The effect of the type of litter on the occurrence of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the type of litter on incidence of footpad dermatitis in broiler chicken. Ross 308 and Cobb 500 hybrids were used in this study. Broilers were fattened in aviaries. This monitoring was performed in two experiments. Each experiment lasted 35 days. In the first experiment, straw, wood shavings and lignocel were used as litter material. Wood shavings, lignocel and peat were used in second experiment. Litter temperature and litter humidity were measured as indicator of the quality of bedding. Temperatures of litter were observed weekly at 5 locations in aviary. Litter humidity was measured in 35 day age of broiler. Samples of litter were collected from 2 locations in each aviary. Scoring of the paws was done in slaughterhouse according to six-point scale (0-5) [2]. To facilitate the evaluation of the paws damage the numbers in scoring groups were summarized as follows: negligible damage (0+1), intermediate damage (2+3) and severe damage (4+5). There was no statistically significant effect (P<0.05) between type of litter and litter temperature and litter moisture. The highest damage of paws was in boxes with the highest litter moisture (straw in first experiment and wood shavings in second experiment). These results show a tendency towards higher incidence of FPD depending on higher litter moisture.