The Incidence of Salmonella Pullorum in Wild Pheasants in Southern Michigan

THE pheasant (Phasianus colchicus torquatus) is frequently seen feeding in close proximity to both chickens and turkeys in Michigan. Most of our wild pheasants are found in the southern part of the state. This area also has the greatest concentration of domestic fowl. The importance of Salmonella infections in pheasants reared in captivity has long been recognized. However, the state game farm, which has a breeding stock of between one and two thousand adult pheasants, has been free from infection in recent years. This farm is maintained by the Michigan Department of Conservation in Ingham County near Mason. All birds on the farm are blood tested annually for pullorum disease under the supervision of the Michigan State Poultry Improvement Association using polyvalent antigen and the whole blood agglutination test. During the last two years no reactors have been detected in these birds. In the four previous years all reactors were …