The condition of litter in broiler sheds directly determines the prevalence of painful foot pad dermatitis in billions of chickens each year.
Foot pad dermatitis is one of the most widespread and preventable welfare conditions in commercial livestock farming. The fact that 70-80% of chickens may have some degree of foot lesions represents a staggering scale of chronic pain. The lesions are painful — birds with severe FPD show reduced movement and prioritise resting over feeding. Every factor that causes FPD is manageable: stocking density, ventilation, drinker placement and litter material. Mandatory FPD scoring at slaughter with consequences for farms with high rates — as required in EU law — creates a feedback loop that incentivises welfare improvement. Expanding these requirements globally would benefit billions of animals.