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Table 3 Overview of gross lesions in broiler breeders from Farms A, B and C

From: Longitudinal study on background lesions in broiler breeder flocks and their progeny, and genomic characterisation of Escherichia coli

 

Farm A

(n = 140)

Farm B

(n = 96)

Farm C

(n = 104)

Total

(n = 340)

27–34 weeks

(n = 63)

45–60 weeks

(n = 77)

Total

27–34 weeks

(n = 43)

45–60 weeks

(n = 53)

Total

27–34 weeks

(n = 46)

45–60 weeks

(n = 58)

Total

27–34 weeks

(n = 152)

45–60 weeks

(n = 188)

Total

General

 Euthanised

34 (54%)

52 (67.5%)

86 (61.4%)

23 (53.5%)

21 (39.6%)

44 (45.8%)

10 (21.7%)

21 (36.2%)

31 (29.8%)

67 (44.1%)

94 (50%)

161 (47.4%)

 BW (kg)

3.3 ± 0.5

3.3 ± 0.8

3.3 ± 0.6

3.0 ± 0.6

3.2 ± 0.8

3.1 ± 0.7

2.8 ± 0.6

3.4 ± 0.8

3.1 ± 0.8

3.1 ± 0.6

3.3 ± 0.8

3.2 ± 0.7

 No. of males

0 (0%)

4 (5.2%)

4 (2.9%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

3 (6.5%)

3 (5.2%)

6 (5.8%)

3 (2%)

7 (3.7%)

10 (2.9%)

 Dehydration

19 (30.2%)

24 (31.2%)

43 (30.7%)

9 (20.9%)

27 (50.9%)

36 (37.5%)

15 (32.6%)

25 (43.1%)

40 (35.5%)

43 (28.3%)

76 (40.4%)

119 (35%)

 Emaciation

2 (3.2%)

3 (3.9%)

5 (3.6%)

2 (4.7%)

5 (9.4%)

7 (7.3%)

7 (15.2%)

2 (3.4%)

9 (8.7%)

11 (7.2%)

10 (5.3%)

21 (6.2%)

Skin, subcutis and foot pads

 Laceration (mating injuries)a

17 (27%)

19 (25.7%)

36 (25.7%)

10 (23.3%)

3 (5.7%)

13 (13.5%)

2 (4.3%)

2 (3.4%)

4 (3.8%)

29 (19.1%)

24 (12.8%)

53 (15.6%)

 Bumblefootb

1 (1.6%)

3 (3.9%)

4 (2.9%)

0 (0%)

2 (3.8%)

2 (2.1%)

1 (2.2%)

0 (0%)

1 (1%)

2 (1.3%)

5 (2.7%)

7 (2.1%)

 Pododermatitisc

40 (63.5%)

23 (29.9%)

63 (45%)

13 (30.2%)

17 (32.1%)

30 (31.3%)

22 (47.8%)

36 (62.1%)

58 (55.8%)

75 (49.3%)

76 (40.4%)

151 (44.4%)

 Bursitis presternalis

8 (12.7%)

8 (10.4%)

16 (11.4%)

15 (34.9%)

14 (26.4%)

29 (30.2%)

6 (13%)

14 (24.1%)

20 (19.2%)

29 (19.1%)

36 (19.1%)

65 (19.1%)

Skeletal system and joints

 Fracture (long bones)

1 (1.6%)

4 (5.2%)

5 (3.1%)

0 (0%)

4 (7.5%)

4 (4.2%)

0 (0%)

2 (3.4%)

2 (1.9%)

1 (0.7%)

10 (5.3%)

11 (3.2%)

 Arthritisd

2 (3.2%)

6 (7.8%)

8 (5.7%)

3 (7%)

7 (13.2%)

10 (10.4%)

8 (17.4%)

2 (3.4%)

10 (9.6%)

13 (8.5%)

15 (8%)

28 (8.2%)

 Sternal fracture(s)

  Total

2 (3.2%)

25 (32.5%)

27 (19.3%)

4 (9.3%)

31 (58.5%)

35 (36.5%)

2 (4.3%)

29 (50%)

31 (29.8%)

8 (5.3%)

85 (45.2%)

93 (27.4%)

  0

61 (96.8%)

52 (67.5%)

113 (80.7%)

38 (88.4%)

22 (41.5%)

60 (62.5%)

45 (97.8%)

28 (48.3%)

73 (70.2%)

144 (94.7%)

102 (54.3%)

246 (72.4%)

  1

2 (3.8%)

15 (19.5%)

17 (12.1%)

4 (9.3%)

19 (35.8%)

23 (24%)

2 (4.3%)

18 (31%)

20 (19.2%)

8 (5.3%)

52 (27.7%)

60 (17.6%)

  2

0 (0%)

6 (7.8%)

6 (4.3%)

0 (0%)

4 (7.5%)

4 (4.2%)

0 (0%)

7 (12.1%)

7 (6.7%)

0 (0%)

17 (9%)

17 (5%)

  3

0 (0%)

3 (3.9%)

3 (2.1%)

0 (0%)

6 (11.3%)

6 (6.3%)

0 (0%)

3 (5.2%)

3 (2.9%)

0 (0%)

12 (6.4%)

12 (3.5%)

  > 4

0 (0%)

1 (1.3%)

1 (0.7%)

0 (0%)

2 (3.8%)

2 (2.1%)

0 (0%)

1 (1.7%)

1 (1%)

0 (0%)

4 (2.1%)

4 (1.2%)

Respiratory system

 Tracheal changese

21 (33.3%)

18 (23.4%)

39 (27.9%)

11 (25.6%)

9 (17%)

20 (20.8%)

22 (47.9%)

23 (39.7%)

45 (43.3%)

54 (35.5%)

50 (26.6%)

104 (30.6%)

 Pulmonary changesf

25 (39.7%)

27 (35.1%)

52 (37.1%)

16 (37.2%)

18 (34%)

34 (35.4%)

21 (45.7%)

22 (37.9%)

43 (41.3%)

62 (40.8%)

67 (35.6%)

129 (38%)

 Airsacculitisg

14 (22.2%)

14 (18.2%)

28 (20%)

6 (14%)

4 (7.5%)

10 (10.4%)

12 (26.1%)

13 (22.4%)

25 (24%)

32 (21.1%)

31 (16.5%)

63 (18.5%)

Coelomic cavity

 Pericarditish

6 (9.5%)

3 (3.9%)

9 (6.4%)

1 (2.3%)

2 (3.8%)

3 (3.1%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

7 (4.6%)

5 (2.7%)

12 (3.5%)

 Perihepatitish

6 (9.5%)

3 (3.9%)

9 (6.4%)

3 (7%)

1 (1.9%)

4 (4.2%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

9 (5.9%)

4 (2.1%)

13 (3.8%)

 Fatty liver

15 (23.8%)

9 (11.7%)

24 (17.1%)

5 (11.6%)

5 (9.4%)

10 (10.4%)

0 (0%)

5 (8.6%)

5 (4.8%)

20 (13.2%)

19 (10.1%)

39 (11.5%)

 Hepatic rupture

2 (3.2%)

2 (2.6%)

4 (2.9%)

0 (0%)

3 (5.7%)

3 (3.1%)

1 (2.2%)

5 (8.6%)

6 (5.8%)

3 (2%)

10 (5.3%)

13 (3.8%)

 Peritonitish

23 (36.5%)

28 (36.4%)

51 (36.4%)

10 (23.3%)

15 (28.3%)

25 (26%)

11 (23.9%)

19 (32.8%)

30 (28.8%)

44 (28.4%)

62 (33%)

106 (31.2%)

 Renal changesi

17 (27%)

24 (31.2%)

41 (29.3%)

11 (25.6%)

19 (35.8%)

30 (31.3%)

27 (58.7%)

23 (39.7%)

50 (48.1%)

55 (36.2%)

66 (35.1%)

121 (35.6%)

Reproductive system

 In layj

39 (61.9%)

20 (27.4%)

59 (43.4%)

16 (37.2%)

21 (39.6%)

37 (38.5%)

12 (27.9%)

27 (49.1%)

39 (39.8%)

67 (44.1%)

68 (36.2%)

135 (40.9%)

 Egg bound

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

2 (3.8%)

2 (2.1%)

3 (7%)

1 (1.8%)

4 (4.1%)

3 (2%)

3 (1.6%)

6 (1.8%)

 Perioophoritish

8 (12.7%)

17 (23.3%)

25 (18.4%)

4 (9.3%)

12 (22.6%)

16 (16.7%)

5 (11.6%)

10 (18.2%)

15 (15.3%)

17 (11.9%)

39 (20.7%)

56 (17%)

 Ovarian regressionk

14 (22.2%)

28 (38.4%)

42 (30.9%)

15 (34.9%)

21 (39.6%)

36 (37.5%)

20 (46.5%)

28 (50.9%)

48 (49%)

49 (32.2%)

77 (41%)

126 (38.2%)

 Salpingitisl

14 (22.2%)

10 (13.7%)

24 (17.6%)

8 (18.6%)

10 (18.9%)

18 (18.8%)

5 (11.6%)

9 (16.4%)

14 (14.3%)

27 (17.8%)

29 (15.4%)

56 (17%)

 Regressed salpinxm

6 (9.5%)

16 (21.9%)

22 (16.2%)

7 (16.3%)

18 (34%)

25 (26%)

15 (34.9%)

20 (36.4%)

35 (35.7%)

28 (18.4%)

54 (28.7%)

82 (24.8%)

 Cystic right oviduct/reminiscence

9 (14.3%)

14 (19.2%)

23 (16.9%)

8 (18.6%)

17 (32.1%)

25 (26%)

0 (0%)

6 (10.9%)

6 (6.1%)

17 (11.2%)

37 (19.7%)

54 (16.4%)

Miscellaneous

 Cannibalism

4 (6.3%)

3 (3.9%)

7 (5%)

0 (0%)

1 (1.9%)

1 (1%)

1 (2.2%)

0 (0%)

1 (1%)

5 (3.3%)

4 (2.1%)

9 (2.6%)

 Neoplasia

1 (1.6%)

0 (0%)

1 (0.7%)

0 (0%)

3 (5.7%)

3 (3.1%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

1 (0.7%)

3 (1.6%)

4 (1.2%)

  1. Continuous data is presented with mean ± standard deviation
  2. BW, bodyweight; n, number
  3. aCaudolaterodorsally located lacerations involving skin and muscle often associated with substantial tissue necrosis, “pocket formation” and fibrinopurulent cellulitis
  4. bPododermatitis with profound swelling due to purulent material and/or fibrosis
  5. cFootpad lesions consisting of discoloration, hyperkeratosis and/or ulceration
  6. dExudate present within any of the major joints
  7. ePresence of hyperaemia, haemorrhage, exudate, or excessive amounts of mucus with a turbid appearance
  8. fOedema, consolidation and/or exudate
  9. gPresence of fibrinous, purulent or fibrinopurulent exudate and/or thickening and opaqueness of the air sac
  10. hPresence of fibrinous, purulent or fibrinopurulent exudate or fibrotic repair
  11. iIncreased tubular pattern, urate deposition in ureters and/or swelling of the kidneys
  12. jIn lay defined as hens having a developing- or fully developed egg present within the salpinx
  13. kComplete absence of mature follicles or presence of atretic follicles indicating an early state of regression
  14. lPresence of fibrinous, purulent, fibrinopurulent or mucopurulent exudate
  15. mPale salpinx containing no developing egg and being less than half the expected size
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Veterinary Research

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