Footpad dermatitis — painful lesions on broiler feet — affects the majority of commercial broilers. It is a sensitive welfare indicator directly linked to litter quality management.
Footpad dermatitis is both a significant welfare problem and one of the clearest welfare indicators available for broiler systems. The lesions range from superficial discolouration to deep ulcers affecting underlying tissue — severe FPD causes pain, gait alteration, and reduced access to resources in competitive flock settings. Monitoring FPD at slaughter (through scoring foot pads on a standard scale) provides systematic welfare data that correlates strongly with management quality: high FPD prevalence indicates wet litter, poor ventilation, high stocking density, or disease problems. The EU's compulsory FPD monitoring scheme represents a significant advance in farm welfare assessment, creating a feedback loop between slaughter data and farm management that has driven genuine improvements. Further strengthening this system with consequences for persistent high-scoring farms would deliver additional welfare benefits.