Footpad dermatitis ( FPD ) is besides called paw burns, ammonia water burns or pododermatitis. This disease has gained importance due to the value of chicken feet as a profitable export token to asian markets. Nowadays, broiler feet have become one of the most profitable parts of the carcase for export. additionally, FPD has become a benefit business since it affects broiler ability to walk and reduces feed intake and growth. The evaluation of FPD incidence is now region of many wellbeing audits. It is desirable to have less than 30 per penny of the flock with feet lesions but it is difficult to achieve this goal.
This newsletter has the objective of listing a series of recommendations to reduce incidence of FPD and other dermatitis problems at grow tied. The main objective in controlling FPD and all dermatitis is to avoid litter wetness and production of ammonia or other irritant compounds from the bedding material. This action starts even before chickens are placed.
Management between Flocks
When it is necessity to reuse the litter, after removing the coat material, allow the litter base to dry before chicks are placed. Running fans during the sidereal day can help to dry out the litter faster.
Windrowing litter has produced better results in hand quality of the next broiler flock than just caking out and/or doing a complete clean-out of the sign of the zodiac.
After removing the litter or caked material, make certain to keep at least three inches of litter absorbing material across the entire house. Mortar sand and ground door filler revealed the lowest incidence of FPD in all trials ( Bilgili et al., 2009 ). Independently of the litter substantial selected, use a humble atom size of less than one edge.
If necessary, spread fresh bedding material evenly. Floors must be politic and level. odd floors make changeless altitude alteration and water pipeline pressure regulation very unmanageable. A gradual grade of no more than four inches of dangle from one end to the other is acceptable.
Ammonia acidification may help to reduce bacteria and ammonia water production during the foremost two or three weeks. The effects of bedding material acidifiers depend on doses. Rates of 120 pound of acidifier or more per 1,000 hearty feet in the brood chamber or the whole family are necessary to observe solid reductions in FPD.
Before placement, clean, flush with hard-hitting ( 15 to 30 pounds per square inch, psi ), and sanitize drinker systems to avoid built up of mineral residues and biofilm that can cause blabbermouthed nipples.
Pre-warm the sign of the zodiac to reduce litter moisture, particularly when bedding material depth is low ( less than three inches ). litter temperature should be 28 to 30°C at chicken arrival .
House Management during the Flock
wield drinker lines according to manufacturer ‘s guidelines to prevent leaks that add moisture to the bedding material. Broilers spend the majority of their fourth dimension in this area and consequently, it is the most critical house section for moisture control. Check filters weekly and replace them a soon as they collect meaning amounts of debris. In most systems, proper press is critical during grow-out, and it is important that the water column in the riser tube be intelligibly visible. Keep the riser tube clean.
Maintain appropriate water coerce and keep drinker lines floor and uniform with appropriate acme according to bird stature to avoid water system wastage that will add moisture to litter underneath the water lines. Try to use the lowest water system press recommended by the manufacturer. low water wrinkle imperativeness can reduce litter moisture and FPD prevalence but monitor water intake because if the body of water pressure is excessively low, broilers can reduce water and feed consumption, and growth.
Unleveled and uneven altitude between the lines cause that they are used for broilers more in some areas than in others, occasioning uneven distribution of moisture in the litter that is more difficult to dry. Uneven distribution of the flock caused by lighting problems, or uncomfortable temperatures or uneven air stream in some areas may cause like negative effects on litter moisture and FPD prevalence.
In the pensiveness phase, give more space to the cluster around nine days. Avoid overcrowding in the brooding area. Lesions in the feet skin caused in the first and moment weeks of age may become infect and develop FPD.
Avoid condensation of moisture by improving family insulation and minus coerce, reducing uncontrolled air entries, and doing alimony and calibration of electronic sensors and fans. Condensation occurs chiefly in the english walls. day by day observation of these areas and habit of hygrometer can help to keep relative humidity between 50 and 70 per cent, and litter humidity not higher than 35 per penny. condensation is more common when the outside temperature is humble, and relative humidity is high ( winter and early spring conditions, or early morning year-round ). consequently, winter time and low frequency of breathing increase chances to have compression specially during brooding when inside sign of the zodiac temperature is higher than outside environmental temperatures.
Monitor daily water consumption of the flock to establish variations that can indicate problems. Broilers should drink two to three times the amount of feed that they eat. If the cluster is drinking more than expected, you should double-check health conditions, water quality, litter quality and house temperatures. Minerals in the water may increase water intake, cause enteritis problems, flushing and wet litter. Water can be treated to minimise the content of undesired minerals. Uncalibrated electronic sensors may cause that house temperatures to rise higher than programmed in the electronic firm accountant.
Hotter temperatures influence more water inhalation, wet droppings and wet bedding material. Excess litter moisture is unmanageable to dry out with the normal run time of fans. similar problems can happen during the summer or on hot days if the house gets hotter than planned ; there are urine leakages from drinker lines, foggers or water sprinklers ; and if fan time is not increased to account for this extra and unexpected house humidity.
Research results indicate that these recommendations will have positive effects on hand quality and cosmopolitan broiler cluster performance.
Reference
Bilgili, S.F., J.B. Hess, J.P. Blake, K.S. Macklin, B. Saenmahayak and J.L. Sibbley. 2009. influence of bedding material on footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 18:583-589.
October 2010
