Farm Animal Welfare

Poultry Litter Quality and Footpad Health

Litter quality in poultry houses directly affects footpad dermatitis rates and overall broiler welfare throughout the growing cycle.

Key Facts

Wet, caking litter causes footpad dermatitis affecting up to 70% of birds in poor conditions
Footpad lesions cause chronic pain and affect walking ability and behavior
Ventilation management is critical to maintaining litter moisture at safe levels
Litter composition, stocking density, and drinker management all influence litter quality
Footpad dermatitis scoring is now used as a welfare indicator at slaughter in many countries

Welfare Considerations

Footpad dermatitis is a pervasive and painful welfare problem in commercial poultry that is directly preventable through litter management. Linking slaughter scoring to on-farm management creates accountability for this welfare indicator.

What You Can Do

Support poultry producers with certified litter quality and footpad welfare programs
Advocate for mandatory footpad scoring at slaughter with farm-level feedback
Choose poultry products from welfare-certified supply chains monitoring litter quality