Avian Influenza and Poultry Welfare: Culling and Biosecurity

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) causes suffering in affected birds and leads to mass culling programs with significant welfare implications for tens of millions of poultry.

Key Facts

The 2021-2022 HPAI outbreak in Europe was the largest ever recorded with over 47 million birds affected
Culling methods used in HPAI response include CO2 gassing, whole house gassing, and live burial in rare cases
Wild birds including geese and swans are significantly affected by HPAI with mass mortality events
Intensive poultry housing concentrates birds and enables rapid disease spread

Welfare Considerations

HPAI in poultry causes severe respiratory and neurological disease with significant suffering before death. Mass culling programs aim to stop disease spread but their welfare implications are significant. CO2 gassing at high concentrations causes aversion and distress before unconsciousness. Whole-house gassing using CO2 or nitrogen foam is faster but varies in effectiveness across the building. Live burial and maceration are emergency methods used only when other options are unavailable and cause significant suffering. Culling of healthy contact flocks prevents spread but involves killing animals that have not yet suffered. Wild birds including swans and geese die in large numbers during HPAI events with no management capacity to euthanize affected individuals. Intensive housing that concentrates birds amplifies outbreak severity.

What You Can Do

Report sick or dead wild birds showing neurological symptoms to DEFRA or equivalent
Follow biosecurity requirements when visiting poultry facilities or areas with HPAI
Advocate for research into more humane culling methods for avian influenza response
Support poultry housing welfare improvements that can also reduce disease concentration
Learn about the links between intensive farming and pandemic disease risk