Abstract
Broiler chicken welfare is under increasing scrutiny due to welfare concerns regarding growth rate and stocking density. This farm-based study explored broiler welfare in four conditions representing commercial systems varying in breed and planned maximum stocking density: (1) Breed A, 30 kg/m2; (2) Breed B, 30 kg/m2; (3) Breed B, 34 kg/m2; (4) Breed C, 34 kg/m2. Breeds A and B were ‘slow-growing’ breeds (< 50 g/day), and Breed C was a widely used ‘fast-growing’ breed. Indicators of negative welfare, behavioural indicators of positive welfare and environmental outcomes were assessed. Clear differences between conditions were detected. Birds in Condition 4 experienced the poorest health (highest mortality and post-mortem inspection rejections, poorest walking ability, most hock burn and pododermatitis) and litter quality. These birds also displayed lower levels of behaviours indicative of positive welfare (enrichment bale occupation, qualitative ‘happy/active’ scores, play, ground-scratching) than birds in Conditions 1–3. These findings provide farm-based evidence that significant welfare improvement can be achieved by utilising slow-growing breeds. There are suggested welfare benefits of a slightly lower planned maximum stocking density for Breed B and further health benefits of the slowest-growing breed, although these interventions do not offer the same magnitude of welfare improvement as moving away from fast-growing broilers.
Highlights
Broiler chicken welfare is under increasing scrutiny due to welfare concerns regarding growth rate and stocking density
Commercial broiler chicken welfare is receiving increasing scrutiny from the media and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) concerning welfare issues associated with rapid growth and rearing conditions.European and North American NGOs are targeting food companies, requesting that they meet a number of requirements to “best mitigate [...] the most pressing welfare concerns relating to broiler production”[1,2]
We compared four conditions simulating four possible marketing schemes for broiler chickens varying in growth rate and planned maximum stocking density
Summary
Broiler chicken welfare is under increasing scrutiny due to welfare concerns regarding growth rate and stocking density. Commercial broiler chicken welfare is receiving increasing scrutiny from the media and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) concerning welfare issues associated with rapid growth and rearing conditions.European and North American NGOs are targeting food companies, requesting that they meet a number of requirements to “best mitigate [...] the most pressing welfare concerns relating to broiler production”[1,2]. Two of these requirements are: to “implement a maximum stocking density of 30 kg/m2” (6.0lbs/ft[2] in North America) and to “adopt breeds that demonstrate higher welfare outcomes”. Fast-growing breeds have been reported to have poorer walking a bility[18,19,20], more foot lesions[16,17,21], higher mortality, culls and biological indicators of poorer immunity[17]
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.
