Macroscopic and histopathological alterations of foot pads of laying hens kept in small group housing systems and furnished cages

1. Foot pad health was determined macroscopically and histologically in two trials with Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL, white layer strain) and Lohmann Brown (LB) laying hens kept in a small group housing system (40 and 60 hens) and two types of furnished cages (10 and 20 hens). 2. A total of 864 foot pads (648 LSL and 216 LB) were examined macroscopically and classified according to severity of pathological alterations; of these, 180 metatarsal...