Efficacy of thiabendazole (Mertect 340-F) in controlling mold in turkey confinement housing.
Mertect 340-F (thiabendazole) was evaluated as a mold inhibitor for litter in turkey confinement housing using green oak wood shavings heavily contaminated with mold spores. One day before the addition of shavings, two environmentally controlled rooms were sprayed with Mertect 340-F at a rate of 51.0 ml in 11.37 liters of water (16 fl. oz./6000 sq. ft.). After the litter was added, it was treated with Mertect 340-F at a rate of 33.0 ml in 75.8 liters of water (32 fl. oz./6000 sq. ft.). The litter was treated again at 6 and 12 weeks. Mertect 340-F-treated litter had significantly lower mold spore counts than water-treated litter. Turkeys reared on Mertect 340-F-treated litter displayed no adverse effects. No obvious differences between groups were noted post mortem. Microscopically, however, lungs from turkeys on water-treated litter had a higher incidence of granulomas and mycelia than lungs from birds on Mertect 340-F-treated litter.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006799:Housing, Animal; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014422:Turkeys / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D013827:Thiabendazole