Ammonia from poultry litter damages the respiratory tract and eyes of broiler chickens, causing chronic welfare compromise that is preventable through management.
Chronic ammonia exposure causes ongoing irritation, pain, and respiratory disease in broiler chickens. Most commercial facilities have episodes of elevated ammonia particularly during wet weather. The welfare cost of ammonia exposure is distributed across entire flocks and sustained over weeks. Effective litter management and ventilation are essential but often inadequate.