The quality of bedding material in broiler chicken houses directly impacts the prevalence of footpad dermatitis, hock burns, and respiratory disease, yet litter management standards remain inconsistent globally.
Litter quality is a controllable welfare determinant that affects the majority of the world's chickens but receives insufficient regulatory attention. Painful footpad lesions develop progressively from standing on wet, ammonia-laden litter — a chronic, worsening condition that impairs movement and foraging throughout the production cycle. The fact that lesion severity at slaughter reflects management practices during the entire growth period makes footpad scoring a powerful accountability tool. Using footpad dermatitis prevalence as a welfare metric in supply chain requirements creates direct incentives for the management improvements that protect chicken welfare.