Recent research provides assurance to companies worried about the costs and emissions associated with adhering to the European Chicken Commitment. The findings indicate that these costs are minimal, paving the way for broader adoption of welfare-oriented practices in poultry farming.
A new commentary published in Nature Food examines the implications of the European Chicken Commitment, which urges food companies to adopt slower-growing breeds and elevated welfare standards. While concerns regarding cost and emissions have hindered progress, this research aims to put those fears into perspective.
Reassessing Cost Assumptions
Using EU carbon externality costs—the fee companies incur for emitting 1 tonne of CO₂ under the EU Emissions Trading System—the study reveals the cost of preventing each hour of intense pain in chickens is less than one-hundredth of a cent. This cost equates to the emissions produced from a standard car driving approximately 15 meters.
The research demonstrates that transitioning from fast-growing to slower-growing chicken breeds in line with the European Chicken Commitment can save between 15 and 100 hours of intense pain per bird, with only a marginal increase of US$1 in meat production costs. These findings challenge the narrative that higher welfare systems are prohibitively expensive or inefficient, offering a comprehensive framework for evaluating welfare, economic, and environmental factors.
Examining Environmental Metrics
The study also questions the justification of intensive animal agriculture’s focus on rapid growth based on environmental grounds. It highlights the significant welfare issues tied to such practices while revealing minimal differences in environmental performance.
Employing the Welfare Footprint Framework—a new scientific approach for quantifying animal welfare—the research delves into the severe impacts of current industrial practices on broiler chickens, the most abundant land vertebrates (over 70 billion birds each year). Rapid growth rates contribute to widespread conditions such as lameness, cardiovascular problems, heat stress, and chronic hunger, often resulting in debilitating pain.
Prioritizing Animal Welfare in Policy
“These figures represent more than just statistics; they enable us to position animal welfare alongside other critical policy priorities,” stated Dr. Kate Hartcher, senior researcher at the Welfare Footprint Institute and co-author of the study. “When we juxtapose the costs of avoiding severe pain against those of other externalities, the evidence is compelling.”
Additionally, the welfare impacts extend to the parent birds involved in the production of meat chicks, which endure severe feed restrictions to control growth. This results in lifelong hunger and extreme distress endured even before their offspring hatch.
“To meaningfully improve welfare in meat chicken production, we need genetic changes. Without them, mother hens must continue to endure extreme hunger to avoid the health problems caused by rapid growth.” – Dr. Cynthia Schuck-Paim, Scientific Director of the Welfare Footprint Institute
Understanding the Impact on Animal Welfare
Historically, animal welfare has lacked a standardized framework for measurement alongside financial and environmental indices. The Welfare Footprint Framework addresses this gap, enabling animal welfare impacts to be quantified and assessed in straightforward, comparable terms.
This research marks a potential transformational moment in how animal welfare is treated within food systems. By offering a scientific, clear method for assessing animal experiences, the Welfare Footprint Framework lays the groundwork for meaningful reforms and ensures animals remain part of critical discussions in agricultural policymaking.
The study titled The Welfare Footprint Framework can help balance animal welfare with other food system priorities was a collaborative effort involving the Welfare Footprint Institute, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the University of Colorado Boulder (US).
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