Government sets out laying hen and lamb welfare plans

The Government has today (Monday 12 January) set out plans to improve the welfare of laying hens and lambs.

The proposals will see all colony cage systems across the laying hen sector phased out by 2032 and impose tighter restrictions on sheep mutilation practices such as castration and tail docking.

Eight-week consultations on both proposals are now open, with farming stakeholders, industry and welfare organisations invited to give feedback to ensure any impacts on farmers and trade can be considered.

Commitments

The Government set out its new Animal Welfare Strategy shortly before Christmas, which also included commitments to ban puppy farming and phasing out the use of pig farrowing crates.

Colony cage systems – which supply slightly more than 20% of the UK’s shell egg production – are said to house up to 80 birds in each cage, heavily restricting the movement of laying hens with each bird having space no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper.

The UK’s leading retailers, including Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have already committed to not selling eggs produced from cage systems.

Pain measures

Meanwhile, following advice from the Animal Welfare Committee, farmers will be expected to take steps to minimise pain in lambs during castration and tail docking, which could include increased use of pain relief and consideration of alternative methods that farmers would get improved access to.

Farming minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “We are committed to improving the lives of farm animals and to supporting farmers to produce food sustainably, profitably and to the high standards consumers expect.

“British consumers want high animal welfare standards and these measures reflect those values, creating healthier livestock and high welfare food production.”

‘Encouraging move’

World Farming UK’s head of compassion Anthony Field said: “We are optimistic that this will be the first of many meaningful and lasting changes. Phasing out cages for the millions of hens kept behind bars every year cannot come soon enough, and we hope the outcome of this consultation will be an ambitious timeline for phasing out these cruel systems.

“We also welcome the launch of a consultation to improve the welfare of lambs. Lambs are routinely subjected to painful, unnecessary mutilations. Castration and tail docking are usually carried out without anaesthetic or pain relief, causing great suffering, so this is an extremely encouraging move.

“We look forward to seeing positive changes for millions of other farmed animals in the coming years and to working with Government to achieve this.”