Meat Chickens
What are the animal welfare issues with selecting meat chickens for fast growth?
Chicken is the most popular meat consumed by Australians – on average, Australians eat 47 kg of chicken each year.
Do slow growing meat chickens have better welfare than fast growing meat chickens?
In Australia, the two predominant commercial breeds of meat chicken are conventional fast-growing breeds. These breeds have been selectively bred over time to rapidly gain muscle mass and reach slaughter weight at 4-5 weeks of age to meet production and consumer demands.
What are the animal welfare issues with poultry slaughter?
Meat chickens and layer hens, the main types of poultry farmed in Australia, are two different breeds of birds and are grown for different purposes. Meat chickens are raised for meat production so have been bred to grow and gain weight very rapidly.