Modern fast-growing broiler breeds experience chronic welfare problems linked to extreme growth rates. Higher welfare breeds that grow more slowly offer dramatic improvements in bird health and quality of life.
Fast-growing broiler breeds exist in a state of chronic physiological stress. Their cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems cannot keep pace with the demands of extreme growth, resulting in birds that are often lame by the end of their short lives, unable to walk comfortably to food and water. The suffering is pervasive and systemic — affecting the majority of the 70+ billion chickens raised for meat annually. Slower-growing breeds, combined with improved environmental enrichment and lighting programs, represent the most significant available improvement to commercial broiler welfare. Consumer pressure and corporate commitments are translating welfare science into market change.