International approaches to the welfare of meat chickens

2000

Data from a large commercial-scale experi- ment in which 10 major broiler producer companies stocked whole houses of birds at 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 kg/m2 were analyzed to identify 1) temperature and hu- midity profiles achieved throughout the growth cycle, 2) management practices and equipment that contributed to observed variation in environmental conditions, and 3) the extent to

Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 2014

Poultry welfare acquired a lot of attention in the last years especially in Europe. That appears in the activities of Animal Welfare organisations in addition to the governments of European Union which include researches and performing legislations and standards for keeping poultry. In addition, emerge of kind of consumers preferring organic foods, which are the products of poultry that mostly kept in free range system, encourage develop of poultry welfare concern. On the other hand, in the developing countries particularly in Africa the concern of animal welfare appeared recently as a proposal by the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa after the 2 nd Global Conference on Animal Welfare held in Cairo in (2008) and the Workshop for OIE National Animal Welfare Focal Points for Africa held in Addis Ababa in (2010). In Africa as many other developing countries free range keeping of local chickens is the major system of production till few years ago. Then producers went forward modern production and introduced technology into poultry farming and they became aware about poultry health and growth performance. Therefore researches are concentrating on improvement of production by manipulating problems related to import of new breeds to the tropics. Hence, to establish and progress animal welfare concern in developing countries more effort by members of this Working Group will be required.

2019

Animal welfare related issues have been intensely discussed in recent years as a consequence of changes in public attitudes and regulatory reforms that are taking place in many countries. A combination of public opinion pressure and trade policy has driven requirements for regulation and the World Trade Organization (WTO) assigned the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to develop guidelines that could be used as international standards. However, trade disputes related to animal welfare are not likely to be resolved under the auspices of OIE, and access to international markets may be questioned in a way that does not necessarily reflect attitudes to animal production in emerging economies, such as those in South America. This paper presents an overall view of basic welfare issues and points out specific items related to the present scenario of norms and regulations that are being implemented in South America, where the growing poultry industry is an important economic activity.

Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology, 2020

The Brazilian poultry industry is undergoing a process of increasing rigor regarding production practices related to breeding and pre-slaughter operations since animal welfare is an extremely important subject that has received great attention in the developed countries. Brazil is one of the greatest producers of chicken meat, concerns have existed in the sense of adequacy to continue attending to the demand of export and maintenance of the position of leadership, in front of the other market players. One of the key points is the necessity to improve the intensive farming, which currently has many obstacles that prejudice the basic principles of animal welfare assurance. Relatively simple problems in handling animals, litter and equipment, as well as the lack of preventive maintenance in the facilities are the main ones responsible for the thermal discomfort and quality of life of these animals. Despite all the considerations raised, a large part of the Brazilian consumers is still unaware of intensive farming and the way animals are raising on the farm until their plates, being surrounded by myths and false beliefs. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to address the main critical issues affecting the welfare of broiler chickens in intensive commercial production.

Revista Brasileira de Ciência Avícola, 2016

Scientific literature on broiler chicken welfare in Brazilian industrial systems is scarce. This study aimed at assessing broiler chicken welfare on industrial farms in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, using the Welfare Quality ® assessment protocol for poultry, to provide directly applicable scientific information. Results are presented as criteria scores ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better welfare; and percentages of prevalence. The scores classified as excellent (above 80) were absence of prolonged thirst, absence of prolonged hunger, litter quality, breast blister and touch test. Enhanced scores (between 55 and 80) were comfort around resting, plumage cleanliness and dust sheet test. Acceptable scores (between 20 and 55) were thermal comfort, stocking density, absence of injuries, footpad dermatitis and hock burn; and unacceptable scores (below 20) were lameness and qualitative behavioral assessment. The median percentage of mortality and culled birds were 5.2% and 0.6%, respectively. This study provides useful information to select priorities of action on assessed farms and may contribute for setting up legal standards and guiding decisions related to animal welfare issues in Brazil.

2014

Animals

Slower-growing broilers on organic farms have replaced fast-growing hybrids to increase bird welfare. Due to limited knowledge of broiler welfare and management on organic farms in Sweden, the study aim was to gather information regarding health, housing and management routines, in order to describe the current situation on these. Farm visits performed in 2018 included 8 out of 12 established organic farms, on which either Rowan Ranger or HubbardJA57/HubbardJA87 were reared. Chickens in the observed flocks were 55 ± 6 (44–62) days of age. Observations included farmer interviews, indoor environment assessments, clinical examinations and gait scoring. Clinical examinations revealed no severe remarks, however minor to moderate plumage dirtiness, food pad dermatitis and hock burns were found in 47%, 21% and 13% of the birds, respectively. Although no severe walking impairments were observed, minor to moderate gait abnormalities were seen in two-thirds of the birds. Gait in birds assesse...

This report is part of the Welfare Quality research project which has been co-financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework Programme, contract No. FOOD-CT-2004-506508. The text represents the authors' views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission who will not be liable for the use made of such information. More information on the Welfare Quality project can be found on the website: www.welfarequality.net. More specifically, this report and the underlying research are conducted as part of the Work Package 3.1 in the Welfare Quality research project, called "Barriers faced by producers". Similar studies of pig producers and cattle producers have been undertaken in five other countries; France, England, Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Major findings from the six studies of poultry producers are summarized in a separate report which is published within the WQ-programme (B.B. Bock and M.M. van Huik: Poultry farmers and animal welfare. A study of beliefs, attitudes and behaviour of poultry farmers across Europe. Synthesis report WQ 1.3.3, Deliverable D1.13). Thanks to research colleague Agnar Hegrenes, for reading an earlier version of the manuscript, and generously helping with fact-finding and other types of guidance throughout the entire project period. Thanks also to Berit Helen Grimsrud for valuable assistance in making the manuscript ready for publishing.

Livestock Science, 2008

The aim of this study was to test three predictions: (1) that a combination of animal-based parameters indicates better health and welfare in broilers from organic versus conventional farms, (2) that broilers from organic farms show less fluctuating asymmetry (FA) than broilers from conventional farms, and (3) that, at the level of the individual bird, the relationship between FA and welfare is negative and strongest in conventional broilers. On 140 slaughter-age birds randomly selected from seven organic and seven conventional flocks in Belgium we measured standardised FA and five conventional animal-based welfare indicators (tonic immobility duration, latency-tolie, and condition of the foot pad, hock, and breast). The caeca from the birds from four organic and four conventional flocks were removed for assessing the presence of two bacterial pathogens (Salmonella and Campylobacter) and the concentration of the healthpromoting lactic acid bacteria. Finally, the blood serum concentration of the acute phase protein alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), a nonspecific indicator of immunological stress, was determined. Salmonella was found in the caeca content of two (2.5%) birds only (both from the same conventional farm), whereas 44 (55.7%) birds were infected with Campylobacter. The prevalence of Campylobacter, the concentration of lactic acid bacteria, the duration of tonic immobility, and the condition of the breast and foot pad did not differ between both production systems. Apart from a higher concentration of AGP, organic birds had better scores for hock condition and a longer latency-to-lie indicating better leg health. In addition, organic birds scored better on the aggregated welfare index (i.e. the average of the five standardised welfare indicators). As both production systems differed in many aspects (e.g. slower-growing genotypes, slaughter age, feed, stocking density, group size) it is impossible to assign differences in welfare/health indicators to a single factor. Whatever the causes may be our findings suggest that, despite the potentially elevated risk of immunological challenge, broiler chicken welfare is generally superior in organic farms as compared with conventional farms in Belgium. Regarding the validity of FA as welfare indicator, the prediction of lower FA in the population with highest aggregated welfare score was confirmed but, at the level of the individual, no associations between FA and the aggregated welfare index were found irrespective of whether data from organic and conventional broilers were analysed separately or combined.

World's Poultry Science Journal, 1999

The problem of assessing welfare in poultry has been exacerbated by three widespread but erroneous assumptions. These are (1) that there are general indicators of welfare that apply to all situations, (2) that indicators of good welfare and those of reduced welfare are distinct from one another and (3) that any change in a welfare ‘indicator’ reflects a change in the welfare state of the animal. These three assumptions are challenged and replaced with a more evolutionary view of the behavioural and physiological responses of the domestic fowl to its environment. Apart from physical health, which is the Cornerstone of all good welfare, the most important additional component of poultry welfare is psychological health or ‘contentment’, which can be most reliably accessed through the birds' own choice behaviour.

ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, 2021

The currently used poultry farming methods, which aim to maximise economic profit, are based on ever new technological solutions that improve flock management and increase bird performance. However, they do not always meet the natural needs of birds. Every housing method and technological solution currently in use is faced with some issues, such as social stress, adverse temperature/humidity conditions, risk of zoonoses, and behavioural pathologies, which determine poultry performance and welfare. Disregard for animal welfare involves not only ethical but also practical aspects, because well-being and housing comfort translate into better weight gains, health and productivity of the birds. The studies reported here suggest that every production system, despite the many welfare-improving aspects, causes numerous behavioural, productivity and health abnormalities in laying hens. Therefore, further research is needed to identify various risk factors for the purpose of improving housing systems and increasing the welfare of hens.

Animals

The number of broilers slaughtered globally is increasing. Ensuring acceptable welfare conditions for birds at the time of slaughter is paramount in meeting legislative and retailer specifications, and in producing high quality meat. There is knowledge that welfare training programs for members of the farming and red meat slaughter industry can improve animal welfare measures and product quality, however there is little evidence of the effects of welfare training in poultry processing plants. In our study, a comprehensive welfare training program was introduced to a Costa Rican and a British commercial broiler primary processing plant, both of which slaughter birds by way of neck cut post electrical water bath stunning. The effects of this program on some welfare and product quality measures were investigated, both immediately and six months post training. The welfare measures that showed significant improvements post training included; flapping at shackling, pre-stun shocks, stun p...

British Poultry Science, 2009

Animals, 2021

The demand for poultry meat, being cheaper than red meat, will drive worldwide production of this product. Accordingly, an increase in production up to 16% is expected in 2025, most of which will occur in developing countries. Most poultry meat production is realized with intensive production systems, and extensive rearing systems (ERS) of poultry (organic, free-range, and low-input) represent only a small portion of poultry production in the EU (about 5%). However, there is an increasing interest in such rearing systems to maintain the good image of product and environmental sustainability, improved animal welfare, and meat quality with an annual trend of growth of about 10%. The aims of this work were to summarize the activities and the viewpoint of the researchers of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science of the University of Perugia (Italy). One of the most important goals of the research unit was the challenge of identifying the best poultry genotypes f...