Post-mortem examination of fast-growing broilers with different degrees of identifiable gait defects

TY - JOUR

T1 - Post-mortem examination of fast-growing broilers with different degrees of identifiable gait defects

AU - Riber, Anja Brinch

AU - Herskin, Mette S

AU - Foldager, Leslie

AU - Sandercock, Dale A.

AU - Murrell, Jo

AU - Tahamtani, Faye

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - BackgroundThe walking ability of many broilers is characterised by slight or definite defects categorised as gait scores (GS) 1 and 2. The present study aimed to examine potential relationships between GSs and indicators of body morphology, leg pathology, tibia strength and wooden breast in Ross 308 broilers assessed as GS ≤ 2.MethodsAt 38 days of age, GS and live body weight of 179 birds was recorded. Each bird was examined post-mortem for signs of wooden breast, contact dermatitis and a range of leg pathologies. Weights of different body parts and tibia strength were quantified.ResultsWithin sex, GS increased with increasing live body weight (p = 0.020). There was a tendency for an effect of GS on prevalence of footpad dermatitis (p = 0.086) and dislocated femoral joint cartilage (p = 0.059) where both pathologies increased in frequency with increasing GS. Greater load was required to fracture tibia from GS2 than GS0 birds (p = 0.040).ConclusionsWithin this relatively small data set, no strong relationships between GS ≤ 2 and indicators of body morphology, leg pathology, tibia strength and wooden breast in Ross 308 broilers were found, except for the live terminal body weight. Further studies, involving larger data sets are required for full clarification.

AB - BackgroundThe walking ability of many broilers is characterised by slight or definite defects categorised as gait scores (GS) 1 and 2. The present study aimed to examine potential relationships between GSs and indicators of body morphology, leg pathology, tibia strength and wooden breast in Ross 308 broilers assessed as GS ≤ 2.MethodsAt 38 days of age, GS and live body weight of 179 birds was recorded. Each bird was examined post-mortem for signs of wooden breast, contact dermatitis and a range of leg pathologies. Weights of different body parts and tibia strength were quantified.ResultsWithin sex, GS increased with increasing live body weight (p = 0.020). There was a tendency for an effect of GS on prevalence of footpad dermatitis (p = 0.086) and dislocated femoral joint cartilage (p = 0.059) where both pathologies increased in frequency with increasing GS. Greater load was required to fracture tibia from GS2 than GS0 birds (p = 0.040).ConclusionsWithin this relatively small data set, no strong relationships between GS ≤ 2 and indicators of body morphology, leg pathology, tibia strength and wooden breast in Ross 308 broilers were found, except for the live terminal body weight. Further studies, involving larger data sets are required for full clarification.

KW - body composition

KW - broiler

KW - gait score

KW - leg pathology

KW - walking impairment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105956932&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/vetr.454

DO - 10.1002/vetr.454

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34008173

SN - 0042-4900

VL - 189

JO - Veterinary Record

JF - Veterinary Record

IS - 7

M1 - e454

ER -