Corporate

Animal Welfare and Breaches Related to Animal Welfare

Request

Your request was about the following information:

Please share the following data in spreadsheet form, spanning from 2019 to 2023.

Q1. The number of chickens with hock burns identified.

Q2. Compliance breaches related to animal welfare identified by FSS officers at farms, abattoirs and during transport.

Please include the following criteria:

  • Name of the transport/farm/site operator
  • Site address
  • Year of inspection
  • Non-Compliance group
  • Non-Compliance
  • Description of breach
  • Action taken
  • Species

Response

A1. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) publish all ante-mortem and post-mortem data on our website: Multi – Species Ante Mortem & Post Mortem Conditions | Food Standards Scotland On the “poultry conditions” tab, you will find a breakdown of all conditions. There is also specific reference to Foot Pad Dermatitis, which is measured by using the Swedish Score, which randomly assesses 100 carcases and gives a score between 0 and 2 for each: score 0 = no lesions or very small superficial lesions, slight discolouration on a limited area of the footpad, mild hyperkeratosis (thickening of the outer layer of the skin) or healed; score 1 = mild lesion, discolouration of the footpad, superficial lesions, dark papillae and hyperkeratosis; score 2 = severe lesions, epidermis is affected, ulcers and scabs, sign of haemorrhages or swollen footpads. The “number of conditions” is the Swedish Score for the batch, measured on a random sample of 100 carcases.

A2. FSS also publish the animal welfare breaches, broken down by scores 3 (i.e. no evidence of animal pain, suffering or distress) and 4 (i.e. with evidence of animal pain, suffering or distress) at link: Animal Welfare Data | Food Standards Scotland