Respiratory disease is a major welfare and productivity problem in commercial poultry. Housing design, ventilation, and litter management are the key welfare determinants for respiratory health in poultry flocks.
Respiratory health is a welfare issue that affects both the quality and duration of poultry life. Chronic exposure to ammonia from poorly managed litter causes burning irritation of the airways, eye damage from corneal burns, and predisposition to secondary infections. These are not abstract risks - they affect millions of birds in poorly ventilated, high-density housing systems. The welfare solution is straightforward in principle but requires management commitment: adequate ventilation, appropriate stocking density, effective litter management, and biosecurity to prevent introduction of respiratory pathogens. Housing systems designed for bird welfare achieve better respiratory outcomes than those optimized primarily for throughput.