The quality of litter management in poultry houses has direct and measurable effects on bird welfare. Wet litter causes painful hock burns, respiratory distress, and increased ammonia exposure in billions of birds annually.
Litter quality is a fundamental but often overlooked welfare determinant in poultry production. The welfare harms from wet litter — hock burns, eye damage, respiratory problems — are largely preventable through management practices that are within existing industry capability. The economic incentive structure in broiler production has historically prioritized throughput over litter quality. Corporate welfare commitments and regulatory pressure have created real momentum for change in this area.