Poultry litter quality directly affects the welfare of broilers and laying hens. Understanding litter science enables better management decisions and welfare outcomes.
Poultry litter quality is an underappreciated driver of broiler welfare with direct links to one of the most prevalent welfare problems: footpad dermatitis and contact dermatitis lesions. The pain of walking on damaged, ulcerated footpads affects how birds access feed and water, potentially compounding welfare problems. Litter management involves the interaction of stocking density, ventilation, water drinker design, feed quality and initial litter material. High stocking densities increase moisture deposition beyond ventilation capacity. Drinker spillage causes wet patches that concentrate bird contact. The most effective welfare intervention is often ventilation improvement combined with stocking density reduction, but these have production cost implications that create economic barriers to implementation. Footpad scoring at slaughter is a valuable welfare audit tool that links back to farm management.