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On Farm welfare

The Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales detail standards under which you must keep farm animals.

The regulations require that anyone attending animals must be familiar with and have access to appropriate welfare codes (available below). The codes are specific to each species of animal and aim to establish the highest standards of husbandry. They cover general requirements for stockmanship, health, feeding, accommodation and management, as well as specific requirements for breeding and the dairy sector.

Welfare codes do not lay down statutory requirements. However keepers are required by law to ensure that all those attending to their livestock are familiar with, and have access to, the relevant codes. Although the main aim of the welfare codes is to encourage farmers to adopt high standards of husbandry, they may also be used to back up legislative requirements. Where a person is charged with a welfare offence, failure to comply with the provisions of a welfare code may be relied on by the prosecution to establish guilt.

Animal Health carries out welfare inspections which may be planned visits, spot checks or following up allegations of poor welfare. Notice can be served to enforce regulations and, where necessary, Defra can initiate prosecutions for welfare offences.

Cattle

Pigs

Sheep and goats

Poultry

Defra information guides:

Maximum Stocking Density for Broilers
Regulations setting a maximum stocking density limit of 39kg/m² for conventionally reared broilers (chickens kept for meat production) came into effect in 2010. The regulations also require keepers of 500 or more conventionally reared meat chickens to notify Animal Health if they wish to stock birds at more than 33kg/m² up to a maximum of 39kg/m². Notification can be made through a Meat Chicken Notification Form .

Although those who directly care for meat chickens are encouraged to undertake formal training, the regulations allow for the recognition of prior experience as equivalent to such training (known as ‘Grandfather Rights’). Keepers will be able to apply for Grandfather Rights until 30 June 2011, providing they meet the necessary criteria as set out on the Notification Form, which should also be used to apply for ‘Grandfather Rights’.

  • The Meat Chicken Notification Form can be found on our forms page.

Further details about the Directive’s requirements can be found in the attached Questions & Answers document (PDF 163KB), or from:

Queries about the Notification Form should be directed to your local Animal Health office.

Ratites (emu, ostrich and rhea)

Ratite welfare is covered by The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Council of Europe Recommendations concerning ratites are not part of UK legislation, but offer you guidance on best practice.

Game birds
Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes (links to Defra)

Deer
Deer are temperamentally different to other farm animals and require special handling to avoid harm to either the deer or the handlers.
Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Deer
Poultry welfare advice and guidance (links to Businesslink)
A Health and Safety Executive factsheet on deer farming (PDF) highlights the risks and advises on topics including restraint and the use of tranquillisers.

Rabbits

Horses

Page last modified: 26 July, 2011