Litter management in broiler houses directly affects foot and hock health, with poor litter quality causing painful contact dermatitis that affects millions of birds.
Litter quality management is a direct welfare intervention with measurable impact on millions of broiler chickens. Footpad dermatitis and hock burns cause pain that affects willingness to move, access to food and water, and overall quality of life. The mandatory footpad scoring system introduced in the EU creates accountability that identifies high-prevalence farms and triggers improvement. Extending mandatory footpad scoring requirements to more countries and species would enable welfare monitoring and accountability at a scale that currently doesn't exist.