Diagnosing Broiler Leg Problems Contents Cutting Bones for Examination

The bird should be on its back with its feet toward the dissector. With the left hand holding the bird's right foot, cut away at the end of the proximal end of the tibia, pushing knife parallel to ground (coronal cut). The cut can also be made through the medial caudal areas of the tibia (sagittal cut). Young birds with phosphorus deficiency are often smaller than normal, have ruffled feathers and the bone is obviously soft and easy to cut. Bones of calcium deficient birds may also be soft and easy to cut. A bird with tibial dyschrondroplasia usually has well-mineralized bones that are harder to cut. A tibial dyschrondroplasia lesion in turkeys is more commonly located in the medial caudal area and requires the sagittal cut to detect the lesion.

Contents | Anatomy | Cutting Bones for Examination Show Me | Quiz Me | Glossary | Reference List Select A Language | About For info on this page contact Gene Pesti, gpesti@uga.edu, University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science Date Last Modified: 6/2/99