Assessment of Compliance with Animal Welfare Requirements Across Poultry Species and Production Categories

Animal welfare is a key component of sustainable poultry production and is routinely monitored through official veterinary inspections. The aim of this study was to determine the level of welfare compliance among different poultry species and production categories, to compare compliance levels across these groups, and to assess long-term trends using official inspection data. The study was based on the results of supervisory inspections conducted by veterinary inspectors in poultry farms in the Czech Republic between 2016 and 2024. Welfare compliance was evaluated in laying hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese using a standardized system of welfare assessment checkpoints applied during official controls. Inspections were classified as compliant or non-compliant based on the presence or absence of deficiencies, and overall compliance levels were calculated as the proportion of animals kept in farms with compliant inspections. Across the entire study period, the proportion of poultry kept in farms with compliant inspections ranged from 82.8% to 98.4%, with the highest compliance level observed in turkeys, followed by ducks and broiler chickens, while the lowest compliance level was recorded in geese. Differences among poultry species and categories were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Comparison of two time periods (2016-2018 and 2022-2024) revealed significant improvements in compliance for broiler chickens, ducks, and geese, whereas significant declines were observed for laying hens and turkeys (p < 0.001). These results demonstrate clear differences in welfare compliance among poultry species and categories and indicate that compliance trends over time are not uniform across the poultry sector. Official veterinary inspection data provide a valuable tool for large-scale assessment of welfare compliance and for identifying poultry sectors that may benefit from targeted welfare improvement measures.