Report No. 269
B. Broilers:
3.11 Since the last four decades the poultry business has been a backyard affair, but today, it has expanded into a massive industry. Broiler chickens are bred and raised to gain maximum body weight in the shortest period of time. Birds are bred through trait selection in order to achieve maximum weight with maximum feed conversion ratio36, with little regard for the welfare of the bird. Rapid growth of muscle on an infantile skeletal structure makes the broilers prone to joint, bone and ligament disorders.
As a result, these birds suffer from leg deformities and lameness. The welfare implications for caging broilers raise several welfare concerns as observed in battery cages for layers. Therefore, the usage of broiler battery cages should be discontinued and the system of cage-free rearing ought to be preferred with improvements in stocking density, feed, and hygiene. The entire process from housekeeping to transport to slaughter must be made humane.