Comparison of Chinese Broiler Production Systems in Economic Performance and Animal Welfare.

Qichang Chen,Helmut W Saatkamp,Jan Cortenbach,Weidong Jin

doi:10.3390/ani10030491

Abstract

Simple SummaryThere are three main rearing systems for white-feathered broilers in China. They are the net floor system (NFS), the normal cage system (NCS), and the high standard cage system (HCS). This study compared the relationship between economic benefit and animal welfare between these systems. The high economic input, high output, and high profit in these three different rearing systems. The welfare scores were 778.24 ± 29.45, 691.09 ± 32.97, and 669.82 ± 22.79, respectively. As white-feathered broiler production in China has developed, from the conventional system to the latest system, both cost and economic profit have increased while the welfare score has decreased. This study explains why the level of animal welfare in China’s white-feathered broiler production is not high at present, and why breeders do not wish to improve the level of animal welfare production.Both proper animal welfare and economic benefit are important to the broiler industry, so it is better to consider these two factors together. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between economic benefit and animal welfare in different production systems of white-feathered broilers in China. Based on the Welfare Quality Assessment (WQA) protocol for poultry, the authors compared and evaluated the results of the Welfare Quality model (WQM) and the deterministic model. The present study conducted welfare evaluations and investigations on 66 broiler chicken flocks on 52 farms in China. These flocks included three types: the net floor system (NFS), the normal cage system (NCS), and the high standard cage system (HCS). In terms of economy, the results were in line with high economic input, high output, and high profit. In terms of animal welfare assessment, the authors calculated the welfare scores per measure and the attributional WQ scores and WQ index scores of each production systems. The results showed that nine welfare measures from four welfare criteria presented different trends in the three production systems. WQ index scores were 778.24 ± 29.45, 691.09 ± 32.97, and 669.82 ± 22.79, respectively. According to Chow test results, significant differences were found between WQ index scores and total cost and profit (all p < 0.01). In conclusion, with the development of white-feathered broiler production in China, from the conventional system to the latest system, both cost and economic profit have been increased, but the welfare score has been decreased.

Highlights

In the past few decades and especially in recent years, as in many other countries, the public in China has become more concerned about animal welfare [1]
In order to examine the impact of total cost or benefit on Welfare Quality scores in the three different production systems, it was necessary to test the coefficient differences of three subsamples
If one sample belonged to net floor system (NFS), d1i = 0 and d2i = 0; if one sample belonged to normal cage system (NCS), d1i = 1 and d2i = 0; and if one sample belonged to high standard cage system (HCS), d1i = 0 and d2i = 1

Summary

Introduction

In the past few decades and especially in recent years, as in many other countries, the public in China has become more concerned about animal welfare [1]. In the past 40 years, the broiler industry has developed rapidly in China and its production is the second largest in the world after USA. Animal welfare and related research in the broiler industry are still at a low level in China [1]. The Chinese middle-class has begun to be more concerned about animal welfare [9]. These results are similar to the research in many countries, such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and especially

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