XXIV

Worlds Poultry Congress 5 - 9

August - 2012 Salvador - Bahia - Brazil

On- farm broiler welfare assessment

On

BSc BVSc PhD CertWel CBiol MIBiol FLS

DipECAWBM MRCVS
University of Bristol, Clinical Veterinary Science,
Langford, BS40 5DU, UK.
andy.butterworth@bris.ac.uk

Summary

To implement effective use of animal based

assessment methods, it seems likely that
management support is a critical part of an
effective process. Step 1, Measure (ABMs and
RBMs) Step 2, Analyse risk factors Step 3,
Inform (producer, purchaser) Step 4, Support
management decisions to create improvements in
welfare.
Once measures have been carried out on a farm,
it may be possible to create a range of scores.
The individual measures can be combined to give
aggregate scores which must be constructed in

Key words: Poultry assessment, farm assessment,

welfare Quality protocol, animal based measures,
outcome based measures, resource based
measures, welfare score, aggregation, veterinary
advice, management support, principles, criteria

Introduction
Animals differ in their experience, temperament
and the way in which their genetic makeup
interacts with their environment. The influence
of management and the stockperson can also
dramatically influence not only productivity
measures, but also the animals experience of a
particular situation. Thus resource-based measures
(RBMs like type of housing, allocation of resources,
stocking density etc) or management-based measures
(like breeding strategies, health plans etc) may be
a poor guarantee of high levels of animal welfare
in a particular situation. Some single Animal Based
Measures (ABMs) have been suggested as being
capable of providing and integrated assessment
of animal welfare including; corticosteroids, acute
phase proteins, and longevity (Hurnik, 1990;
Barnett and Hemsworth, 1990; Geers et al., 2003).
However, none of these single measures can cover
all the dimensions of welfare. It seem probable
that several measures are necessary to obtain a
comprehensive view of any particular animals
welfare (Friend, 1980; Dawkins, 1980; Webster,
1997; Rutter, 1998). Recognising the difficulties of
single measure approaches, grouped measures
have been used to advise farmers (Srensen et al.,
2001), in branded welfare certification schemes
(e.g. Freedom Food Scheme: Main et al., 2001),
and to compare systems to provide information
during the creation of new legislation (Bracke et
Area: Poultry Welfare and Environment August 06

Andrew Butterworth

here are moves to start to assess poultry

welfare on farm by looking at the animals
themselves (Animal Based Measures ABMs)
rather than, as is common in most existing
assurance schemes, to look at the resources
provided (space, light heat, litter material Resource
Based Measures RBMs). Practically speaking, it is
may be possible to combine RBMs and ABMs. For
example, if birds suffer pathology which results in
lameness (assessed using an ABM) it may be possible
to predict lameness if the litter condition is poor
(an RBM). Research scientists have for some time
suggested that ABMs could provide valid indicators
of animal welfare; since welfare is a characteristic of
the individual animal, not just of the system in which
animals are farmed. The sorts of questions which,
in general, are being asked are;
Are the animals properly fed and supplied
with water?
Are the animals properly housed?
Are the animals healthy?
Can the animals express a range of
behaviours and emotional states?

way which is considered meaningful, useful, and

credible, by the producer and the consumer. As
well as the potential benefits of the use of animal
based measures, there are clearly questions. Who
will carry the cost, can the measures be made in a
repeatable and reliable way within the timescale
of an routine assessment, how would they work
in relation to changing seasons, can a single farmbased score provide useful information, and can
ABMs fit into existing assessment frameworks?

XXIV
al., 2002) and to check compliance with legislative
requirements (Keeling and Svedberg, 1999).
Practically speaking, it is may be possible to
combine RBMs and ABMs. For example, if poultry
become lame (assessed using an ABM) it may be
possible to predict lameness if the litter condition
is poor (an RBM). However, the philosophy of ABM
based assessment is that, if there is measure from
the animal which fulfils the conditions described
above (practical, valid, repeatable, robust) then this
should be used in preference to the RBM alone
because a given litter condition may be very good
for one animal but very poor for another.

Andrew Butterworth

The sorts of questions which, in general, are

being asked are;
Are the animals properly fed and supplied
with water?
Are the animals properly housed?
Are the animals healthy?
Can the animals express a range of behaviours
and emotional states?

The
Welfare
Quality
measures for poultry
The questions listed above quite closely resemble
the elements of the five freedoms (Brambell, 1965),
and WelfareQuality (Blokhuis et al., 2003), through
collaboration between 41 institutes across Europe,
built on the these principles to develop on-farm and
slaughter assessment systems to address the key areas
of feeding, housing, health and disease and behaviour.
WelfareQuality
created
grouped
assessment
measures, which address twelve health and welfare
criteria (somewhat like the well known five freedoms),
and tested them on a large number of farms across
Europe. The twelve areas addressed were;
1. Animals should not suffer from prolonged
hunger, i.e. they should have a sufficient
and appropriate diet.
2. Animals should not suffer from prolonged
thirst, i.e. they should have a sufficient and
accessible water supply.
3. Animals should have comfort around
resting.
4. Animals should have thermal comfort, i.e.
they should neither be too hot nor too cold.
5. Animals should have enough space to be
able to move around freely.
6. Animals should be free of physical injuries.
7. Animals should be free of disease, i.e.
Area: Poultry Welfare and Environment August 06

Worlds Poultry Congress 5 - 9

August - 2012 Salvador - Bahia - Brazil

animal unit managers should maintain high

standards of hygiene and care.
8. Animals should not suffer pain induced
by inappropriate management, handling,
slaughter, or surgical procedures (e.g.
castration, dehorning).
9. Animals should be able to express normal,
non-harmful, social behaviours (e.g.
grooming).
10. Animals should be able to express other
normal behaviours, i.e. it should be
possible to express species-specific natural
behaviours such as foraging.
11. Animals should be handled well in all
situations, i.e. handlers should promote
good human-animal relationships.
12. Negative emotions such as fear, distress,
frustration or apathy should be avoided.
One specific aim of the Welfare Quality protocols
was to develop an integrated, standardized, and
wherever possible animal-based methodology for
the assessment of welfare, the Welfare Quality
protocols. The protocol for poultry comprises a
description of each of the measures to be carried
out by the assessor, followed by a table in which the
sampling order, sample sizes and sample duration
is presented. The scoring scheme can also be used
to provide feedback to the animal unit manager
or for other parties, such as consumers or retailers
(Botreau et al., 2007).
The percentage of birds moderately affected by
foot pad dermatitis are used to calculate an index, a
combined score which can be used to quantify the
extent and severity of the condition on the farm.
The twelve criteria areas for poultry assessment are
not all addressed at the farm inspection this is
because, and particularly so for poultry, it is most
efficient to collect some of the data on disease
incidence, and other welfare data relevant to the
catching, transport and slaughter process at the
slaughterhouse or during the slaughter process. For
this reason, Tables 2, 3 and 4 indicate the measures
used for poultry assessment and where they are
made (farm, slaughterhouse (but with data relating
to the farm), or slaughterhouse (with data relating
to the slaughter process).

Animal based measures in

the current animal legislation
As an example of how animal based measures
are now being incorporated into existing legislative

XXIV

Worlds Poultry Congress 5 - 9

August - 2012 Salvador - Bahia - Brazil

Table 1 - An example of a specific individual Welfare Quality measure for poultry pododermatitis.
Title

Foot pad dermatitis

Scope

Animal-based measure: Broiler chicken at slaughter

Method description

Foot pad dermatitis (or pododermatitis) is a contact dermatitis found on the skin of
the foot, most commonly on the central pad, but sometimes also on the toes. The
skin is turned dark by contact with litter and consequently deep skin lesions can
result. The scoring scale allows an assessment of the severity of these lesions.
During three separate recording periods of five minutes, score a proportion of the
birds passing the observation point where the foot pad is visible - this will provide a
sample of n (line speed birds per minute (ls) x number of minutes (t)).
Observe the birds where bottom of the feet are clearly visible.
Record number of birds passing per minute. Count number of birds with foot pad
lesions (b/c/d/e) use scoring category in photographic reference.
In the MEYN camera system, three scores are reported 0 (as 0 below), 1 (as 1
below) 2 (combining all score of 2 and above 2, 2+ and 2++)
To classify use calculation below, in which t = period of observation (minutes), F
a/b/c/d/e = number of birds with foot pad lesion, ls = line speed (birds per minute)
and n = number of birds observed in total (t x ls).
Percentage of birds with foot pad lesions in each category = ( F(0), F(1) etc../n) x
100%

Classification

Individual level:
Percentage (%) of birds with foot pad lesions in each category.
Andrew Butterworth

Figure 1 - Scale for visual observation scoring of pododermatitis.

structures, from July 1st 2010 new welfare rules for

meat chickens came into effect across the EU through
Directive 2007/43/EC. The Directive has a number
of practical implications for the poultry production
industry, the enforcement bodies and the consumer
including requirements for collection of trigger
level information associated with bird welfare,
keeper training (in physiology, feeding needs, animal
behaviour, the concept of stress, practical aspects of
poultry handling, catching, loading and transport,
emergency care, emergency killing and culling and
biosecurity measures), record keeping, poultry meat
labelling, statutory inspections and provision of codes
of management practice. The Directive also provides

criteria for lighting patterns, ventilation, air quality

parameters, humidity and temperature, litter quality,
house noise levels, cleaning schedules, inspection
intervals for animals, farm plans, alarm systems and
feed withdrawal times. In line with the requirements
of the Directive, a number of animal based outcome
parameters are being proposed to identify possible
on-farm welfare problems. Cumulative daily
mortality rate and seven post-mortem conditions
are monitored. The post-mortem conditions are: 1)
Ascites/Oedema, 2) Cellulitis & Dermatitis, 3) Dead
on arrival, 4) Emaciation, 5)Joint Lesions/Arthritis, 6)
Septicaemia/Respiratory and 7) Total rejections, and a
trigger level is also set for Foot Pad Dermatitis (FPD).
Area: Poultry Welfare and Environment August 06

XXIV

Worlds Poultry Congress 5 - 9

August - 2012 Salvador - Bahia - Brazil

Table 2 - Collection of data for broiler chicken on farm (actually measured on farm).
Welfare Criteria
Good feeding

Good housing

Good health

Appropriate
behaviour

Measures

Absence of prolonged hunger

No measure

Absence of prolonged thirst

Drinker space

Comfort around resting

Plumage cleanliness, litter quality, dust sheet test

Thermal comfort

Panting, huddling

Ease of movement

Stocking density

Absence of injuries

Lameness, hock burn, foot pad dermatitis

Absence of disease

On farm mortality, culls on farm

Absence of pain induced by No measure

management procedures

Expression of social behaviours

No measure

10 Expression of other behaviours

Cover on the range, free range

11 Good human-animal relationship

Avoidance distance test (ADT)

12 Absence of fearfulness

Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA)

Table 3 - Collection of data for broiler chicken on farm (but measured at the slaughter house) These measures
are assessments of disease which are made at the slaughterhouse but which reflect disease conditions
indicating the farm life of the bird and are not reflections of the slaughter process.
Welfare Criteria
Andrew Butterworth

Good feeding

Good housing

Absence of prolonged hunger

Emaciation

Absence of prolonged thirst

No measure

Comfort around resting

No measure

Thermal comfort

No measure

Ease of movement

No measure

Absence of injuries

Breast burns, hock burn, foot pad dermatitis

Absence of disease

Ascites, dehydration, septicaemia, hepatitis,

pericarditis, abscess

Absence
of
pain
induced
management procedures

Expression of social behaviours

No measure

10 Expression of other behaviours

No measure

11 Good human-animal relationship

No measure

12 Absence of fearfulness

No measure

Good health

Appropriate
behaviour

Discussion
The tools being developed in animal based
measure (ABM) or outcome based measure (OBM)
systems now under development in Europe evolve
the trend toward inclusion of assessment techniques
which reflect what can be measured on the animal.
It seems likely that some ABMs are likely to find their
way into poultry farm assessment schemes, and,
to a certain degree, already have started to do so

Measures

Area: Poultry Welfare and Environment August 06

by No measure

into the farmed poultry legislature. There are clearly

questions; Who will carry the cost, can the measures
be made in a repeatable and reliable way within the
timescale of an routine assessment, how would they
work in relation to changing seasons, can a single
farm-based score provide useful information, and
can ABMs fit into existing assessment frameworks?
The inclusion of ABMs is a ripple or evolution (not
a wave of revolution) and if ABMs do begin to
make their way into farm assessment methods and
the legislation, then this will most likely take place

XXIV

Worlds Poultry Congress 5 - 9

August - 2012 Salvador - Bahia - Brazil

Table 4 - Collection of data for broiler chicken at slaughterhouse (these measures relate directly to the
assessment of the slaughter process).
Welfare Criteria
Good feeding

Good housing

Good health

Appropriate
behaviour

Measures

Absence of prolonged hunger

Feed withdrawal time

Absence of prolonged thirst

Water withdrawal time

Comfort around resting

No measure

Thermal comfort

Panting on lorry and/or lairage

Ease of movement

Stocking density in crates

Absence of injuries

Wing damage, bruising

Absence of disease

Dead on arrival (DOA)

Absence of pain induced by management Pre-stun shock, effectiveness of stunning

procedures

Expression of social behaviours

No measure

10 Expression of other behaviours

No measure

11 Good human-animal relationship

No measure

12 Absence of fearfulness

Flapping on the line

gradually and without the removal of the existing

frameworks which protect farmed poultry.

Acknowledgement

The text of this paper is derived from the Welfare

Quality protocols for poultry. Details can be found
at; http://www.welfarequality.net/everyone

GEERS, R., PETERSEN, B., HUYSMANS, K., KNURADESZCZKA, S., DE BECKER, M., GYMNICH, S.,
HENOT, D., HISS, S. and SAUERWEIN, H. (2003) OnFarm Monitoring of Pig Welfare by Assessment of
Housing, Management, Health Records and Plasma
Haptoglobin. Animal Welfare 12:643-647.
HURNIK , J.F. (1990) Worlds poultry science association
invited lecture: Animal welfare: ethical aspects and
practical considerations. Poultry Science 69:18271834.

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Andrew Butterworth

The work presented was part of the Welfare

Quality research project which was co-financed by
the European Commission, within the 6th Framework
Programme, contract No FOOD-CT-2004-506508.
The text represents the authors views and does not
necessarily represent a position of the Commission
who will not be liable for the use made of such
information.

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