Ammonia from poultry litter causes eye and respiratory damage in birds. Managing air quality is both a welfare obligation and a regulatory requirement.
Ammonia-related welfare problems in poultry are entirely preventable through good ventilation and litter management. Yet many intensive facilities operate at concentrations causing chronic mucosal irritation, eye lesions and respiratory compromise. Birds in high-ammonia environments show suppressed immune function and increased susceptibility to disease, compounding welfare impacts. Regular ammonia monitoring using continuous sensors allows management intervention before welfare thresholds are breached. Regulatory inspection of air quality in poultry housing is inconsistent in many jurisdictions, leaving enforcement of welfare-relevant standards insufficient. Welfare audits should include ammonia measurement as a routine indicator.