Toxicity and Hazard of Diazinon, Ethion, and Supracide to Turkeys1

The single acute oral and dermal doses of diazinon, ethion, and Supracide (O, O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate S-ester with 4-(mercaptomethyl)-2-methoxy-∆2-1,3,4-thiadiazolin-5-one) were determined for 8- and 18-week-old broadbreasted white turkeys. The hazard to turkeys of exposure to soils treated for control of chiggers was evaluated. Diazinon was the most toxic of the 3 compounds, being lethal for 18-week-old turkeys at 2 mg/kg orally and toxic at 5 mg/kg dermally. In spite of this rather high toxicity, the hazard provided by exposing the turkeys to soil treated with 16 Ib/acre (18 kg per hectare) of diazinon seemed minimal in that no birds were poisoned. Soil so treated contained, on each square foot, sufficient diazinon to kill 9 turkeys if administered orally or 4 if administered dermally in single doses. Applications of 64 Ib per acre (72 kg/hectare) of ethion or of Supracide failed to cause poisoning.