Intra-articular and para-articular defects in the pelvic limb and spine of adult male breeding turkeys.

A number of intra-articular and para-articular defects which occur in the pelvic limb joints of adult male turkeys have been illustrated and described. As in the fowl, the principal patterns of cartilage loss, namely peripheral remodelling and destructive cartilage loss, were identified in turkeys. In addition to cartilage thinning, peripheral remodelling can produce other morphological changes, some of which could be confused with destructive cartilage loss. In some instances, destructive cartilage loss may precede a reparative response which, once established, may be indistinguishable from peripheral remodelling. Defects at tendon or ligament attachments appear to result from traction and a number of pathological changes were observed at such sites. Findings in spinal articulations and distal tibiotarsi with destructive cartilage loss support the concept that regions of cell death and matrix change precede cleft formation which in turn precedes segmental detachment of uncalcified cartilage. Also, as in the fowl, lesions of articular osteochondrosis persist in the spinal articulations of adult birds.