Farmed Animals

Broiler Litter Quality and Foot Health

Litter quality in broiler sheds directly affects foot pad dermatitis prevalence, with significant welfare and food safety implications.

Key Facts

Foot pad dermatitis affects 50-90% of broiler flocks in poorly managed sheds
Foot pad lesions are painful and impair mobility, affecting access to feed and water
Litter quality is primarily determined by stocking density, ventilation, and moisture control
Surveillance systems scoring foot pad lesions at slaughter provide welfare monitoring data

Welfare Considerations

Foot pad dermatitis ranges from mild surface lesions to deep ulcerative lesions reaching the bone. Severe lesions cause significant pain affecting gait and behavior. The condition is essentially preventable through good litter management, making high prevalence rates an avoidable welfare failure.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken from producers with documented low foot pad dermatitis scores
Support slaughterhouse surveillance programs that monitor foot pad health
Advocate for mandatory publication of foot pad dermatitis scores by producers
Ask chicken brands what steps they take to maintain litter quality