Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house
SUMMARY: High litter moisture (>25%) strongly correlates with higher ammonia and increased footpad lesions. Although there are methods to help reduce the occurrence of high litter moisture, such as ventilation and proper drinker management, these methods need to evolve due to increasing consumer...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Applied Poultry Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617124000746 |
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| author | C.T. Mou M. Czarick, III B.D. Fairchild |
| author_facet | C.T. Mou M. Czarick, III B.D. Fairchild |
| author_sort | C.T. Mou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | SUMMARY: High litter moisture (>25%) strongly correlates with higher ammonia and increased footpad lesions. Although there are methods to help reduce the occurrence of high litter moisture, such as ventilation and proper drinker management, these methods need to evolve due to increasing consumer demands and more stringent animal welfare guidelines. A potentially cost-effective method may be ventilating houses to maintain a moderate RH level (60% or lower) and increasing the amount of air movement (150 ft/min) over the litter surface through circulation fans. This field study examined the possible effects of this combination on litter moisture and footpad health. The combination (TRT) had the greatest impact during the first 3 wk of a flock. The mean litter moisture was below 25% during this period in TRT houses. While litter moisture in the control (CTL) houses (no circulation fans- same RH) was 30% or greater. During the first 21 d, in 3 out of the 4 study flocks, less than 10% of birds had signs of lesions in the TRT house compared to up to 29% of birds in the CTL house. At the end of the flock, birds in the CTL house had, on average, a 23% higher rate of severe lesions than birds in the TRT house. These findings suggest moderate RH and supplemental air movement over the litter surface (150 ft/min) can benefit litter moisture control and footpad health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a1262de7aec4dc5b17045525e3397eb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1056-6171 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Applied Poultry Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a1262de7aec4dc5b17045525e3397eb2025-01-22T05:41:04ZengElsevierJournal of Applied Poultry Research1056-61712025-03-01341100476Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler houseC.T. Mou0M. Czarick, III1B.D. Fairchild2Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USADepartment of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USADepartment of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USASUMMARY: High litter moisture (>25%) strongly correlates with higher ammonia and increased footpad lesions. Although there are methods to help reduce the occurrence of high litter moisture, such as ventilation and proper drinker management, these methods need to evolve due to increasing consumer demands and more stringent animal welfare guidelines. A potentially cost-effective method may be ventilating houses to maintain a moderate RH level (60% or lower) and increasing the amount of air movement (150 ft/min) over the litter surface through circulation fans. This field study examined the possible effects of this combination on litter moisture and footpad health. The combination (TRT) had the greatest impact during the first 3 wk of a flock. The mean litter moisture was below 25% during this period in TRT houses. While litter moisture in the control (CTL) houses (no circulation fans- same RH) was 30% or greater. During the first 21 d, in 3 out of the 4 study flocks, less than 10% of birds had signs of lesions in the TRT house compared to up to 29% of birds in the CTL house. At the end of the flock, birds in the CTL house had, on average, a 23% higher rate of severe lesions than birds in the TRT house. These findings suggest moderate RH and supplemental air movement over the litter surface (150 ft/min) can benefit litter moisture control and footpad health.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617124000746pododermatitislitter qualitypaw qualityenvironmental control |
| spellingShingle | C.T. Mou M. Czarick, III B.D. Fairchild Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house Journal of Applied Poultry Research pododermatitis litter quality paw quality environmental control |
| title | Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| title_full | Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| title_short | Evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity (50–60%) and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| title_sort | evaluation of the effects of maintaining a moderate humidity 50 60 and increased air movement on litter moisture and footpad health in a commercial broiler house |
| topic | pododermatitis litter quality paw quality environmental control |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617124000746 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ctmou evaluationoftheeffectsofmaintainingamoderatehumidity5060andincreasedairmovementonlittermoistureandfootpadhealthinacommercialbroilerhouse AT mczarickiii evaluationoftheeffectsofmaintainingamoderatehumidity5060andincreasedairmovementonlittermoistureandfootpadhealthinacommercialbroilerhouse AT bdfairchild evaluationoftheeffectsofmaintainingamoderatehumidity5060andincreasedairmovementonlittermoistureandfootpadhealthinacommercialbroilerhouse |