Statistical distribution functions for bone strength of leghorn layers

Shear strength tests were conducted on tibia, humerus, and radius bones from white leghorn layers to establish the type of statistical distribution function that best fits poultry bone strength data. The results indicated that a three-parameter Weibull distribution best described the maximum shear force and stress of the tibia and a shifted log-normal distribution best described the maximum shear stress of the radius. None of the chosen distributions (normal, log-normal, Weibull, and gamma) fit the data for the maximum shear force of the radius or humerus. Because of the nonnormal nature of the distribution of poultry bone strength, nonparameter statistics should be used to analyze the data.