How biosecurity measures to prevent avian influenza create welfare trade-offs for free-range poultry, and approaches that balance disease prevention with behavioral needs.
Mandatory housing during avian influenza outbreaks creates a genuine welfare dilemma: outdoor access and behavioral freedom are fundamental to free-range welfare standards, yet confinement may be genuinely necessary to prevent devastating disease outbreaks that would kill millions of birds. Extended mandatory housing — sometimes lasting months — effectively converts free-range systems into indoor systems for significant periods. Progressive approaches explore biosecurity designs that reduce wild bird contact without full confinement, improving the trade-off between disease prevention and behavioral welfare. Consumer and regulatory approaches to labelling during mandatory housing must balance honesty about conditions with fairness to farmers responding to genuine biosecurity requirements.