A standard scoring system for turkeys at slaughter that consists of 5 categories based on the size of the lesion was adopted as the recommended classification scheme for FPD in slaughter plants at a meeting of the WPSA European Poultry Federation Working Party Number 10: Turkeys. Each score of the classification scheme is defined and photographs of a minimal lesion in each category are presented. The numbers of turkeys required for scoring to determine the prevalence of FPD, if the target or expected frequency is 10, 20 or 40% respectively are 150, 250 and 400 birds. Assessment of the consecutive right foot for the required number of birds from the middle load of a specific flock with a minimum of 3 flocks from a given site is recommended. The classification scheme will facilitate comparisons across countries and systems of production and allow rational decisions to be made regarding management changes to decrease the prevalence of FPD in Europe.
