Farm Animals

Farmed Broiler Litter Management and Welfare

Litter quality in broiler houses directly affects foot health, breast burn, and overall welfare, making its management a key welfare priority.

Key Facts

Wet litter causes footpad dermatitis affecting a large proportion of birds in poor systems
Breast burn and hock burn are also caused by contact with wet, contaminated litter
Litter moisture is influenced by water provision, ventilation, and stocking density
Good litter management includes partial litter change and use of fresh substrate
Footpad dermatitis monitoring scores are used as welfare outcomes in EU regulation

Welfare Considerations

Poor litter quality causes painful skin burns and lesions in broilers that are in contact with the floor throughout their lives. Litter management is one of the most directly controllable welfare variables in broiler housing. Retailer and regulator pressure on footpad scores drives improvement.

What You Can Do

Support footpad dermatitis scoring as a welfare audit requirement
Advocate for retailers to monitor and publish supplier footpad scores
Choose chicken from welfare-certified producers with good footpad score records