottom of the pan of water, the
birds are infested with roundworms.
Once the poultryman is sure his
flock is w0rmy land a post lnOrtem of
one bird is the surest way to telD, i'm
mediate treatment should be started to
prevent the worms getting "head-
start" on cutting down production and
growth. The United States Depart.
ment of Agriculture recommends large
individual dosings with carbon tetra.
chloride or the closely related drug,
tetrachlorethylene, using a one-cubic
centimeter dose for adult birds, as the