This is a subscriber-only article
A severe tightening of poultry management rules has been advised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which could slash poultry farmer margins if adopted by the EU.
The EFSA published its opinion on how broilers and layers should be managed, with its recommendations feeding into ongoing updates to EU animal welfare rules under the Farm to Fork strategy.
It recommended that a 50g/day limit is put on broiler daily liveweight gains, which would more than halve growth rates on the average unit.
To do this, the agency wants to cut the protein fed to broilers by a quarter, dilute rations with fibre and introduce slower growing traits into breeding lines.
It said that slower growing birds will experience less health and mobility issues.
A ban on any cages for laying hens was advised, with a maximum stocking density drop to four birds/m² in laying houses – a cut of around 60% on the current rules.
It also recommended cutting back the stocking densities allowed for growing broilers to almost three-quarters of the current allowance, from 42kg/m² to 11kg/m².
The agency’s opinion states that a stocking density greater than 11kg/m² increases the incidence of footpad dermatitis, impairs bird comfort and prevents the full expression of animal behaviour.
Costs would come under pressure from the other housing requirements proposed by the EFSA which include allowing all birds to have outdoor access to areas with a 50% covering of trees or plants.
It wants more enrichment materials in housing areas and for more perches to be installed in poultry houses.
Egg farmer Brendan Soden
The proposals that came forward from the EFSA are “completely unworkable”, as the higher costs associated with reducing stocking rates and updating facilities will not be paid by the consumer, poultry farmer Brendan Soden said.
“It’s complete madness. If they are looking to cut stocking densities by 60% it will make eggs 60% dearer. It’s as simple as that,” Soden told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“It’s the same as most things, in that the farmer has been left to the side. Farmers are prepared to do anything as long as it’s financially viable, but is the consumer willing to pay for all of this.”
Chicken farmer Vincent Quinn
Broiler grower Vincent Quinn maintains that if the advice is put into legislation, chicken will no longer an option for shoppers choosing meat from supermarket shelves.
Pushing standards to such a high bar will outprice EU chicken from its own home market, leaving imports to fill the gap, Quinn pointed out.
“There’s no way you can drop stocking densities as low, it is uneconomic and puts chicken beyond being competitive on price,” he commented.
“If imports are still allowed, price competitiveness with other countries will be totally gone.”
SHARING OPTIONS: