PoultryWorld: RSPCA Assured: Tougher welfare standards coming

In the UK, RSPCA Assured is introducing stricter welfare standards for its members this autumn.

The updated standards, which come into force on 29 September, cover a range of areas. They include:

• The requirement of a housing confinement contingency plan with veterinary input, which will be used in the event free-range birds need to be housed (e.g., during disease housing orders).
• Responsible antibiotic usage: New standards take a “prevention is better than cure” approach and require antibiotics to be used responsibly and only when necessary, with prophylactic use now prohibited. Each farm must also have an annual on-farm antibiotic use review to be part of the Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan.
• AI and CCTV upgrades in abattoirs: The new standards also strongly recommend that producers adopt new AI technology to improve animal welfare at slaughterhouses. The RSPCA is reviewing Intelligent Camera Surveillance for abattoirs to increase welfare oversight and flag up issues in real time.
• Verandas installation recommendation: A new ibox recommends that verandas be installed on all free-range chicken units. This is to encourage ranging, improve litter and provide semi-outdoor shelter. This is a recommendation, not a mandatory requirement.

Commenting on the changes, RSPCA Assured assistant director of certification, Neil Scott, said: “Our RSPCA Assured members have been helping us to improve the welfare of chickens since 1996, when the first RSPCA welfare standards for chickens were published. All RSPCA Assured members want the best for the animals in their care, and we hope these updated standards will help them to keep achieving their higher welfare goals.”

Continual improvements

The Assurance scheme said welfare standards are continually improved and progressed using the latest scientific research, robust evidence and practical farming experience.

During this process, the RSPCA consults other animal welfare and agricultural scientists, veterinary surgeons, retailers and farming industry representatives to ensure the standards continue to be at the forefront of farm animal care and welfare, whilst also being achievable on commercial farms.

A pilot in Iceland

The assurance scheme works with a number of supermarkets and recently struck a deal with Iceland, saying it would be piloting RSPCA Assured barn eggs in 35 of its stores from 3 July. Iceland has been under pressure from animal welfare groups after dropping its commitment to stop selling eggs from caged hens by the end of 2025.

Iceland’s director of products, process and sustainability, Stuart Lendrum, said the move was part of the company’s offer to provide a wider range of welfare options at prices people could afford.

“We’re pleased to be able to announce this pilot and hope it will prove popular with customers,” Lendrum said.

The RSPCA Assured updated standards can be found here.