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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316153
Title: Poultry femoral head separation and necrosis: A review

Author
item PACKIALAKSHMI, BALA - University Of Arkansas
item Rath, Narayan
item Huff, William
item Huff, Geraldine

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2015
Publication Date: 9/1/2015
Citation: Packialakshmi, B., Rath, N.C., Huff, W.E., Huff, G.R. 2015. Poultry femoral head separation and necrosis: A review. Avian Diseases. 59:349-354.

Interpretive Summary: Meat-type poultry succumb to a leg problem namely femoral head separation where the thigh bone separates from hip resulting in infection, lameness and production loss. Intervening and reducing this problem will save poultry industry from economic loss. In this review we summarize some of the causes and mechanism of this problem.

Technical Abstract: Femoral head separation (FHS) is a degenerative skeletal problem in fast growing poultry where the growth plate of proximal femur separates from its articular cartilage. FHS can remain asymptomatic but under strenuous conditions the damage is pronounced leading to lameness. The etiology of FHS is poorly understood, likely associated with primary injury to epiphyseal tissue which affects tissue adhesion, induces focal cell death, and atrophic changes leading to the separation of two tissues. Fibrotic thickening of articular surface can also impair free movement of proximal epiphysis in the hip socket leading to FHS under strain. The damaged tissue may be vulnerable to infection and bacterial osteonecrosis. The major limitations to understand the pathophysiology of FHS is the lack of suitable experimental model and biomarkers to diagnose of the problem. In this review, we discuss the current progress in FHS research, its relation to the anatomical, physiological, and bio-mechanical features of chicken femoral head.