The Labour government has revealed plans to improve the welfare of egg laying hens and to clamp down on “mutilation practices” for lambs.
So-called colony cage systems for laying hens would be phased out by 2032, including those used by smaller egg producers under the proposals put forward yesterday (12 January).
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The improved colony or enriched systems were introduced in 2012 as part of an EU-wide directive to ban the use of battery laying hens and give birds more freedom of movement, according to the British Hen Welfare Trust.
However, hens are still kept in cages albeit slightly larger than under the battery system. The RSPCA says hens remain “severely restricted with little room to move around” under colony systems.
“These cages heavily restrict the movement of British laying hens with up to 80 birds in each cage, with each bird having space that is no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper,” according to a government statement, which suggests colony cage eggs account for 20% of the UK supply.
“With the UK’s leading retailers, from Sainsbury’s to Aldi, already committed to not selling eggs produced from cage systems and widespread public support – the move announced today is in line with widespread best practice and public opinion,” the statement read.
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By GlobalDataMeanwhile, the government also plans “tighter restrictions on sheep mutilation practices such as castration and tail docking, which cause pain to lambs and are often carried out without pain relief”.
An eight-week consultation period is planned under the proposals to assess potential impact from the measures on farmers.
“We are committed to working with farmers on any changes as part of our commitment to ensuring a productive and sustainable farming sector,” the government said.
Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle added: “We are committed to improving the lives of farm animals and to supporting farmers to produce food sustainably, profitably and to the high standards consumers expect.
“British consumers want high animal-welfare standards and these measures reflect those values, creating healthier livestock and high welfare food production.”
The National Farmers Union (NFU) emphasised that UK farmers are committed to high welfare standards but urged the government to ensure the same standards are applied to imports.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said in a separate statement: “If government wants to raise domestic animal-welfare standards further by phasing out colony cage systems across the laying hen sector and tightening restrictions on practices such as lamb castration and tail docking, then it must take steps to ensure consumers are protected from imported food that could be produced to lower standards, and that British farmers are not asked to compete with imports produced at those lower standards which would be illegal here.”
Commenting in the government’s statement announcing the proposals, Anthony Field, the head of Compassion in World Farming, said the plans to end caged hen systems have long been awaited.
“We are optimistic that this will be the first of many meaningful and lasting changes,” he said. “Phasing out cages for the millions of hens kept behind bars every year cannot come soon enough, and we hope the outcome of this consultation will be an ambitious timeline for phasing out these cruel systems.”
