Identification of cases of pododermatitis in broiler chickens when feeding a probiotic feed additive

Abstract

Pododermatitis is a major concern in broiler production and is used as an audit criterion for poultry health checks in the United States and Europe. Pododermatitis is often associated with wet litter or poor litter quality. It is considered painful for birds and reduces the number of times the affected bird approaches the feeders and drinkers. Reduced feed and water consumption has a significant impact on weight gain, feed conversion and overall herd performance. As a result of the studies carried out to assess the degree of pododermatitis, it was observed that the quality of the paws increases or decreases, depending on the composition of the feed consumed.