Farm Animals

Poultry Litter Quality and Footpad Welfare

Overview of litter quality management in poultry housing and its impact on footpad dermatitis welfare.

Key Facts

Footpad dermatitis affects a large proportion of commercial broilers globally
Litter moisture is the primary determinant of footpad dermatitis severity
Ventilation management, stocking density, and feeding system affect litter quality
Footpad scoring is an established welfare monitoring tool used in EU legislation
Genetic selection for footpad robustness is advancing in some breeding programmes

Welfare Considerations

Footpad dermatitis is one of the most prevalent welfare conditions in commercial broiler farming, causing pain and reduced mobility. Litter quality management through ventilation, stocking density control, and appropriate bedding material are primary prevention tools. Footpad scoring at slaughter provides welfare monitoring data that can be linked back to farm management. Addressing litter quality is a high-impact intervention for broiler welfare.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare certification schemes that monitor footpad dermatitis rates
Advocate for footpad scoring to be used as a welfare performance indicator
Choose poultry products from farms demonstrating low footpad dermatitis prevalence