Table 1.
Requirements and criteria of selected animal welfare concepts (Ellen et al., 2012)
| Production system |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Conventional | Volwaard | Better Life 1*/ Puur & Eerlijk | Better Life 2* | Better Life 3*/ Skal | Organic |
| Breed | Fast-growing | Slower-growing | Slower-growing | Slower-growing | Slow-growing | Slow-growing |
| Length of growth period (d) | 40 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 81 | 70 |
| Enrichment | Litter | Litter Grains and straw | Litter Grains and straw | Litter Grains and straw | Litter | Litter |
| Stocking density (chicken/m2) | No restriction | No restriction | 12 | 13 | 7 | 10 |
| Stocking density (kg/m2) | 42 | 31 | 25 | 27.5 | No restriction | No restriction |
| Outdoor access | No | Covered veranda | Covered veranda | Yes (1 m2/chicken) | Yes (1.5 m2/chicken) | Yes (4 m2/chicken) |
| Lighting regimen | Unnatural (minimum 4 h dark period) | Natural (minimum 6 h dark period) | Natural (minimum 6 h dark period) | Natural (minimum 8 h dark period) | Natural (minimum 8 h dark period) | Natural (minimum 8 h dark period) |
| Flock size | No restriction | No restriction | No restriction | No restriction | No restriction | Maximum 4,800 chickens per barn |
| Use of antibiotics | No restriction | No restriction | No restriction | No restriction | Coccidiostat and preventive drugs are prohibited | Coccidiostat and preventive drugs are prohibited |