Recommendations

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Recommendations

In developing its recommendations, the Working Group took into account the key issues of the layer hen housing at that time:

  • Growing community pressure for improved welfare outcomes;

  • All layer hen housing systems had their own advantages and disadvantages on welfare aspects as well as varying concerns on grounds of commercial viability, hen health, OH&S and food safety;

  • Industry's need for some certainty as to government policy in relation to egg production systems to ensure that informed investment decisions occurred. Many of the cages in use were installed in the 1970’s (or earlier) and nearing the end of their life span;

  • There was general support from industry and welfare groups of the need to improve some aspects of hen housing systems and management that affect not only hen welfare, but also food safety and biosecurity. All aspects needed to be viewed together;

  • Developments which propose to phase out conventional cages in the EU were yet to be fully implemented or taken up elsewhere;

  • Ultimately, any solution to animal welfare issues in relation to egg production would require a judgement on balance having regard to the competing scientific, economic and moral issues involved.

In this context, the Working Group recommended that:

Egg Labelling

  1. National standards for egg labelling in relation to production methods included definitions of all egg production systems operating in Australia and minimum specifications, ie. standard descriptions, print font size and siting on packaging.

  2. The egg industry and government jointly developed national standards for egg labelling, in consultation with the retail sector, consumers, animal welfare groups and other stakeholders. Draft standards were prepared within six months for consideration and endorsement by ARMCANZ. Once endorsed, the standards would be implemented within six months thereafter.

  3. As a preferred approach, national standards for egg labelling would be implemented by the egg industry as part of a national quality assurance program for the egg production industry – an Egg Production Assurance Program (EPAP). EPAP to include provision for third party auditing of egg producers for compliance with egg labelling standards. Implementation of EPAP was to be accompanied by an education program to assist consumers in understanding the various production systems and the descriptions on the labelling.

  4. Implementation of national standards for egg labelling to be reviewed jointly by the egg industry and government after twelve months of operation. The review to determine the level of take-up of the standards and if any changes to them may be required. If implementation is not considered satisfactory, then uniform national legislation to enable stricter regulation of the standards should be immediately developed (possibly under TPA/Fair Trading legislation).

Existing Legislation and Model Code of Practice for Domestic Poultry

  1. To deliver some early improvement to layer hen welfare, existing State and Territory Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals legislation be amended as follows:

    1. An increase in floor space allocation for cage hens to require:

      • Calculation of floor space allocations per bird for all cages to exclude the area under the egg baffle from 1 January 2001;

      • By July 2002, a minimum of 500 cm2 per hen (for 3 or more hens under 2.4 kg);
        .. the requirement for 1 or 2 bird cages and for cages with 3 of more birds of greater than 2.4kg liveweight will remain unchanged, other than the requirement to exclude from measurement the area under the egg baffle; and
    2. Mandatory accreditation under a national program for anyone performing beak trimming of poultry of any age.

  2. SCARM Animal Welfare Committee establish a working group to revise the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Domestic Poultry (3rd edition). The revised Model Code to be tabled at the ARMCANZ March 2001 meeting for endorsement. Once endorsed, the revised Model Code be implemented within twelve months thereafter.

  3. In addition to the points under Recommendation 5, the following issues be addressed in the revised Model Code:

    1. Comprehensive requirements for all alternative egg production systems operating in Australia, ie. barn and free-range systems;

    2. An increase in floor space allocation for cage hens to require a provision (to be subject to the European Union move to 550cm2 per bird in 2003 being fully implemented) of a minimum of 550 cm2 per hen (for 3 or more hens under 2.4 kg) by July 2005;

    3. Development of criteria that distinguishes improved cage designs from those designs with less acceptable features e.g. cage openings, partitions, cage condition;

    4. Requirements for the pre- and post-laying stages of hen housing, i.e. the treatment of chicks and spent hens.

  4. In order to provide some certainty to industry, ARMCANZ should agree that existing or new cage systems that meet the Model Code requirements (once it is revised) be allowed to operate up to 2015.

National Quality Assurance Program for Egg Production

  1. A comprehensive national quality assurance program for the egg production industry – an Egg Production Assurance Program (EPAP) should be developed. EPAP should address animal welfare issues, hen health, food safety, biosecurity, egg labelling (as mentioned above) and include provision for third party auditing.

  2. The Australian Egg Industry Association (AEIA) was requested by ARMCANZ to develop a first draft of an EPAP within twelve months. Implementation by industry should then occur progressively, but industry should be encouraged to fully implement EPAP within eighteen months thereafter. While prime responsibility would rest with industry for development and implementation of EPAP, Commonwealth and State/Territory governments should examine ways they can facilitate the development.

  3. To give the development of EPAP further impetus, ARMCANZ should endorse the need for legislative underpinning of EPAP, i.e. co-regulation, and request SCARM to examine suitable arrangements to achieve a uniform national approach to this development.

Research and Development

  1. ARMCANZ recommend to the egg industry and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation the following key areas for further research and development on layer hen housing systems:

    1. Field evaluation of commercial alternative systems under Australian conditions (particularly barns and furnished/enriched cage systems) to identify successful combinations of system design, management strategies, hen genotypes and other parameters of alternatives to conventional cage systems (to be followed by the development and extension steps to implement change);

    2. Identification of hen genotypes suited to barn and free range systems, i.e. identify genotypes less inclined to feather pecking, cannibalism and other undesirable behaviours in large flocks (notwithstanding the increasing trend to obtain strains from overseas);

    3. Further economic evaluation of the industry to gain greater understanding of future investment options; and

    4. Management training for the various production systems, including animal welfare aspects.

International Developments

  1. ARMCANZ note the review due by 1 January 2005 of the various layer hen systems in the EU and a possibility of changes at that time to the EU decision to ban conventional cages after 2012. As such Australia should continue to monitor developments in the EU and elsewhere and amend policies if there is compelling evidence to do so.

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Last Updated: 13 Apr 2007
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