Animal Welfare in Small Animal Welfare in Small Poultry FlocksPoultry Flocksnn Anne Fanatico, Ph.D.Anne Fanatico, Ph.D.nn USDA Agricultural Research Service, Poultry USDA Agricultural Research Service, Poultry

Production and Product Safety Research Production and Product Safety Research Unit, Fayetteville, ARUnit, Fayetteville, AR

SmallSmall--scale poultry scale poultry productionproductionnn Small producers Small producers

provide outdoor provide outdoor access, natural access, natural feed, no routine feed, no routine medicationsmedications

nn Sell to directly to Sell to directly to consumersconsumers

Animal WelfareAnimal Welfare

nn Biological FunctioningBiological Functioning–– Bird is healthy, growing, reproducing wellBird is healthy, growing, reproducing well

nn Affective StateAffective State–– Pain, fear, frustration, contentPain, fear, frustration, content

nn Natural LivingNatural Living–– Bird should express behaviors of speciesBird should express behaviors of species

Fraser, 2008

Industry welfare standardsIndustry welfare standards

nn United Egg Producers United Egg Producers nn National Chicken National Chicken

Council Council nn National Turkey National Turkey

FederationFederation

nn Endorsed by Food Endorsed by Food Marketing Institute and Marketing Institute and by National Council of by National Council of Chain RestaurantsChain Restaurants

Independent Welfare Independent Welfare Assurance OrganizationsAssurance Organizationsnn Certified HumaneCertified Humanenn American Humane American Humane

CertifiedCertifiednn Animal Welfare Animal Welfare

ApprovedApproved

Comprehensive programs Comprehensive programs covercovernn ProductionProductionnn ManagementManagementnn ProcessingProcessingnn RecordRecord--keeping; auditkeeping; auditnn Annual onAnnual on--site inspectionsite inspection

nn Most smallMost small--scale scale poultry producers poultry producers do not participate do not participate in welfare in welfare assurance programsassurance programs

nn Producer is solely Producer is solely responsible for responsible for welfare of flockwelfare of flock

HousingHousing

nn Must protect birds Must protect birds from elements from elements (rain, direct sun, (rain, direct sun, cold, wind, heat)cold, wind, heat)

nn In openIn open--sided sided housing/shelters, housing/shelters, birds often do not birds often do not remain dry or may remain dry or may be exposed to windbe exposed to wind

nn Panting indicates Panting indicates heat stress; heat stress; huddling indicates huddling indicates coldcold

Outdoor AreaOutdoor Area

nn Birds should be Birds should be able to express able to express natural behaviors natural behaviors like foraging, like foraging, running, flying, running, flying, dustbathingdustbathing–– Bird behavior is Bird behavior is

limited when limited when confined to a penconfined to a pen

nn Birds should be Birds should be protected from protected from predatorspredators–– Use predatorUse predator--proof proof

housing, electric net housing, electric net fences;fences;

–– Birds of prey: use Birds of prey: use net, distraction, dognet, distraction, dog

nn Avoid muddy or Avoid muddy or overworn areasoverworn areas

nn Provide Provide shade/shelter on shade/shelter on pasturepasture

StockStock

nn HighHigh--yielding birdsyielding birds–– Efficient meat Efficient meat

producers, but possible producers, but possible welfare issueswelfare issuesnn Lameness, metabolic Lameness, metabolic

problemsproblems

nn AWA limits the use of AWA limits the use of fastfast--growing birdsgrowing birds–– Only permits slowOnly permits slow--

growinggrowing

Impact of Genotype and Production Systems Impact of Genotype and Production Systems on Gait Scoreon Gait Score

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Slow-Out Fast-Out Slow-In Fast-In

0 1 2 3 4 5

All treatments ***PS (Fast) ***

100%0

53%2

31%1

77%2

100%0

Source: Fanatico et al. 2008. Poult. Sci. 87:1012-1021

HealthHealth

nn Prevent the Prevent the introduction of introduction of disease with disease with vaccinations as vaccinations as needed and good needed and good biosecurity/sanitation biosecurity/sanitation practicespractices

nn If there is no vet, If there is no vet, use state diagnostic use state diagnostic lab resourceslab resources

nn Risk of poor welfare Risk of poor welfare is high if treatment is high if treatment is needed but not is needed but not obtainedobtained

nn BeakBeak--trimming not trimming not practiced by small practiced by small flock producers flock producers

nn Must ensure no Must ensure no featherfeather--pecking or pecking or cannibalismcannibalism

FeedingFeeding

nn Birds need a balanced Birds need a balanced diet that meets their diet that meets their nutritional nutritional requirementsrequirements–– Good pasture/range Good pasture/range

helps helps

nn Provide fresh waterProvide fresh water–– Birds drink less if water Birds drink less if water

is too hot or too coldis too hot or too cold

ManagementManagement

nn Inspect dailyInspect daily–– Birds should not show signs of illness, Birds should not show signs of illness,

injury, thinness, lameness, parasitism, injury, thinness, lameness, parasitism, soiled or damaged feathers, fractured soiled or damaged feathers, fractured bones, ulcerations on foot padsbones, ulcerations on foot pads

nn Birds that cannot recover should be Birds that cannot recover should be humanely euthanizedhumanely euthanized–– Cervical dislocation or rapid decapitationCervical dislocation or rapid decapitation

Catching and transportCatching and transport

nn Limit feed withdrawal Limit feed withdrawal to no more than 8 to no more than 8 hours (AWA, 2008)hours (AWA, 2008)

nn Hold birds individually Hold birds individually and upright; or by both and upright; or by both legs legs

nn During transport, During transport, protect birds from heat protect birds from heat or coldor cold

nn Limit transport to no Limit transport to no more than 4 hours more than 4 hours (AWA, 2008)(AWA, 2008)

SlaughterSlaughter

nn Avoid live shackling if Avoid live shackling if possible; use cone or possible; use cone or other restraintother restraint

nn Bird should feel no Bird should feel no pain at slaughterpain at slaughter–– Stun before cutting neckStun before cutting neck–– Effective stun should Effective stun should

result in instant loss of result in instant loss of consciousness or not consciousness or not cause distresscause distress

nn Poultry stun not Poultry stun not required by lawrequired by law

SmallSmall--scale Stun Methodsscale Stun Methods

nn ElectricalElectrical–– Stun knife (whole body Stun knife (whole body

stun)stun)–– HeadHead--only stunonly stun

nn Captive boltCaptive bolt–– Penetrating or Penetrating or

concussiveconcussivenn GasGas

–– Carbon dioxide has Carbon dioxide has euthanizing effect but euthanizing effect but aversive over 30%; use aversive over 30%; use in combination with in combination with oxygen or inert gas or oxygen or inert gas or biphasicbiphasic

75% argon and 25% CO2

Research is needed on captive bolt, Research is needed on captive bolt, headhead--only stun, and gas stunonly stun, and gas stun

Carcass damage may result from wing Carcass damage may result from wing flapping and convulsionsflapping and convulsions

Impact of Stun Methods of BroilersImpact of Stun Methods of BroilersTreatmentTreatment Blood Blood

LossLossConvulsionsConvulsions Total Total

Carcass Carcass DefectsDefects

00--10 sec10 sec 1010--60 sec60 sec 6060--120 sec120 sec

No stunNo stun 3.033.03 22 33aa 33aa 4.24.2

Head stunHead stun 3.033.03 2.42.4 1.81.8bb 1.21.2bb 4.84.8

Body stun Body stun LowLow

3.163.16 2.252.25 1.751.75bb 1.01.0bb 3.53.5

Body stun Body stun HighHigh

3.643.64 1.21.2 1.61.6bb 1.21.2bb 2.42.4

Scores on a 4-point scale: 1= none to mild quiver; 4 = violent full body movementSource: Fanatico, A.C., W. Kuenzel, and C.M. Owens, unpublished data

Birds should be dead Birds should be dead before entering before entering scalderscalder–– After stunning, cut After stunning, cut

all vessels in neckall vessels in neck–– Bleed for at least 2 Bleed for at least 2

minutesminutes

ConclusionsConclusions

nn Many inherent welfare advantages to small flocksMany inherent welfare advantages to small flocks–– Outdoor access, generous space, natural molting, little Outdoor access, generous space, natural molting, little

transportation and handlingtransportation and handling

nn However, some practices can be hard to justify However, some practices can be hard to justify from welfare point of viewfrom welfare point of view–– Inadequate housing, confinement on pasture, no stunningInadequate housing, confinement on pasture, no stunning

nn Welfare of farm animals is not protected by law as Welfare of farm animals is not protected by law as much as other animalsmuch as other animals

nn Producer has sole responsibility for bird wellProducer has sole responsibility for bird well--beingbeing