Breast blisters have been shown to be highly correlated with poor litter conditions. A brief explanation of how these cost figures were calculated is provided at the end of this publication. Basic Litter Management Many factors affect litter moisture. For instance, if new litter is not stored properly and becomes damp before it is spread in the broiler house, it may be difficult to avoid wet litter problems. Nutrition also influences litter quality.
Some drugs also stimulate excess water consumption and excretion.
Environmental conditions, such as wet and humid weather or very cold temperatures, can cause wet litter if the broiler house ventilation system is not able to eliminate moisture effectively. Waterers, foggers and evaporative cooling pads, if not managed and maintained carefully, can contribute greatly to wet litter problems. Many growers strongly believe that cleaning out after every flock makes money for them because of increased performance and decreased mortality, disease and condemnations. Considering the potential losses that can result from poor litter conditions, this approach certainly makes sense. As a result of the scarcity and expense of pine shavings and sawdust, and the difficulty of handling and disposing of used litter, many broiler producers grow multiple flocks on the same litter, top dressing the old litter with a thin layer of new material between flocks.