Litter quality in poultry houses directly affects broiler and layer hen welfare. Poor litter causes foot pad dermatitis, hock burns, and respiratory disease. Good management is achievable.
Poultry litter management is one of the most impactful welfare interventions available in broiler production because FPD and hock burns cause widespread chronic pain at low management cost to prevent. The connection between litter moisture, foot lesions, and welfare is scientifically clear: wet litter causes tissue breakdown that begins as surface irritation and progresses to painful open lesions affecting movement. Good ventilation, functional drinker management, and appropriate litter material are technically straightforward and cost-neutral in well-run facilities. The EU use of FPD and hock burn scores as welfare indicators and density adjustment triggers creates a policy framework that links measurable welfare outcomes to management decisions. Extending this model globally would prevent enormous amounts of preventable pain.