Raising paw quality with litter management

摘要

Footpad dermatitis is a major factor in the loss or downgrading of edible poultry paws, but proper litter management can produce a healthier, more profitable flock. Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is a condition affecting broilers and turkeys and is also known as pododermatitis and paw burns, all of which refer to a type of contact dermatitis on the footpad and toes. Before the mid-1980s, chicken paws were of little value and were rendered with feathers, blood and other unsalable portions. Chicken paw prices have skyrocketed because of an export demand for high quality paws, transforming this product into the third most important economic part, behind breasts and wings.