A silent health condition that nonetheless can cost broiler farmers thousands of rands annually, cellulitis can be minimised by good management practices. Veterinarians Dr Shahn Bisschop and Dr Tiaan Cilliers give the lowdown.
By Melinda Shaw
1. What is cellulitis exactly, and what causes it?
Cellulitis is inflammation of the fatty connective tissue just below the skin. Usually you will see yellow, fibrinous plaques of pus between the skin and the muscles of the chicken, but the catch is that it is only discovered after a bird is slaughtered and plucked. It is usually a result of a bacterial infection, often caused by E. coli, but other organisms may occur there too, such as Staphylococcus aureus.
2. Why should farmers be aware of the disease; and what is the worst outcome?
It is a condition or syndrome rather than a disease; and it will occur in some degree in almost all broiler sheds. The main problem is that carcasses are condemned at the abattoir and cannot be sold, so there is a financial loss at the end of the cycle.
3. What causes the bacterial infection that leads to the condition?
The bacteria originate in the chicken’s environment and on its skin, and are then introduced to the subcutaneous area by injuries. It has a variety of causes, including skin scratches and wounds, which are usually associated with high stocking densities (overcrowding when birds grow bigger than anticipated or sheds are stocked at higher than recommended densities) and competition for feeders and drinkers which results in birds scratching one another with their claws. Increased scratching may also occur with incorrect lighting management – if birds are starved for too long, they are very hungry when the lights are turned on and there may be fierce competition for the feeders and drinkers.
4. Are there other causes?
Poor litter quality also plays a role – sharp pieces in the litter can cause injuries to the birds’ skin. If it is damp or dirty it can irritate the skin or harbour high concentrations of bacteria. If a chicken has even a small skin break, sitting on contaminated litter allows E. coli to enter the tissue. There is always manure mixed with the bedding, so it is inevitable that it will happen to some degree. Feathering issues are another cause – slow-feathering breeds or birds with poor feather cover are at higher risk because their skin is more exposed to environmental hazards and scratches from other birds. Most broilers in South Africa are slow-feathering varieties.
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5. What makes a bird more susceptible?
High environmental stress is a risk factor to note. High ammonia levels or poor ventilation can weaken the overall health of the birds and skin integrity, making them more susceptible to infections. Under these conditions bedding also becomes wet and softens the skin. Small birds are generally more at risk, so where the flock uniformity is poor the smaller birds have difficulty competing and if they remain lying down for long periods, the other birds will walk on them and scratch them – so there is a welfare issue here too. A shortage of feeders and drinkers in the shed may also result in smaller birds being disadvantaged. Lame birds will have similar problems. Birds with footpad lesions are reluctant to move and may also be trampled and injured, opening the way for cellulitis.
6. How prevalent is it in South Africa? Is it a bigger problem in some places compared to others?
Cellulitis is almost universal, as in, you will find affected birds in most sheds at slaughter time, but the incidence can be very low or can be higher. It is usually more of a problem in winter than summer due to the challenges of ventilating sheds correctly and keeping them warm and dry.
7. Is cellulitis an equally big problem for laying hens as for broilers?
No, it is fairly rare to see a layer with cellulitis, for two reasons. First is the cage system in which most commercial laying hens are kept – cellulitis is much more common in systems where the birds are kept on the floor. And secondly, broilers are much more hunger-driven than laying hens, and more likely to cause small injuries while stepping on their neighbours as they jostle for position around feeders. Layers are typically unlikely to stomp all over each other!
8. Are there preventative measures against it? As it is bacterial we take it vaccination is not an option?
Correct, it’s the result of a management problem that leads to bacterial infections. It is also seldom so widespread in a shed that it makes financial sense to use antibiotics. Besides, it is often most prevalent in small birds, so farmers can help prevent it by culling undersized birds. Other measures include avoiding overcrowding, ensuring there is enough well-maintained equipment, and managing lighting programmes correctly. If you manage your stocking densities correctly and ensure that the ventilation of the shed is right so as to avoid wet patches in the bedding and high ammonia levels, you also create an environment that is safer. A lot of meat can be lost where there are high numbers of affected birds at slaughter time.
9. Are there tell-tale symptoms that farmers should look out for, and what is a farmer to do when they spot birds that display these symptoms?
It’s tricky, because a farmer can only know for sure when there is outer injury or bruising. All affected birds should be culled, and as noted earlier, as a precautionary measure, all small, weak birds in the shed should be culled regularly.
10. What are the current official regulations governing what has to be done if cellulitis is discovered after slaughter?
It’s governed by the Meat Safety Act and what it boils down to is that affected carcasses are condemned in whole or in part – depending on how extensive the lesions are. If that happens, they have to be destroyed and all the inputs to get the chicken to slaughter age are lost.
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Advice from a working farm
Ian Preece, the CEO of Bushvalley Chickens, shares his insights:
“At Bushvalley, cellulitis is not a major concern for our production. It is seen here and there, usually picked up during post-mortems. At the moment it is not a problem for us.
“We predominately see it linked to back scratches during the last 10 days of the cycle. Due to their slower feathering, this is more prominent in certain breeds.
“In our experience, cellulitis is usually linked to house-management related issues such as inexperienced staff (typical in new houses or sites), temporary staff (who are used for bedding management) or careless staff (workers who move too quickly through the house at the end of the cycle).
“To prevent or reduce the incidence of cellulitis, emphasis needs to be on staff training and oversight to ensure that everyone who works inside the house moves carefully on the floor without startling the birds.
“One must also ensure that there is water and feed available 24/7. If a house runs out of feed for a period of 30 minutes the rush of the birds to the feed trays when these are refilled can create back scratches as the birds challenge one another to get to the trays. Once again, attention to detail from management is the key to achieving the best results.”
This article first appeared in Poultry Bulletin (Issue 32) June/July 2026 and is republished with permission. Click the cover below for the full edition.
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