Footpad dermatitis in poultry

Abstract

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is a condition that causes necrotic lesions on the plantar surface of the footpads in growing broilers and turkeys. This condition not only causes downgrades and condemnations of saleable chicken paws, the portion of the leg below the spur, but is also an animal welfare concern in both the United States and in Europe.. Revenue from chicken paws in 2008 alone was worth $280 million. Harvesting large, unblemished paws has become a priority to poultry companies all over the world. Research on this subject has been ongoing since the 1940s and has looked into many different areas including nutrition, environment, and genetics. Early research looked at nutritional deficiencies such as riboflavin and biotin mainly in turkey poults. This early research was most likely looking at a separate form of dermatitis than what is being investigated now. Recent findings have suggested that there is a myriad of interacting factors that lead to FPD. Litter moisture appears to be the most likely culprit in the onset of this condition. Research has also shown a possible genetic link in the susceptibility to development of FPD lesions. Current chicken paw prices have skyrocketed due to a large export market in Asia. To produce unblemished paws for both increased profit and comply with current animal welfare recommendations, further research is needed to understand how the condition develops and what strategies can be used to prevent it.

Water activity of poultry litter: Relationship to moisture content during a grow-out

“…One definition for wet litter is that it has greater than 25% moisture content and compromised cushioning, insulating and water holding capacity (Collett, 2012). Wet litter has been implicated as a primary cause of contact dermatitis in poultry (Shepherd and Fairchild, 2010) and also negatively affects feed conversion ratio and carcass yields (de Jong et al, 2014). Wet litter can be caused by a combination of diet/nutrition factors (Collett, 2012); shed design, ventilation management and environmental factors (Hermans et al, 2006); and/or flock infections with organisms such as Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of necrotic enteritis (M'Sadeq et al, 2015).…”

The use of infrared thermography in the identification of pododermatitis in broilers

“…The results of the footpad with lesion is the impairment of the locomotion leading to pain and discomfort. When the injury and the gait impairment are severe, a consequence might be the presence of hyperkeratosis in the footpad area (SHEPHERD & FAIRCHILD, 2010).…”

Incidence of Pododermatitis in Broiler Reared under Two Types of Environment

“…High air moisture may result in wet litter and increase the incidence of pododermatitis. During the winter, when moist air is maintained in houses with low ventilation rates, the incidence of footpad dermatitis increased (Dawkins et al, 2004;Shepherd & Fairchild, 2010). Figure 4 shows that litter surface temperature (LST) was highly correlated with footpad dermatitis score.…”