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Welfare outcomes assessment in laying hen farm assurance schemes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

DCJ Main ,
S Mullan ,
C Atkinson ,
A Bond ,
M Cooper ,
A Fraser  and
WJ Browne
DCJ Main*
Affiliation:
University of Bristol Veterinary School, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
S Mullan
Affiliation:
University of Bristol Veterinary School, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
C Atkinson
Affiliation:
Soil Association, South Plaza, Marlborough Street, Bristol BS1 3NX, UK
A Bond
Affiliation:
Soil Association, South Plaza, Marlborough Street, Bristol BS1 3NX, UK
M Cooper
Affiliation:
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS, UK
A Fraser
Affiliation:
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS, UK
WJ Browne
Affiliation:
University of Bristol Veterinary School, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Most farm assurance schemes in the UK at least, in part, aim to provide assurances to consumers and retailers of compliance with welfare standards. Inclusion of welfare outcome assessments into the relevant inspection procedures provides a mechanism to improve animal welfare within assurance schemes. In this study, taking laying hens as an example, we describe a process for dealing with the practical difficulties in achieving this in two UK schemes; Freedom Food and Soil Association. The key challenges arise from selecting the most appropriate measures, defining sampling strategies that are feasible and robust, ensuring assessors can deliver a consistent evaluation and establishing a mechanism to achieve positive change. After a consultation exercise and pilot study, five measures (feather cover, cleanliness, aggressive behaviour, management of sick or injured birds, and beak trimming) were included within the inspection procedures of the schemes. The chosen sampling strategy of assessing 50 birds without handling provided reasonable certainty at a scheme level but less certainty at an individual farm level. Despite the inherent limitations within a time and cost sensitive certification assessment, the approach adopted does provide a foundation for welfare improvement by being able to highlight areas of concern requiring attention, enabling schemes to promote the use of outcome scoring as a management tool, promoting the dissemination of relevant technical information in a timely manner and increasing the scrutiny of standards important for the welfare of the birds.

Keywords

animal welfarefarm assurancefeather losslaying hensamplingwelfare outcomes
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 21 , Issue 3: Selected papers from the 5th International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level , August 2012 , pp. 389 - 396
Copyright
© 2012 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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