Codes Of Practice

Current

Under Revision

Code Development Process

Brief History of the Codes

Poultry - Layers

Update initated January 2012

Code Development Progress

The process for updating the Code of Practice for poultry-layers began April 2012, using the NFACC Code development process. Egg Farmers of Canada initiated the review with the support of the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council and Pullet Growers of Canada.

This is the eighth Code update to be initiated since September 2010. As a result the process has been adjusted to accommodate the human resource challenges presented by having eight Codes under review at once. The Scientific Committee (SC) has been established and has commenced its work. A Code Development Committee (CDC) will be established and will convene upon the completion of the Scientific Committee’s report (approximately April 2013).

Priority Welfare Issues List

The priority welfare issues are species specific, manageable topics that are considered to be important for animal welfare and will particularly benefit from a review of the available scientific literature.

The Scientific Committee (SC) and delegates from sectors that will be represented on the future CDC collectively identified the priority welfare issues list at a Code Orientation Meeting that was held in April 2012. The SC then synthesized this list into a manageable list of Priority Welfare Issues for which research literature will be reviewed over the course of approximately one year. Following its review of scientific literature for each issue, the SC will develop a report that summarizes the research results. The SC will also identify gaps that would benefit from further research. See full SC Terms of Reference.

The CDC will use the SC report to develop requirements and recommendations around the priority welfare issues.

Following is the priority welfare issues list for the Poultry-Layers Code update:

  • Feather Pecking and Cannibalism
    • Environmental factors
    • Effects of rearing environment
    • Genetic factors and strain differences
    • Nutritional factors
    • Lighting
    • Consideration of beak treatments as a control measure
  • Bone Health
    • Nutrition
    • Management practices
    • Other factors
  • Rearing Methods
    • Facilitating pullet adaptation to adult housing
    • Reducing fear
  • Beak Trimming
  • Housing: Conventional, Furnished and Non-Cage Systems
    • Report by issues (e.g. – disease; foot health; etc.)
    • What is required for hens to be able to express natural behaviour?
  • Housing: Space Allowance and Group Sizes for all Systems
    • Ability to access resources and enrichments

Committees

Poultry-Layer Code Development Committee - to be determined

Participants are defined as per NFACC’s Code of Practice guidelines.

Poultry-Layer Code Scientific Committee

  • Henry Classen
  • Ruth Newberry
  • Mike Petrik
  • Karen Schwean-Lardner 
  • Tina Widowski (Chair)
  • Stephanie Yue Cottee (Research Writer)
  • Bernadette Cox, Egg Farmers of Canada (ex-officio)

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