For turkey producers, blackhead remains a high-impact threat, particularly in young birds, where infection can spread quickly and cause major losses. Unfortunately, there are limited approved treatment options compared with past decades.
In December 2025, US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) released an updated report quantifying the US poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use.
In this Q&A, Daniel Maekawa, DVM, PhD, technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, discusses how producers can approach aMPV with a practical, integrated mindset — bringing together biosecurity, vaccination and management to reduce complex-level impact.
Turkey poults develop a wide range of behaviors besides eating, sleeping and resting in their first week of life. They also learn play behaviors and activities to comfort themselves, according to research by Alexandra Jackson, doctoral student, Auburn University.
Raised to maximize meat production, commercial turkey toms are bred to grow quickly and gain weight in a short time. This begs the question whether the bird’s skeletal system meets that developmental challenge.
As resistance continues to erode the effectiveness of traditional anticoccidial programs in turkeys, veterinarians are increasingly focused on strategies that protect birds while preserving available tools. A multi-year field experience with a US heavy tom producer suggests that coccidiosis vaccines can play a practical role in conventional rotation programs.
The latest technology providing access to feed and water in hatcheries could change how vaccinations and other general practices are conducted. Katherine Schaefbauer, Jennie-O Turkey Store, led a research trial with a coccidiosis vaccine administered to fed and non-fed turkey poults in the hatchery, and presented the results at the 2025 AAAP Meeting.
Avian metapneumovirus has not been detected in the US since the 1990s. So, it was a surprise in 2023 when cases began surfacing in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. By January 31, 2024, the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network received its first suspect case. Here’s what they did.
Data is playing a growing role in helping producers manage risk, optimize health and justify production decisions. From digitizing information to store it securely to using it to guide real-time decision-making, for Dan Wilson, DVM, founder of Wilson Veterinary Co., it has become integral to the way he works with producers to improve flock performance.
Faced with the emerging disease threat posed by avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), the USDA is allowing the importation of three vaccines from Boehringer Ingelheim: the live virus products NEMOVAC™ for use in chickens and AVIFFA RTI for use in turkeys and chickens, as well as the TUR-3 inactivated vaccine for primary vaccination of both turkey and chicken flocks against aMPV subtype B.
Producing the best feed for turkey production takes more than choosing a mash or pelleted version. It also includes maintaining quality from processing to the feeder.
The emergence of aMPV subtypes A and B has left US poultry producers seeking new tools to reduce the economic impact of this disease. In an interview, Silke Rautenschlein, PhD, professor at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover, Germany, covers the past, present and future of the virus and its control.
