Mucosal lesions and mortality associated with the use of a ferric sulfate poultry litter amendment product.

Within hours of chick delivery, acute mortality and mucosal lesions were reported on 2 northeast Georgia broiler farms that had applied a ferric sulfate litter amendment product. Histological evaluation of the larynx, tongue, and surrounding stroma revealed multifocal areas of necrosis or degeneration of the oral mucosa, acute focal necrotizing cellulitis, and the presence of a brown-black pigmented material adhered to affected epithelial and mucosal surfaces. Multifocal to diffuse ventricular koilin degeneration and acute hemorrhage was also demonstrated in association with pigmented adherent material on affected surfaces. Perls iron stain revealed that adherent material on affected tissues was strongly positive for iron. An experiment was designed to reproduce clinical signs, lesions, and mortality using the same litter amendment product. The ferric sulfate litter amendment was confirmed as the causative agent.