Problemas locomotores em frango de corte

Abstract

The broiler production main purpose is to maximize the weight of the broiler in a short time and at low cost. And for this the ambience parameters are fundamental, such as litter, which has the purpose to provide appropriate qualities so that the bird doesn’t develop locomotor problems such as foot pad dermatitis. The objective of this study was to identify the association between the environment and the existence of locomotor problems in broilers. The project was carried out in a commercial farm. The experiments were followed for two flocks of broiler, and conducted inside four houses. The first broiler flock was house A1, with positive pressure and re-used litter, and other house A2 had positive pressure and new litter type powder saw. The second flock was house A3 with positive pressure and a new litter type of rice husk, and house A4 had with negative pressure and re-used litter. The frequency of birds with each level of gait score was identified, and it was also observed visually the degree of injury with footpad dermatitis. Using the infrared thermal camera the injury inflammation was observed in a total of 30 broilers of 5, 12, 19, 29 and 40 days old. The conditions of the rearing environment as well as the litter characteristics were recorded. Data were analyzed in an attempt to find out the associations. The results showed that the effects of age interacted with the condition of avian to gait score, the house A3 indicated a higher incidence of foot pad dermatitis due the measure of grain size used as substrate and have improved the accuracy of the subclinical diagnosis of foot pad dermatitis in broilers using infrared thermography.