Unilateral tibio-tarsal rotation in a 14-month old ostrich hen destined for slaughter

Abstract

The authors would like to report an unusual incidence of severe tibio-tarsal rotation in a 14-month old ostrich hen designed for slaughter and housed on an ostrich farm in Poland (51º43´N, 15º33´E, October 2007). The ambient indoor and exterior temperature from 0600-1800 was recorded at 2-hr intervals as 20.40 (mean) ± 0.12 (SEM) and 14.98 ± 1.35ºC, respectively. The exterior relative humidity recorded likewise was 50.00 ± 0.67%. The pathology expressed itself in the left limb with an outward angle of rotation in the foot of 92º (Figures 1-3). The perpendicular height of the hen, and length of the right femur, tibia, metatarsals, toe and claw lengths were 120 vs. 140, 59 vs. 56, 36 vs. 42, 10 vs. 5.5, 6 vs. 11 and 3 vs. 4.5 cm, respectively by comparison with an age-matched normal hen.