Skeletal disorders in broiler chickens are one of the most common health problems in intensive production systems and significantly affect both animal welfare and economic efficiency. This thesis provides an overview of the anatomical features of the poultry skeleton and the effects of selection for rapid growth on leg biomechanics. The multifactorial aetiology of the most common diseases - tibial dyschondroplasia, rickets, valgus varus deformities, spondylopathies and bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) - is presented, in which genetic predisposition and growth dynamics interact with nutritional factors (ratio of calcium to available phosphorus, vitamin D, trace elements, protein and energy content) and environmental influences (stocking density, lighting, heat stress, litter quality, biosecurity). Clinical consequences include lameness, pain, reduced mobility and increased mortality, all of which contribute to economic losses. Analysis of preventive and therapeutic approaches shows that the most effective strategy is an integrated programme of measures: inclusion of leg health indicators in selection indices or the use of slower growing lines, control of early growth and promotion of locomotor activity, precisely formulated feeds with enzymatic and microbiotic additives and strict biosecurity from the hatchery onwards. For infectious diseases, especially BCO and enterococcal spondylitis, antimicrobial therapy is more effective in the acute stage, while chronic lesions must primarily be treated preventively. A comprehensive framework that takes into account genetics, nutrition and husbandry practises has been shown to reduce the prevalence of skeletal disorders, improve broiler welfare and increase both sustainability and production efficiency.
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