SEVERE PODODERMATITIS IN BROILER BREEDER HENS HOUSED ON PRESSURE-TREATED SLATS

Severe foot-pad dermatitis was diagnosed in a case of broiler hens hou sed on slats made of lumber pressure-treated with chromated copper ars enate. Studies were conducted in an attempt to determine whether conta ct with the lumber caused the lesions. Breeder pullets were housed for 17 weeks on slats made from either untreated oak or pressure-treated lumber. Cresylic acid disinfectant was applied to one set of each slat type. Foot-pad lesions were scored and tissue arsenic levels were mea sured. Foot pads of the hens on pressure-treated slats were the only t issue with detectable arsenic levels. All groups developed foot-pad le sions, although the lesions appeared to be most severe, and to have de veloped earlier, in birds on pressure-treated disinfected slats.