Leg and skeletal problems
From Poultry Hub
Leg and skeletal problems are a very important area especially from welfare points of view and are common in some breeds of broilers. Issues include rickets, TD, spondylolisthesis, slipped tendons, tibial rotation and femoral head necrosis.
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Slipped tendon
slipped tendon or Perosis is a metabolic disease causing deforming leg weakness in chickens, ducks and turkeys. It is seen in young poultry, usually those under six weeks of age, and results in flattening and enlargement of the hocks and the slippage of the Achilles tendon at the hock causing the foot and shank to extend laterally from the body. In turkeys it may be an inherited deficiency of galactosamine. Perosis appears in only one leg of each affected chick. It is a completely different problem than when both legs are damaged, as in "spraddle legs." Spraddle leg is commonly caused by injuries that a chick receives when other chicks pile upon it or when the chick is placed on slick flooring soon after hatching.
What causes perosis?
Perosis is caused by a deficiency of a number of trace nutrients, primarily manganese and choline, but zinc, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid and niacin may also be involved.
Prevention and treatment of perosis
It is important to provide starter and grower diets that are formulated to contain adequate amounts of all trace minerals and vitamins, especially manganese and choline. Water containing vitamin supplements will ensure that perosis does not develop in young chicks. Most perosis-affected flocks will respond to supplementation with manganese.
Further information
- Poultry Health Handbook 4th Ed, 1994. L. D. Schwartz, Pennsylvania State University.
See also
- Skeletal system
- List of avian diseases
- References
- Types of disease
- Feed formulation
- Feed ingredients
