What is the RSPCA’s view on farming rabbits for meat? The way in which rabbits are farmed for meat results in a number of welfare concerns. These concerns arise from...
What is veal? Veal is the meat from a younger animal of either a dairy breed, dairy crossbreed or beef breed. Dairy and...
What are the animal welfare issues associated with duck production? Ducks may be farmed in Australia for their meat, eggs or feathers. Domestic ducks used in duck farming all originate...
What is the RSPCA’s view on sustainable farm animal production? In the debate about feeding a growing world population and in which livestock industries often see an opportunity to increase...
How are dairy goats farmed? Domestication of goats began centuries ago. Goats live in herds, and are social animals, living 8-15 years. Australia has developed...
What are the animal welfare issues with dairy goat farming? Goats, particularly young goats, are inquisitive and playful and their housing system must be able to satisfy natural behaviours that...
What are the animal welfare issues with individual housing of sheep? The permanent housing of sheep in a single pen for the purpose of fine wool production was effectively banned in...
What happens with male chicks in the egg industry? In the egg industry, the sex of day-old chicks is determined at the hatchery. Sexing chicks (determining whether they are...
What is the RSPCA doing to get hens out of battery cages? The RSPCA is strongly opposed to battery cages and believes there must now be a legislative phase-out of their use....
What are the animal welfare issues associated with turkey production? Turkeys, along with chickens and ducks, are one of the more common species of poultry farmed for meat. Domestic turkeys...
What are the animal welfare challenges associated with meat chicken production? Chickens grown for meat production are genetically very different from layer hens bred to produce eggs. Meat chickens have been...
Does the RSPCA promote veganism or vegetarianism? When some people become aware of the realities of large-scale animal farming, they choose to become vegetarian or vegan. The...
What are the animal welfare issues associated with pig production? In Australia, pigs farmed for meat may be housed in intensive indoor, semi-indoor (outdoor-bred) or outdoor (free-range) farming systems. Intensive...
What is the RSPCA’s view on the farming of wild animals? While domesticated animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry have been bred and reared specifically as farm animals for...
What are Ag-gag laws and how would they affect transparency and trust in animal production? An “Ag-gag” law is the name given to legislation designed to curb the rise in animal activist monitoring and investigative...
How can I help change farming practices to improve animal welfare? Some of the ways you can act to help improve livestock farming practices for better animal welfare: learning more about...
What is virtual fencing (and virtual herding) and does it impact animal welfare? What is virtual fencing? Virtual fencing aims to remotely map and control livestock grazing behaviour without the use of fixed...
How are pigs farmed in Australia? Pigs are intelligent, sociable and inquisitive animals. Historically pigs were farmed as an additional source of income in the dairy...
How are meat chickens farmed in Australia? Chickens are sociable, quirky and inquisitive creatures. Descended from jungle fowl, they still possess instincts strongly aligned with seeking shelter...
Why is good litter condition important for meat chicken welfare? Meat chickens, even those that are provided with access to an outdoor range area, will spend the majority of their...