Keel bone fractures in Danish laying hens: Prevalence and risk factors.

ABSTRACT: Keel bone fractures (KBF) in commercial poultry production systems are a major welfare problem with possible economic consequences for the poultry industry. Recent investigations suggest that the overall situation may be worsening. Depending on the housing system, fracture prevalences exceeding 80% have been reported from different countries. No specific causes have yet been identified and this has consequently hampered risk factor identification. The objective of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of KBF in Danish layer hens and to identify risk factors in relation to KBF in all major productions systems, including parent stock production. For risk factor identification, production data from the included flocks was used. In total, 4794 birds from 40 flocks were investigat

SUBMITTER: Thofner ICN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8362975 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature