Skeletal and tendon lesions of male broiler-breeders reared on elevated slats.
Eighty 25-week-old male broiler-breeder chickens were placed in pens with elevated slats for 16 weeks. A similar group of birds was housed on floor pens for comparison. The coxofemoral, stifle, and tibiotarsal joints and their supporting tendons and ligaments were examined grossly. Rearing heavy broiler-breeders on elevated slats did not result in grossly apparent arthritis, tendonitis, or tendon failure. Body weights and shank lengths and diameters were not markedly different. Microscopically, the broiler-breeders reared on slats had a lymphocytic synovitis with synovial cell hyperplasia involving the gastrocnemius and digital flexor tendons. The incidence and severity of the lesion increased with time.
Hill
J E
JE
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
Rowland
G N
GN
Glisson
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007596:Joints / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D008022:Ligaments / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013264:Stifle / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013640:Tarsal Joints / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D013977:Tibia