Broiler chicken welfare in intensive systems is compromised from genetics to slaughter — the scale is enormous.
Broiler chicken welfare is arguably the single largest animal welfare issue by number of affected individuals. Seventy billion individuals processed annually, each with a high probability of suffering from leg weakness, cardiovascular stress, and inadequate enrichment. The industry is responding to welfare commitments from major food companies, with slower-growing breeds and better-managed environments showing dramatically improved outcomes. But progress has been slow and many commitments remain unfulfilled. Continued consumer and corporate pressure is the primary driver of improvement in this sector.