Using infrared thermography for evaluating BCO lameness

Lame broilers had more severe BCO lesions in the proximal femora and tibiae and lower IRT surface temperatures of the hock, shank and footleg regions. Photo: Studio Kastermans

Lameness has been reported to affect up to 1% of all market weight broilers and bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a leading cause. A study at the university of Arkansas used infrared thermography to detect localised areas of increased heat production due to inflammation. Broilers can become lame from non-infectious and infectious origins. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection of the growth plates in the leg bones, leading to necrosis and event