Guidance - Poultry welfare off the farm
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The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has
published guidance on how to manage the health and welfare of
poultry during transport, at market and during slaughter.
Introduction All animals, including farmed poultry, must be looked
after in ways that meet their welfare needs - ensuring they do not
experience any unnecessary...Request free trial
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has published guidance on how to manage the health and welfare of poultry during transport, at market and during slaughter. IntroductionAll animals, including farmed poultry, must be looked after in ways that meet their welfare needs - ensuring they do not experience any unnecessary suffering. This guide deals specifically with welfare considerations for managing poultry livestock beyond the farm. It outlines good practice and the duty of care for farming poultry during transport, at market and during slaughter. Good practice and duty of care to poultryMaintaining high standards for the health and welfare of your poultry is essential for efficiency and ensuring consumer confidence in your produce. Poultry includes:
The five freedoms of animal welfareAnimal welfare legislation and the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) - a government advisory body - state that, at all times, you have a duty of care to ensure your animals have freedom:
You can read about the five freedoms of animal welfare on the FAWC website. According to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 - made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 - the standard of protection extends across all locations. The government consults with FAWC to produce specific guidance for the care of animals:
For information on the welfare of poultry in the farm environment, see the guide on poultry welfare on the farm. Poultry welfare during transportationWhen moving animals, you must transport them in a way that will not cause them injury or unnecessary suffering. For information on the welfare of poultry being moved see the guide on poultry welfare during transportation. Poultry welfare at slaughterFor information on the welfare of poultry at the time of slaughter see the guidance on poultry welfare at the time of killing. Further information on poultry welfare off the farmFor more information and guidance on livestock and agricultural farming, the sources listed below may be useful. One of the major roles of Defra is to help the farming industry operate as efficiently as possible. Defra administers European support policies which provide around £3 billion to UK agriculture. They also oversee a number of agencies that work with arable farmers, imports and exports of crops and implement pest and disease controls. You can call the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77. The AHVLA is an executive agency of Defra and is responsible for ensuring the welfare of farmed animals in Great Britain. The agency is also responsible for managing outbreaks of notifiable animal diseases and helping to ensure suitable standards of egg and dairy production are met. You can call the AHVLA Information Line on 0844 884 4600. You should contact your nearest AHVLA if you have any suspicions of disease in your farm animals. For contact details of your local AHVLA use the postcode search tool on the Defra website. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is responsible for licences and schemes for growers as well as for running the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). For more information about SPS and how it can help your farming business, you can call the RPA SPS Helpline on 0845 603 7777. The Environment Agency is a public body responsible for helping to protect and improve the environment in England and Wales. It also regulates intensive poultry farms. If your farm exceeds certain capacity thresholds, you will need an environmental permit to operate. Find out about environmental regulations and licences for poultry farmers on the Environment Agency website. The British Poultry Council (BPC) is the voice of the poultry meat sector. As the only trade association for producers of poultry meat and products, they are the key link between member companies, government and stakeholders. Read about the role of the BPC on the BPC website. The Assured Chicken Production (ACP) scheme is an industry-wide initiative that addresses all the important issues concerning the production of chicken. It is an independently assessed assurance scheme designed to deliver confidence to the consumer. Standards have been written to include best practice in food safety, bird health, welfare and traceability. Read about the ACP scheme on the ACP website. The National Farmers Union (NFU) represents the farmers and growers of England and Wales. It aims to promote successful and socially responsible agriculture and horticulture, while ensuring the long-term viability of rural communities. You can read about the work of the NFU on their website. You are likely to come into contact with local authorities over a number of farming, land use, food standards and environmental regulations. Your local authority may also be able to provide further information or resources. Further informationRegister your poultry flock on the GB Poultry Register Detailed guidance, forms and further advice on animal welfare on the Defrawebsite Animal welfare transportation documentation, guidance and forms on the Defra website UK Animal Transporter Authorisation for Type 1 authorisations on the Defrawebsite UK Animal Transporter Authorisation for Type 2 authorisations on the Defrawebsite Download an ATC application form from the Defra website (PDF, 15K) Animal health and disease prevention news on the AHVLA website Download an incinerator approval form from the Defra website (PDF, 590K) Cross compliance guidance for farmers on the RPA website Environmental regulations and licences for poultry farmers on the Environment Agency website Environmental advice on the Natural England website Poultry farming sector news and information on the NFU website Poultry health and welfare guidance on the Poultry Site website |