Outcome-based welfare metrics for broiler chickens are transforming how farms are assessed, moving beyond input standards to measure animal experience directly.
Welfare auditing based on animals rather than just systems represents a paradigm shift. A farm can tick all the input boxes — perch space, enrichment provision — yet still produce birds with appalling footpad scores and lame gait. Outcome metrics expose this gap. High-welfare programmes like the Better Chicken Commitment specify both input standards and outcome thresholds, with independent auditing. Retailers adopting these commitments create market pressure for genuine improvement rather than paper compliance.