Risk factors for foot-pad dermatitis in chicken and turkey broilers in France

A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Brittany region to identify the risk factors related to foot-pad dermatitis (considered an indicator of animal well-being) in chicken and turkey broilers reared under commercial conditions. Factors related to the shed, equipment, litter management and stocking density were recorded; the dependent variable was the prevalence of lesions observed on the slaughterhouse chain. Lesions were scored from 0 (no lesion) to 3 (severe lesion). Our survey lasted from May 1999 to October 2000. Fifty flocks of chicken broilers (15 farms), 27 flocks of female turkey broilers (21 farms) and 41 flocks of male turkey broilers (27 farms) were surveyed. In chicken broilers, 10% of flocks were of high quality (80% of birds with score 0) and this was related to the use of concrete floors with a thin layer of wood shavings. In turkey broilers, 48% of female and 46% of male flocks were of bad quality (>10% of birds with score 3). A poor fan ventilation system (<150m(3)/h/kg) was a significant risk factor. Turkey flocks of high quality were not observed. Stocking density had no influence on the prevalence of foot-pad dermatitis. We concluded that it is possible under high commercial stocking densities to have flocks with a low prevalence of foot-pad dermatitis in chicken broilers, whereas it is not in turkey broilers. Hence in chicken broilers, implementing a monitoring system based on the observation of foot-pad dermatitis prevalence at slaughter appears to be more appropriate than to legislate stocking density. In turkey broilers, it would probably be necessary either to reduce the stocking density drastically or to investigate new systems of floor drainage.