Respiratory disease is among the most significant welfare and mortality causes in farmed poultry, driven by high stocking density, poor ventilation, and pathogen circulation in intensive housing systems.
Poultry respiratory welfare reflects the consequences of housing millions of birds at high density with inadequate air quality management. Ammonia from litter causes chronic eye and respiratory tract irritation that affects birds throughout their lives, not just during clinical disease outbreaks. Respiratory compromise affects activity, feeding, and behavioral welfare independently of its contribution to mortality. Better ventilation design, lower stocking density, and more frequent litter management reduce ammonia exposure and improve welfare outcomes. These interventions also improve production efficiency by reducing chronic respiratory stress — creating the economic alignment that drives voluntary adoption before regulatory requirements arrive.