Leg disorders in poultry

Leg problems are of diverse nature in poultry production. Regardless of their etiology, they typically not only affect growth performance, but also bird health and welfare. In severe conditions, a good way to illustrate their impact on welfare is that affected birds cannot move properly and become unable to meet their basic needs for feed and water. Besides, leg problems are also associated with an increased incidence of slaughterhouse rejections due to more frequent breast blisters or cellulitis.

Nutritional origins

The optimal management of vitamin and mineral nutrition (e.g., vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus, trace elements) is often the first thing that comes to mind when discussing leg disorders. Maintaining intestinal health is a good preventive strategy to guarantee an efficient absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Interested in how applying a probiotic for microbiota management is a valuable tool to support optimal mineral use and strengthen bone health, which is instrumental to prevent leg disorders of non-pathogenic origin? Find more information in the paper by clicking on the button below. 

Infectious origins

Besides the suboptimal use of minerals, it must be noted that important emerging leg disorders have a non-nutritional origin. They are often related to infections of either the nervous system, the joints, or other soft tissues. Infections caused by Enterococcus cecorum fall into this category. This second category of leg disorders also highlights the decisive role bacterial homeostasis in the intestinal tract plays to maintain leg health. Consequently, Early microbiota management is a potential tool to prevent Enterococcus infections. Read more about Enterocuccus control on our dedicated blog.