EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, has published two scientific opinions on the animal welfare of broilers and laying hens.
The hazards that animals incur and the causes that produce them have been identified, as well as criteria for preventing or mitigating harmful consequences. The Commission’s legislative proposal on the subject is expected in the second half of 2023.
The legislative process on animal welfare
The European Commission, on June 30, 2021, decided to begin a legislative path to eliminate cages for a range of farm animals. (1) This choice was made behind the impetus of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘End the Cage Age’ (2), which collected more than one million signatures. The path is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 with an update of the relevant legislation. (3)
Interest in animal welfare and the transition to more sustainable farming systems is also part of the European Union’s Farm to Fork (4) strategy. In this article we address the welfare of broiler chickens and laying hens. EFSA has issued two opinions (5) in which it assesses what animal welfare hazards exist in different farming systems and what actions to put in place to prevent or mitigate these effects.
Raising chickens and laying hens
The European Union is among the largest producers of poultry meat. We raise about 6 billion broiler chickens per year for an amount of 13.3 million tons of meat. In 2021, about 376 million laying hens were raised for 6.4 million tons of eggs.
Most birds are raised in furnished cages while only 7 percent of laying hens are raised organically.
Method and preliminary information
The data used to compile the two opinions were taken from previously published scientific studies (after 2010 for broilers and after 2004 for laying hens) and from questionnaires sent to the European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB).
Specific animal behaviors and the space needed to perform them were identified. To assess which rearing system is best, the percentage of chickens that can perform these behaviors was considered.
The key factors of animal welfare of chickens and laying hens
Animal welfare consequences are defined by EFSA as ‘the change in welfare that results from the effect of one or more factors.’
The factors that influence it are:
- the space available for each animal,
- the size of the farm,
- the constraint of cage housing,
- light management,
- the presence of structural enrichment,
- the ability to access the outdoor area.
Three farming systems
There are three most common breeding systems in Europe.
- Furnished cages. Cages equipped with a litter box, nest and perch are the most commonly used rearing system. Each animal has a space of 750 cm², and the cage accommodates 4 to 20 animals. Freedom of movement such as flapping wings, stretching and jumping is limited.
- Single-level systems. These are sheds with no architectural elements other than feed lines, nests and bedding. The density is 8-10 birds per m². The lack of elevated structures prevents animals from exploring and jumping.
- Multilevel systems or aviaries. In these farms, chickens and hens can move freely through the various levels, fly and jump. The density is 8 birds per m².
The previous two systems can provide access to the covered veranda, an outdoor space.
More sustainable and congruous systems have recently been developed to ensure the animal welfare of chickens and laying hens. For example, mobile housing is a small herd, can accommodate 200 to 4,000 head, combined with outdoor access and can be easily moved by towing a tractor. It is usually used in the organic method, where access is compulsory and the maximum density is 4 animals per m².(6)
Animal welfare consequences for chickens and laying hens
The most relevant consequences of constraint found by EFSA experts for broilers and laying hens are:
- bone injuries, particularly to the keel (an extension of the sternum that serves as an attachment point for the pectoral muscles),
- group stress that can escalate into harmful pecking or competition for resources, piling up and suffocation,
- Inability to avoid unwanted sexual behavior,
- Inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviors,
- Isolation stress,
- predation stress,
- Resting problems due to lack of or insufficient perches or other elevated sites,
- movement restrictions,
- Inability to perform comfort behaviors,
- skin diseases,
- Soft tissue injury and damage to the integument,
- Starvation stress.
For broilers, the following risks are added:
- Cold stress or heat stress,
- gastroenteric disorders and other infectious diseases due to poor quality feed or poor environmental conditions,
- Prolonged thirst,
- Umbilical disorders in chicks,
- Sensory understimulation or overstimulation.
Stress, fear and pain
The risks listed above cause stress, frustration, fear and pain in animals. High density leads to collision between animals and thus risk of fractures, inability to perform natural behaviors for birds such as dust bathing, strutting, leg stretching, foraging and jumping.
Cages increase the inability of female hens to escape the aggressive behaviors of males. Broilers also face risks related to their rapid growth.
The recommendations
Eliminating cages mitigates most of the listed risks. The density should also be decreased, from today’s 41 kg/m² (7) to 11 kg/m² for broilers and 4 heads per m² for laying hens. The ratio of males to females should be 1 to 10 to mitigate aggressive ratios of males.
Bone strength can be improved through genetic selection, higher quality feed, and allowing more movement for animals. Access to food and water must be guaranteed at all times.
Beak and claw mutilations should be avoided as they cause pain and long-term effects. Pecking and scratching can be prevented if breeding policies are appropriate. It is important to ensure appropriate brightness that is interspersed with at least 7-8 hours of total darkness, and exposure to natural light should be encouraged.
Alessandra Mei
Notes
(1) Legislative path of the European Commission https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/it/ip_21_3297
(2) European Citizens’ Initiative End the Cage Age https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/initiatives/details/2018/000004_it
(3) Marta Strinati, Dario Dongo. Animal welfare, start of public consultation to amend EU regulations. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 20.10.2021
(4) Dario Dongo, Martina de Nobili. Farm to Fork special, the strategy presented in Brussels on 5/20/20. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 24.5.2020
(5) To consult the two scientific opinions:
- EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (AHAW). S.S. Nielsen et al. (2023). Welfare of laying hens on farm. EFSA Journal 2023;21(2):7789. 21.2.2023 Doi: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7789 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7789
- EFSA AHAW, S.S. Nielsen et al. (2023) Welfare of broilers on farm. EFSA Journal 2023;21(2):7788. 21.2.2023. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7788 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7788
(6) Organic Farming Standards, Reg, (EC) 889/2008, Art. 12. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02008R0889-20181112&from=EN
(7) Current welfare standards for broiler chickens allow a stocking density of 33 kg/m² but through exemptions of an additional 6 kg/m². Art 3, c. 2,4 and 5, Council Directive 2007/43/EC https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=celex:32007L0043
(8) Animal welfare standards for laying hens are contained in Council Directive 1999/74/EC. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01999L0074-20191214&from=LV
Graduated in Law from the University of Bologna, she attended the Master in Food Law at the same University. You participate in the WIISE srl benefit team by dedicating yourself to European and international research and innovation projects.
