There are still no binding regulations on turkey farming in Germany – the German Animal Welfare Federation has pointed out this gap in animal welfare legislation. As part of the revision of EU animal welfare legislation, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has now published a scientific recommendation on turkeys: The European authority, which monitors the safety of food and feed, has analyzed animal welfare issues in turkey farming and recommends specific measures.
"The European recommendations are another wake-up call for the German government: Germany finally needs binding regulations on turkey farming. A reduction in stocking density and minimum requirements for the occupation of animals and the structure of the barn, as recommended by the EFSA, would be a first step in the right direction and would also make painful beak trimming unnecessary," says Franziska Hagen, specialist advisor for animals in agriculture at the German Animal Welfare Federation.
The last two previous federal governments had already done preliminary work on a corresponding amendment to the Animal Welfare Livestock Farming Ordinance. It is now up to the current federal government to take up these proposals, improve them, and implement them quickly, according to the Animal Welfare Association.
In its “Scientific Opinion,” the EFSA recommends a drastic reduction in stocking density for turkeys. Compared to the minimum requirements that the industry in Germany has imposed on itself in a voluntary agreement on the rearing of fattening turkeys, hens and roosters would have more than twice as much space at the end of the fattening period. It also recommends structuring the barn, providing organic enrichment materials, and an outdoor climate area. The EFSA also advocates ending beak trimming, in which a piece of the beak is routinely amputated to prevent injuries when the animals peck each other.
This behavioral disorder in conventional turkey farming is triggered by various factors such as high stocking densities and a lack of structure and activity. The problem can therefore be significantly reduced by improving housing conditions. As long as beak trimming is still permitted, effective pain management must be provided during and after the procedure, according to the EFSA.
Background:
More information on the EFSA opinion on turkeys can be found here: Welfare assessment of turkeys on farm | EFSA. The publication was produced as part of the ongoing revision of EU animal welfare legislation. The aim of the revision is to improve the housing conditions of farm animals across Europe. However, it is likely to be years before an EU-wide regulation on the rearing of turkeys is published.
