The Minister for Rural Affairs has agreed to a consultation on a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds. The consultation closes on the 16th of April 2010.
The consultation will seek views on the draft Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes. The Code of Practice covers the time up to the point of release (that is when they are under the control of man and therefore under the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006).
The Code of Practice will apply to those game farms that rear birds for sporting purposes but not to any establishment that may be farming them for food only. The consultation is not aimed at seeking evidence as to whether the sport of shooting gamebirds should be banned.
Approximately 40 million gamebirds (30 to 35 million pheasants and 5 to 10 million partridges) are estimated to be released each year in Great Britain for shooting. About half the pheasants reared and up to 90% of partridges are imported into Great Britain. These imports are mostly as hatching eggs, with a lesser number as day-old chicks from France.
The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) published their Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Gamebirds in November 2008. The Opinion reviewed aspects of the welfare of farmed gamebirds kept in Great Britain, particularly during breeding, rearing prior to release and the extent of management and support after release. The species covered by the Opinion were pheasants and partridges, either home-bred or imported, and reared under farm conditions.
Although much of the advice in the draft Code of Practice will already be carried out by all competent game farmers, it does contain new advice on good practice in a number of areas. This is because either new evidence has shown that certain management practices may directly compromise the birds’ welfare or where the government considers that the practice may compromise the birds’ welfare and leave game farmers vulnerable to prosecution under the 2006 Act.
To comment on the consultation, click here.
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