Our Animals For Good

We are committed to high levels of bird welfare and take a science-based approach: carefully monitoring key indicators to assess whether we are consistently meeting, and exceeding, our standards and expectations.

Over many years we have established a track record, not just for good welfare, but for continual improvement. An approach that means good is never good enough, and that there is always room for improvement. This is reflected in our welfare outcomes, which are consistently best-in-class and amongst the best in Europe, for the birds that we rear.

In addition to our moral welfare obligations, it is often overlooked that's what's good for our birds is good for business. It is in our interest to ensure that our birds are in the best possible health, as sick, injured or birds that die on farm do not enter the human food chain.

Health and wellbeing

All of our sites are Red Tractor assured as a minimum and subject to high standards and regular audits. In practice, good welfare means:

Understanding the individual needs of each species and making sure they are met.
Monitoring the tell-tale signs of good welfare.
Demanding continual improvement from the teams charged with their care.

Welfare

We firmly believe that the single most important factor in providing high standards of welfare is people. That’s why we employ, and work with, professional, experienced farm teams and provide them with the training and support they need to look after their birds. This support includes technical advice and standards, regular internal and external audits, support from their management team and veterinary backup if required.

Alongside this we recognise the need to continually invest – in infrastructure, training and technology as well as new farming approaches. From climate to cleaning, feed to facilities, we’re always looking at how welfare can keep evolving and improving.

High Standards

Capping it all is close monitoring; from daily checks of health and wellbeing on the farm to statistical reviews and analysis of welfare outcomes. We use a wealth of information to ensure overall high standards across our business.

Newly hatched chick in hand landscape

Cage free

We do not use cages. All of our chickens and turkeys are reared in large, airy barns and have the ability to roam freely and flap their wings.

Housing

All of our birds live in large barns where they are free to move around and flap their wings. Keeping birds inside allows us to create a safe and comfortable environment whilst maintaining the highest levels of biosecurity. In this environment, birds are also shielded from diseases (e.g. Avian Influenza) and wild predators.

Hormones free

We never use growth hormones. In fact, growth hormones aren’t used at all in the UK poultry industry and have been illegal since the early 1980’s. Our birds’ growth is natural, based on their diet, their environment and their breed.

Diet

Our birds’ feed is natural, most of it is vegetarian and we mill it ourselves in one of our mills, or another accredited site. We tailor the feed to the species and their age, to make sure they get exactly what they need, but the basic ingredients are wheat, soya, oil seed rape, vitamins and minerals. Organic and Bronze turkeys are also fed fish meal as an additional source of protein.

Baldness

Like many birds, chickens and turkeys all shed their down feathers, which are replaced by adult feathers. This is a perfectly natural process but means that, during the transition, bald areas are common. Our birds would rather peck at the drinkers, feeders, or other pecking objects than each other.

Antibiotic use

We never use antibiotics routinely and only if a bacterial disease has been identified by a vet. We work hard to keep our birds healthy and avoid the need for medication, but if a bird is sick we would much rather help it get better than let it suffer.

No Antibiotics in meat

Antibiotic residue does not find its way into the food chain. Any animal that is treated with antibiotics is observed for a specific amount of time after the course has been completed to ensure that the antibiotics are not in the meat.

As a checking measure, we also test samples of meat each month to prove that they do not contain antibiotics.

Beak trimming

We know that some types of poultry have the potential to be a bit feisty. To prevent them from harming the other birds around them we use an infra-red beak treatment to trim their beak at an early age. It’s permitted by the RSPCA and we’re happy that it’s the best way to do it.

No Genetic modification

None of our birds are cloned or subject to genetic engineering. Modern poultry breeds have been developed through a process of natural selection alone.

Stunning

All of our birds are pre-stunned and unconscious before slaughter. There are no exceptions.

Our Animals

Health and wellbeing

Welfare

High Standards

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