Lameness
Broiler growth rates have increased dramatically due to intense genetic selection and enhanced nutritional programs. Fast growth places great demands on birds’ musculoskeletal systems, which can result in impaired locomotion and lameness.
Lameness reduces animal well-being and has severe economic consequences from poor growth, increased culling and mortality carcasses condemnation and downgrading at slaughter.
Lameness is often a multifactorial condition. Understanding the various causes can help producers identify areas for improvement and develop effective strategies to reduce the incidence of lameness. Conditions responsible for lameness can be of infectious or non-infectious origin. It is important to identify and understand these risk factors in order to develop a prevention or mitigation strategy to reduce incidence of lameness in poultry flocks. This table focuses on lameness conditions and suggests solutions that can help mitigate the damage caused by these conditions.
Mycotoxins
Potential cause | Checklist | Corrective action |
---|---|---|
Deoxynivalenol (DON)Histopathology; translocation of bacteria from the intestine due to disruption of the tight junctions to the femoral head, where ongoing pressure of growth results in micro fractures and eventually degeneration of the joint. Reduced growth; Increased culling at out loading of damaged birds; Increased further processing due to the poor quality of the femur head. |
|
|
Nutrition
Potential cause | Checklist | Corrective action |
---|---|---|
RICKETSVitamin D3 deficiency, Ca/P imbalance Enlargement of the ends of tibia and femur, with widened. | Check the feed composition. | Feed vitamin D3 with balanced calcium and phosphorus. |
IONOPHORE TOXICITYPotential cause: Monensin Legs extended backward | Mix feed properly. | Withdraw the ionophore. |
OSTEOPOROSIS/CAGE LAYER FATIGUEImpaired calcium flux in laying hens
| Check the feed composition. |
|
PODODERMATITIS/FOOTPAD DERMATITIS/FOOT BURN/AMMONIA BURNBiotin deficiency, poor quality litter
| Check the feed composition |
|
TIBIAL DYSCHONDROPLASIA/ | Check the feed composition. |
|
PEROSIS/CHONDRODYSTROPHYManganese deficiency
| Check the feed composition. |
|
Pathogen - Bacterial
Potential cause | Checklist | Corrective action |
---|---|---|
Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO)Enterococcus cecorum, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp, E. coli
|
| |
Vertebral Osteomyelitis / Spondylitis / |
| |
Bumble Foot - Staphylococcus spp.
|
| |
Fowl Cholera - Pasteurella multocida
|
| |
Bacterial arthritis/Airsacculitis (MS)Enterococcus faecalis, Mycoplasma synoviae
|
| |
Osteomyelitis ComplexBacterial, but no specific pathogen has been identified. Green discoloration of liver, inflammatory lesions in bones and joints. | Only identified at slaughter. | Improve gut integrity by feeding multi-strain poultry-specific live probiotic. |
Pathogen - Viral
Potential cause | Corrective action |
---|---|
Tenosynovitis/Viral arthritisAvian reovirus
|
|
Amyloidosis - Corona virus
|
|
Infectious bronchitis (IB)/Infectious laryngo tracheitis (ILT)
|
|
Marek’s disease
|
|
Avian encephalomyelitis (AE)
|
|
Newcastle disease
|
|
Others - Management
Potential cause | Checklist | Corrective action |
---|---|---|
Tibial dyschondroplasia
|
|
|
Twisted leg
|
| |
Pododermatitis
| Check biotin in the feed. |
|
Degenerative joint disease
|
|