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Life cycle changes in bone mineralization and bone size traits of commercial broilers
P N Talaty1, M N Katanbaf, P Y Hester
1Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Poultry Science
|April 11, 2009
Summary
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) revealed that broiler tibial bone mineral content increased with age, especially in males, while bone mineral density peaked at 4 weeks. Broiler bone size traits also increased with age.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Biotechnology
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Skeletal integrity is crucial for broiler performance and welfare.
- Understanding bone development in broilers is essential for optimizing nutrition and management.
- Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) offers a non-invasive method for assessing bone traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate life cycle changes in bone mineralization and size traits of broiler tibias and humerus.
- To compare bone traits across different commercial broiler strains.
- To assess the utility of DEXA for improving skeletal integrity in broilers.
Main Methods:
- Commercial male and female broilers were scanned weekly using DEXA from 2 to 7 weeks of age (Experiment 1).
- Four commercial broiler strains were compared from 4 to 8 weeks of age (Experiment 2).
- Bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), bone length, width, and area were determined and analyzed with body weight as a covariate.
Main Results:
- Bone mineral density (BMD) peaked at 4 weeks of age.
- Tibial bone mineral content (BMC) increased with age, particularly in males, while humeral BMC remained stable.
- Bone length, width, and area increased with age, with the tibia growing faster in length than the humerus. No significant differences in BMD were observed among the four broiler strains.
- Coefficients of variation for BMD ranged from 15-16%, suggesting DEXA's potential for selection.
Conclusions:
- The broiler tibia continues to grow in size and bone mineral content post-growth spurt, but bone mineral density plateaus after 4 weeks.
- All commercial broiler strains exhibited similar responses in bone traits to age, sex, and bone type.
- DEXA is a viable tool for selection to enhance skeletal integrity in broiler chickens.
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