Traumatic skin lesions in commercial broiler breeder hens: prevalence and development during the production period

Key Points

• This research aims to assess the prevalence and development of traumatic skin lesions in broiler breeder hens throughout their production period.
• Assess prevalence of skin injuries across different farms with equal stocking density.
• Monitor injuries during the production period, focusing on the first half and end of lay.
• Compare injury rates in flocks with and without toe-clipped males.
• The highest incidence of injuries occurred in the first half of the production period.
• Flocks with toe-clipped males exhibited numerically fewer injuries.
• Egg production was suppressed in 55% of hens with unhealed injuries.