26.07.2012

New standards covering the welfare of chickens raised for their meat came into effect today.
The purpose of this code is to set out the minimum standard of care that owners of meat chickens (broilers) and persons who are in charge of them must achieve order to meet their obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 (the Act). The code applies to all persons responsible for the welfare of meat chickens. This includes people in day-to-day charge of meat chickens, as well as the companies that own the meat chickens and hatcheries.
This code applies to meat chickens raised for commercial production, regardless of whether they are raised with access to the outdoors or in a fully-housed system.
NAWAC is an expert committee formed to give advice about animal welfare to the Minister for Primary Industries.