Factors affecting animal welfare on commercial broiler chicken farms in West Java, Indonesia

The welfare of fast-growing broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) raised in intensive farming systems is of global concern for the public, animal advocates and animal welfare scientists. This study investigated the animal husbandry factors which affect broiler chicken welfare on farms in West Java, Indonesia. Foot-pad dermatitis (FPD) and hock burn (HB) were used as welfare indicators with data collected from 14 farms across West Java. Welfare Quality® data were collected from 150 chickens from six locations on each farm, a total of 2,104 chickens, alongside data on the husbandry management and micro-climate inside the chicken house. Cumulative Link Mixed Models (CLMM) were employed using the ordinal package in R to analyse environmental predictors of welfare indicators. Litter quality and breed of chicken were predictors of FPD, whereas litter quality, bodyweight, light intensity, humidity, wind and CO₂ predicted HB. There was wide variation in the FPD scores between farms. Sampling locations at the door end of the chicken houses showed consistently worse litter scores, welfare outcomes, and higher variation in micro-climate compared to areas near the negative pressure fans. Chickens were usually sent for slaughter at 32 days, which resulted in better welfare outcomes compared to other countries reported in the literature, where chickens are usually slaughtered at an older age and heavier bodyweight. This research could form the basis for better welfare standards on broiler chicken farms in Indonesia.