Clinical and anatomical differences in varus and valgus deformities of chick limbs suggest different aetio-pathogenesis.

Leg deformities were investigated in three flocks of broilers (n = 600, n = 817, n = 361). Two types of twisted legs were characterized: varus of the tarsal joint (1 to 3% of birds) and valgus of the tarsal joint (30 to 40% of birds) with mild, intermediate and severe valgus angulation. Varus angulation appeared suddenly, between 5 and 15 days of age, was unilateral in 80% of cases and affected mainly the right limb. Medial tendinous displacement was always present and led to severe locomotor handicap and, as a consequence, decreased 7-week body weights. In the right legs, a marked inward rotation of the femora, medial angulation of the tibiotarsi and metatarsi, and a shallow distal groove in the tibiotarsus were observed. By contrast, the load bearing limbs showed anteroposterior curvature of the tibiotarsus. Valgus angulation appeared progressively between 2 and 7 weeks of age and became severe in 5% of cases. This disorder was often bilateral. In 60% of birds affected with severe valgus, there was lateral displacement of the gastrocnemius tendon. Mild locomotor disturbance was observed in broilers with intermediate angulation, while severe valgus was associated with lameness, antero-posterior curvature of tibiotarsi and lateral deviations of metatarsi and in some birds a reduction in growth rate. Absence of other bone deformity in birds with mild and intermediate valgus suggests that valgus angulation does not originate from bone abnormalities. Clinical, epidemiological and anatomical differences between both types of angulations suggest that they may be of a different aetio-pathogenesis. Varus could originate from early displacement of the gastrocnemius tendon, which seemed secondary to leg deformation in birds affected with valgus angulation.