Farm Animal Welfare

Poultry Litter Quality and Footpad Welfare

Litter quality directly affects footpad dermatitis in broilers. Managing moisture and ammonia is key to preventing painful foot lesions.

Key Facts

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) affects 40-70% of broilers in intensive indoor systems
FPD causes painful lesions on the feet ranging from mild reddening to deep ulceration
Wet litter from poor ventilation, overdrinking, or poor management drives FPD development
Monitoring programs using slaughterhouse FPD scoring provide farm-level feedback
Litter additives including acidifiers and zeolite reduce moisture and improve pad health

Welfare Considerations

Footpad dermatitis is one of the most prevalent welfare problems in commercial poultry production - painful foot lesions affecting the majority of birds in many systems. Yet prevention is largely achievable through litter management. The gap between what is technically possible and what is practiced reflects a need for better monitoring, incentives, and standards.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken certified by schemes requiring footpad dermatitis monitoring
Advocate for mandatory slaughterhouse FPD scoring with farm-level reporting
Support poultry welfare standards requiring maximum litter moisture levels
Reduce poultry consumption to decrease demand for intensive litter-system production