Free range eggs

What does 'free range' really mean, and are consumers being misled?
 
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03.Free range egg standards compared

STANDARDS COMPARED
CRITERION Model Code of Practice
for the Welfare of Animals:
Domestic Poultry 4th Ed		 Australian
Certified
Organic (ACO)*		 AECL Egg
Corp
Assured		 Free Range Egg & Poultry
Australia Ltd (FREPA)
Is it a requirement of this
standard that hens have
ready daylight access
to the outdoors?
Maximum stocking
density – outdoors
(birds/hectare)		 1500 (A) 1000 (C) Not specified
Maximum stocking
density – indoors
(birds/square metre)		 30kg/m2
(approx.
18 birds/m2)
(B)		 16kg/m2 (approx. 9 birds/m2) (B). Maximum 1500 birds/enclosure 30kg/m2 (approx. 18 birds/m2) (B) 10 (maximum 1000 birds/ enclosure), 9 (max 2000 birds), 8 (max 3000 birds), 7 (max 4000 birds), 6 (more than 4000 birds)
Is beak trimming
prohibited?
 
STANDARDS COMPARED (continued)
CRITERION Free Range
Farmers
Association
Inc (Vic)		 Free Range Poultry
Association of QLD Inc		 Humane
Choice		 RSPCA Approved
Farming
Is it a requirement of this standard that hens have ready daylight access to the outdoors? (D)
Maximum stocking
density – outdoors
(birds/hectare)		 750 1000 1500 1500 (in outdoor systems with no rotational range management strategies, i.e. a fixed range area); 2500 (where approved, for systems with rotational range access)
Maximum stocking
density – indoors
(birds/m2)		 15 kg/m2 (approx.
9 birds/m2) (B).
Maximum 1000
birds/enclosure		 7.
Maximum 2500
birds/enclosure		 5 9 (for sheds with raised floor area); 7 (for sheds without). Maximum 5000 birds/enclosure
Is beak trimming prohibited?
 
TABLE NOTES
* A number of organic certification bodies certify eggs. We’ve included ACO here as a point of reference.
(A) This is the maximum specified for layer hens. For meat chickens a proportionately higher stocking density than for layers may be used. A subclause reads: “Any higher bird density is acceptable only where regular rotation of birds onto fresh range areas occurs and close management is undertaken which provides some continuing fodder cover.” The interpretation of whether this statement applies to meat chickens only, or both meat and layer hens, is a matter for the state and territory governments.
(B) To convert kg/m2 to birds/m2, an average body weight of mature laying hens of 1.7kg has been used.
(C) AECL has proposed 20,000 under a new certification trademark that is currently before the ACCC for approval.
(D) RSPCA Standards do not require that hens have access to a range area. However, where they do, additional Standards must be met including the requirement that all birds must have access to the range for a minimum of 8 hours per day once they are reasonably feathered.
 

 
 

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