Poultry litter quality has direct welfare impacts on the billions of chickens and turkeys raised annually. Poor litter conditions cause painful foot pad dermatitis, hock burns, and respiratory disease.
Poultry litter management is one of the most tractable welfare improvements available in broiler chicken and turkey production. Foot pad dermatitis — the primary welfare indicator linked to litter quality — is both measurable and preventable. Wet litter causes contact dermatitis that progresses from superficial discoloration to deep ulceration that impairs walking, causes chronic pain, and predisposes birds to secondary infection. The solution is well understood: controlling water leakage from drinkers, maintaining adequate ventilation, managing stocking density, and providing appropriate litter depth. These are management decisions within the control of producers. Slaughter-line FPD monitoring — mandatory in the EU — creates a feedback mechanism that identifies farms with chronic litter management problems and triggers intervention. Extending this monitoring requirement globally would improve welfare for billions of birds.