An assessment of the efficacy of the Lixiscope for the detection of tibial dyschondroplasia.
The efficacy of Lixiscope examination in detecting tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is assessed utilising a thorough post-mortem examination with good histological backup. Forty-seven per cent more broilers had TD at post-mortem examination than when examined solely by Lixiscope. TD lesions detected by Lixiscope examination had a mean score greater than 3. The additional lesions detected at post-mortem examination usually had a score of 1. This indicates that the Lixiscope examination failed to detect small lesions. The prevalence of dyschondroplastic lesions in the proximal tarsometatarsi indicates that this site may be of value to score in addition to the proximal tibiotarsus and use in selection. Disruption of the proliferative zone within some dyschondroplastic growth plates indicated that in a proportion of broilers there is a link between TD and rickets. The Lixiscope is an effective tool for detecting large TD lesions, but fails to detect smaller lesions. To minimize the susceptibility of genetic lines of broilers to TD it may be necessary to use progeny testing.
Thorp
B H
BH
Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
Dick
L
L
Jefferies
D
D
Houston
B
B
Wilson
J
J