Assessment of pain associated with degenerative hip disorders in adult male turkeys.
The extent to which degenerative hip disorders in adult male turkeys result in pain was investigated in a two-period crossover experiment. The birds in six pens received daily injections of an anti-inflammatory steroid (betamethasone) during week 1 and control injections of physiological saline in week 3. The turkeys in the other six pens received saline in week 1 and steroid in week 3. Behavioural observations of the birds during weeks 1 and 3 revealed that the steroid treatment resulted in more spontaneous activity. The steroid-treated birds also showed speedier movement in a sexual activity test in weeks 1 and 3. Post mortem examination revealed that all the turkeys were suffering from degenerative hip disorders. It is concluded that degenerative hip disorders in adult male turkeys result in a state of chronic pain which inhibits spontaneous activity and sexual activity.
Duncan
I J
IJ
Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research, Roslin, Midlothian.
Beatty
E R
ER
Hocking
P M
PM
Duff
S R
SR
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000145:classification; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006621:Hip Joint; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014422:Turkeys
D001623:Betamethasone