Improving bone health in broiler chickens: integrating population density, housing, and nutritional strategies for enhanced welfare and productivity
Muhammad Naeem
Abstract
Skeletal health is a vital factor in welfare, productivity, and sustainability in modern broiler production systems. Rapid genetic selection for high growth rates and breast muscle yield, combined with intensive housing and high population densities, has increased the occurrence of leg disorders such as tibial dyschondroplasia, angular deformities, and fractures. These issues affect movement, welfare, and production efficiency, requiring multifaceted interventions to preserve skeletal integrity. This review consolidates the current understanding of the physiological, nutritional, environmental, and genetic factors that impact bone health in broiler chickens. Nutritional strategies, including optimized levels of calcium, phosphorus, amino acids, trace minerals, vitamins, and functional feed additives, support endochondral ossification, collagen production, and the deposition of hydroxyapatite. Housing design, environmental enrichment, and flooring management encourage voluntary movement and mechanical loading, stimulating osteocyte-driven bone remodeling. Population density and stocking practices directly influence activity patterns, mechanical stimuli, and stress levels, while selective breeding programs that focus on skeletal strength, gait, and welfare traits improve tolerance to intensive production. Advances in precision livestock farming enable real-time monitoring of locomotion, gait, growth, and environmental conditions, helping with early detection of skeletal problems and targeted interventions. Combining nutrition, housing, enrichment, genetic selection, and precision monitoring offers effective ways to reduce leg issues, improve welfare, and enhance productivity. Future research should explore the pathways connecting stress, hormonal regulation, and bone remodeling, and develop nutrigenomic and functional feed solutions tailored to specific genetic lines. Implementing evidence-based, holistic strategies ensures sustainable, welfare-oriented, and profitable broiler production.