Abstract
The aim of the survey was to determine how the egg production sector is complying with animal welfare legislation, which requires a ban on conventional cages and the transition to permitted systems for rearing laying hens - enriched cages and alternative systems, as well as the attitudes of egg producers and consumers on the impact of permitted systems of egg production/purchase and hen welfare. The survey included producers (50), with 1000 and more hens, where in the sample, the percentage share of producers was according to the capacity - the size of the farm, i.e. similar to the share in the total egg production in Serbia. A consumer survey (261) established their views on the impact of the welfare of layers and the rearing system when buying eggs. According to the test results, it can be stated that: when switching to permitted rearing systems, enriched cages were the choice of all surveyed producers (100%) and that in the transition period from 2014 to autumn 2020, 16.3% of respondents switched from conventional cages to enriched ones (2.04% in full and 14.29% in part). According to the results obtained, 80.49% of them are planning to switch from a conventional cage system to another rearing system, of which 60.98% said they would do so if they had the financial means, while about 19% of producers believe they will be forced to leave production. All producers expect that the transition to enriched cages will lead to a reduction in their production, and 83.33% of them believe that it will be from 20 to 40%. Surveyed producers (87.18%) expect that the transition from conventional cages will increase production costs, and 65.11% believe that this will not affect the welfare of layers. A survey of consumer attitudes found that when buying eggs, the production system was very important for 19.91% of consumers, and for 19.41% of consumers it was not important at all, while the welfare of layers was very important for 26.84% and not at all important for 10.32% of consumers. The conclusion of the research is that in Serbia the transition to permitted rearing systems is slow, that harmonization with legal regulations is a great challenge and that changes are expected in the coming period that may have far-reaching consequences for the sector of table egg production.
Highlights
In recent decades, the egg production sector in Serbia has recorded a decline, i.e. a decrease in the number of laying hens, which according to data from 2019 is less by 11.11% compared to the 2008-2017 average, which can be related to the inability of producers to meet the new high requirements of regulations in Serbia, which are harmonized with EU regulations (Krnjaić, 2019)
The aim of the survey was to determine how the egg production sector is complying with animal welfare legislation, which requires a ban on conventional cages and the transition to permitted systems for rearing laying hens enriched cages and alternative systems, as well as the attitudes of egg producers and consumers on the impact of permitted systems of egg production/purchase and hen welfare
Based on the research, conducted with the aim of monitoring the implementation of the Law on Animal Welfare and the related Rulebook, which require the transition from conventional to permitted systems - enriched cages and alternative systems, which significantly changes the egg production sector in Serbia, it can be concluded that the process is slow and that in the transitional period (2014-2020) about 85% of producers failed to harmonize their production with regulations
Summary
The egg production sector in Serbia has recorded a decline, i.e. a decrease in the number of laying hens, which according to data from 2019 is less by 11.11% compared to the 2008-2017 average, which can be related to the inability of producers to meet the new high requirements of regulations in Serbia, which are harmonized with EU regulations (Krnjaić, 2019). The legislation requires abandoning the conventional battery system and switching to permitted systems enriched cages and alternative production systems, which requires high costs and large changes, and can be considered a danger to the egg production sector in Serbia. Observed by country, waiting strategies and producer requirements for delay, in some countries, proved to be a poorer choice in relation to acceptance and faster adaptation to new conditions (as cited in Rodić et al, 2014). Taking into account how the process took place in EU countries and considering the persistence of decision makers, Rodić et al (2014) indicate that it is not realistic that the rules for Serbia could be different
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
