The quality of litter — the bedding material on broiler house floors — directly determines the prevalence of painful contact dermatitis and hock burn. Litter management is a critical welfare lever.
Wet, ammonia-rich litter is a primary cause of contact dermatitis — painful chemical burns on the skin of feet and hocks that affect the majority of commercial broilers. Hock burn ranges from mild redness to open, infected wounds. Foot pad dermatitis causes lameness that impairs birds' ability to reach feed and water. The welfare cost is significant and chronic — affected birds are in pain throughout their time on poor litter. Litter quality is manageable through good ventilation, appropriate drinker systems, and stocking density control, making its poor management an avoidable welfare failure.