Ammonia from poultry litter causes respiratory irritation, eye damage, and chronic welfare compromise in commercial poultry houses. Reducing ammonia levels is a tractable and high-impact welfare improvement.
Ammonia exposure is a chronic, invisible welfare harm in many commercial poultry houses. Birds cannot escape the irritating gas that damages their mucous membranes, eyes, and respiratory tracts over their entire growing period. Footpad dermatitis — painful burns caused by wet, high-ammonia litter — is a major welfare indicator measured at slaughter. The prevalence of footpad dermatitis across entire flocks reflects the ammonia and moisture conditions birds experienced on farm. Reducing ammonia through better litter management, ventilation investment, and stocking density reduction is achievable and significantly improves the welfare experience of billions of birds annually.