Farm Animal Welfare

Broiler Chicken Gait Scoring for Welfare Monitoring

Gait scoring in broiler chickens is a validated tool that rapidly identifies lameness prevalence and guides management improvements.

Key Facts

The Bristol Gait Score uses a 0-5 scale from normal to unable to walk
Over 25% of commercial broilers show detectable gait impairment
Gait score above 3 indicates significant pain and mobility limitation
Slower-growing breeds show markedly lower lameness prevalence
Flooring, litter quality, and stocking density all influence gait scores

Welfare Considerations

Lameness is one of the most significant welfare problems in broiler production, associated with chronic pain and reduced access to food and water. Gait scoring makes the problem visible and measurable.

What You Can Do

Support welfare certification schemes that include gait scoring requirements
Choose slower-growing breed products where available
Ask retailers about their broiler welfare commitments