the welfare of broiler chickens - Compassion in World Farming

More documents

Recommendations

Info

THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION9.0 CONCLUSIONS: THE WELFARE NEEDSOF BROILER CHICKENS● Around 5.9 billion broiler chicks are reared for meatin the EU every year. Most are intensively farmedand kept in windowless, barren and crowded shedsholding up to tens of thousands of birds for thewhole of their brief 6 - 7 week lives. At themoment, there are virtually no specific laws in theEU to protect the welfare of broiler chickens onfarm.● The March 2000 report on broiler welfare bySCAHAW confirms the serious criticisms of thebroiler industry that Compassion in WorldFarming Trust has made for many years. Thescientific evidence cited in the report shows that:❍ Selective breeding for ever faster growth rate andfeed conversion efficiency has caused most of thewelfare problems broilers suffer from today.Broiler chickens have a mortality rate of 1% aweek, seven times the mortality rate of layinghens of the same age.❍ Because they grow too fast, millions and possiblytens of millions of EU broiler chickens a year maysuffer from painful lameness due to abnormalskeletal development or bone disease, so thatmany have difficulty in walking or even standing.SCAHAW says that ‘Leg disorders are a majorcause of poor welfare in broilers’.❍ The breeding companies give low priority toreducing lameness in their breeding programs.SCAHAW has concluded that up to now anyattempt the breeding companies may have madeto reduce leg problems ‘has not improvedwelfare’ (SCAHAW, 2000, Conclusion 6).❍ As a result of selective breeding, broiler chickens’hearts and lungs often cannot keep up with theirbodies’ fast growth rate. They frequently sufferfrom heart failure when they are only a fewweeks old.❍ High stocking density in broiler sheds restricts thebroiler chickens’ behaviour and causes healthproblems. High stocking density leads toincreased leg problems, breast blisters, chronicdermatitis, hock burns and infections. Crowdedsheds lead to wet litter, increased air pollutionfrom ammonia and dust particles and ineffectivetemperature and humidity control, all of whichdamage the broilers’ health and welfare.❍ The stocking density must be no higher than25 kg/m 2 (approximately 12.5 birds per squaremetre) ‘for major welfare problems to be largelyavoided’. Above 30 kg/m 2 (approximately 15birds per square metre) there is a ‘steep rise in thefrequency of serious problems’.❍ Broilers that are allowed to grow to adulthood tobe used for breeding are restricted to between onequarter and one half of the amount of food theywant to eat during their growing period and‘appear to be chronically hungry, frustrated andstressed’. SCAHAW says that these breedingbirds are ‘very hungry’, resulting in ‘unacceptablewelfare problems’ and that their welfare ‘must beimproved’ (SCAHAW, 2000, Conclusions andRecommendations).28
THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION❍ Catching the birds to remove them from the shedfor slaughter can result in unacceptably highlevels of stress, fractures and other traumaticinjury (SCAHAW, 2000, Sect. 7.8, Conclusion).There is inadequate legislation in protect broilerwelfare during transport. Across the EU, as manyas 18 - 35 million broiler chickens may dieannually during the process of catching andtransport to the slaughterhouse.● The slaughter process, where broilers are hungupside down in shackles and stunned by dippingin electrified water baths, is also cause forconcern. Broilers often experience pain andstruggle while hung in shackles and may sufferduring the slaughter process. As many as 50million EU broilers may be slaughtered while notfully unconscious. It is essential that sufficientstunning current is used and that both carotidarteries are cut to reduce the risk of birdsregaining consciousness during bleed-out.● The scientific evidence shows that the intensivebroiler chicken industry inflicts serious healthand welfare problems on the birds. Theindustry’s drive to ever faster growth rates leadsto painful leg disorders and heart failure in thebirds reared for their meat and to severe foodrestriction and hunger in the breeding birds. Inaddition, the birds are often housed in shedsthat are too crowded and that subject them tosuffering from skin sores, uncomfortably hightemperatures and unhealthy levels of airpollution.● Compassion in World Farming Trust believesthat the EU should now take urgent action toaddress the serious health and welfare problemsof intensively farmed broiler chickens.29
Page 1 and 2: Compassion in World Farming TrustTH
Page 3 and 4: THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS IN
Page 29: THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS IN
Page 35: THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENSIN T

the welfare of broiler chickens - Compassion in World Farming

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?