Effect of incubation temperatures and chick transportation conditions on bone development and leg health
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Bone development can be adversely affected by stressful environmental conditions early in life. One experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of low temperature during early incubation, high temperature during late incubation, and transportation conditions from hatchery to the farm on the long bone development and leg health of broilers. Bone development was evaluated at hatch before transportation. Gait scores and leg health disorders were recorded at 41 d of age. Although incubation conditions did not affect chick BW, hot temperatures during late incubation reduced the relative weight of femurs and shanks. At 41 d, males had more leg problems than females. Late high temperature and transportation stress increased the incidence of crooked toes and the percentage of chickens with a gait score of 2. Transportation stress, including elevated temperature, caused a greater incidence of twisted legs. We concluded that low early incubation temperature, high late incubation temperature, and transportation stress can increase the incidence of leg problems in commercial broilers. 2009 Poultry Science Association, Inc.
