Investigation of the Vascular Supply of the Pectoral Muscles of the Domestic Turkey and Comparison of Experimentally Produced Infarcts with Naturally Occurring Deep Pectoral Myopathy

SUMMARY Naturally occurring deep pectoral myopathy in 9 chickens and 6 turkeys was reviewed. The arterial blood supply to the pectoral and supracoracoid muscles was studied in normal mature turkey hens by preparation of arterial casts following perfusion with methyl methacrylate. Also, a latex-perfused turkey was dissected and the blood vessels supplying these muscles were identified. Six mature turkeys (under general anesthesia) were subjected to unilateral surgical obstruction of selected cranial and caudal pectoral arteries and veins and then were euthanatized and necropsied at various postsurgical times. In 2 of the turkeys, infarction of pectoral and supracoracoid muscles was produced. Gross and microscopic examinations of these infarcts revealed that they were very similar to the lesions of deep pectoral myopathy.