Fast-growth broiler breeds are at the centre of a major welfare controversy. Their rapid weight gain causes serious health problems that affect hundreds of billions of birds annually.
Fast-growth broilers represent the single largest welfare problem by number of animals affected in the global food system. Hundreds of billions of birds per year suffer from lameness, heart failure, and respiratory problems directly caused by selective breeding for maximum growth rate. A bird that cannot walk without pain and spends most of its short life lying in contact with wet litter is experiencing significant chronic welfare compromise. Slower-growing breeds with access to enrichment and outdoor areas show dramatically better welfare outcomes. Transitioning the global broiler industry to these breeds is the most impactful single action available to consumers, businesses, and policymakers.