Welfare considerations in Japanese quail egg and meat production and how standards can better address species-specific behavioral needs.
Quail welfare occupies a relatively neglected space in farm animal welfare, receiving less regulatory and research attention than chickens despite similar behavioral and cognitive capacities. The extreme stocking densities typical of commercial quail production cause feather pecking and cannibalism at rates that reflect severe welfare compromise. Quail beak trimming, often practiced to reduce cannibalism, causes acute and potentially chronic pain. Welfare-positive quail production requires appropriate space allowances, environmental complexity including dust bathing substrate and cover, and lighting programs that reduce stress-driven aggression.