Largest-ever study on welfare of chickens raised for meat confirms suffering for billions of ‘rapid growth’ birds

The largest study ever conducted on the welfare of chickens raised for meat confirms that fast-growing breeds continue to face significant welfare issues.

The University of Guelph, Canada, study included 7,500 chickens from 16 different strains and took two years to complete.

Previous studies have indicated that chickens raised for meat are prone to health and welfare problems, and this new research demonstrates that despite recent breeding objectives, selection for rapid growth and breast-meat yield continues to leave conventional chicken strains with issues such as reduced mobility, foot pad lesions, muscle damage and disproportionate heart and lung development.

According to the Humane Society International (HSI), rapid-growth birds make up the majority of chickens raised for commercial meat production and are bred over generations to grow unusually fast.

The rapid growth birds go from hatch to slaughter in six weeks, and are usually kept in overcrowded sheds of factory farms, the HSI added.

Slower growing chickens tested in the same research trial had consistently better health and behavioural outcomes.

“While this high productivity means affordable, consistent product, it has come at a cost to broiler welfare,” said a summary report of the study.

“More than 750 million chickens were raised and slaughtered for meat in Canada last year,” said Riana Topan, HSI. “This study confirms what we already suspected: that the fast growth and tremendous weight these animals have been bred to reach results in very poor welfare, and a life of pain.”

Topan went on to say that responsible food companies in Canada should move away from rapid growth birds, and consumers should be more aware of what they’re buying at the grocery store or at a restaurant.

HSI said that the University of Guelph worked independently on the study, but accepted input and advice from chicken breeding companies, who provided the animals for the study and advised on their needs.

Based on the study’s results, Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.), a leading farm animal welfare certification and labeling program, will revise its standard on the welfare of chickens to account for the findings.