Respiratory Disease in Poultry and Welfare

Respiratory disease is a major welfare and economic problem in commercial poultry production.

Key Facts

Infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, and Mycoplasma are leading poultry respiratory pathogens
Ammonia from poorly managed litter causes chronic respiratory irritation in broilers and layers
High stocking densities increase pathogen transmission and respiratory disease prevalence
Vaccination programs have dramatically reduced some respiratory diseases but not eliminated them
Respiratory disease causes reduced growth, increased mortality, and significant suffering

Welfare Considerations

Respiratory disease in commercial poultry causes suffering at enormous scale. Ammonia-induced respiratory irritation is near-universal at high stocking densities — it causes chronic inflammation of the airways and eye damage. Infectious respiratory diseases cause acute fever, dyspnoea, and death. The management of ventilation, litter quality, and stocking density to control ammonia exposure is fundamental to welfare. Vaccination compliance for key pathogens prevents acute welfare emergencies but does not address chronic ammonia exposure.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards requiring ammonia monitoring and maximum exposure limits in poultry housing
Choose poultry products from producers with documented respiratory health monitoring
Advocate for stocking density limits that reduce ammonia accumulation
Learn about respiratory disease as a welfare indicator in commercial poultry
Support enforcement of ventilation and litter management requirements