Meat&Poultry - March 2014 - 50

POULTRY WELFARE

was director of technical services for

birds are stunned in containers."

to improving welfare," he adds. "Re-

O.K. Foods for 16 years and has been

After completing the Poultry 201

tail and foodservice customers expect

teaching PAACO's broiler auditing

course, attendees must pass a test with

increased verification and documen-

course for six years.

a minimum score. Next, they are re-

tation. They need to reassure their

Christensen iterates attendees are

quired to conduct two shadow poultry

consumers and other constituencies

concerned with poultry welfare from

welfare audits satisfactorily to become

their products come from animals that

egg to death. "In some cases, it even

certified. Certified auditors then must

were humanely raised and processed."

begins with the breeders who produce

complete continuing education each

the eggs that are hatched in broiler-

year to be recertified.

company hatcheries," she adds.

Through robust auditing, companies need to identify their own areas

"Auditing gives us a means of con-

of opportunity for animal-welfare im-

The most visible areas of animal

tinual improvement and provides a

provement, Hermes says. As a follow-

welfare are during transportation, in-

bridge to the customer so they have

up to the auditing process, effective

cluding catching, hauling and work-

assurances producers are doing the

corrective actions can be put in place

ing at the plant. "We have seen great

right thing," Christensen says.

to improve those areas to maintain

strides in reducing wing damage dur-

Dr. Dave Hermes, DVM, a regional

ing transportation," Christensen says.

veterinarian with Perdue Foods LLC

Poultry processors were first to de-

"Wing damage can occur throughout

for 21 years, has been on the PAACO

velop welfare-audit tools with a broad

the entire process.

consumer and customer trust.

scope from hatchery to farms to pro-

is an active participant in the PAA-

cessing, Hermes adds. The vertically

agement practices that improve animal

CO Poultry Welfare Auditor Training

integrated nature of poultry produc-

welfare at the Univ. of Arkansas," she

Course. He has taught the Turkey Wel-

tion made it easier to implement third-

says. "I want to keep looking for ways

fare Auditing segment several times.

party welfare audits.

during the slaughter process where we

Customers expect their suppliers to

"This has been an advantage for

can stun birds in containers to elimi-

have a corporate culture that demon-

poultry producers compared to live-

nate having to unload and shackle live

strates a commitment to animal wel-

stock producers, which are at various

birds. Industry will eventually move to

fare, he says. "The supplier's welfare

stages in implementing on-farm au-

some type of a stunning process where

50

Board of Directors since 2007 and

"We're looking every day to man-

program should reflect that dedication

diting," he concludes. ■

* Meat&Poultry * March 2014 * www.MeatPoultry.com
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