Wet, poor-quality litter in broiler sheds causes footpad dermatitis in chickens, a painful condition affecting a significant proportion of commercial flocks.
Footpad dermatitis is a painful, preventable welfare problem that serves as a sensitive indicator of litter management quality. Birds with severe FPD show reduced movement, altered gait and signs of pain that affect feeding and social behaviour. The condition is preventable through good ventilation, appropriate stocking density, dry litter management and proper drinker management to prevent spillage. Slaughterhouse-based FPD scoring provides welfare feedback to farms and is used in some countries to incentivise better management. Consumers and retailers who demand low FPD rates in their supply chains create powerful incentives for improvement.