25.08.2009

The National Farmers' Union  has responded to calls from the RSPCA and other welfare organisations that would bar UK producers from using the same legal stocking densities as their European counterparts.
The Broiler Welfare Directive came into European law in 2007 and will be implemented in the UK in 2010. For the first time, it sets stocking limits for chickens reared for meat.
The directive allows producers to stock to 33kg/m2 to 39kg/m2 if certain welfare indicators are measured and shown not to be compromised. This can be increased to 42kg/m2 if results of monitoring for the previous seven cycles of birds meet directive standards - and that is where the RSPCA has criticised the legislation.
NFU poultry board chairman Charles Bourns said that welfare indicators such as daily mortality rates and leg and foot health, all issues highlighted by welfare groups like the RSPCA, will be monitored and recorded by Defra vets and farmers.
He said: "Should the results of this monitoring show bird welfare is lacking, producers can be prevented from stocking above 33kg/m2. The Broiler Welfare Directive is outcome-based legislation and allows modern, efficient farms with skilled stockmen to operate to higher stocking rates if they can demonstrate bird welfare is not compromised.
"The UK government has pledged to cut red tape for industry, and what the RSPCA is proposing is simple gold-plating of EU legislation."
Currently most UK broiler producers stock to a density of 38kg/m2 under the Assured Chicken Production Scheme to carry the Red Tractor logo. There is currently no legal limit for stocking densities in the UK. However chickens are covered by the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations.
The NFU has written to Defra minister Jim Fitzpatrick calling on Defra to not gold plate the directive.