Measuring and assessing welfare outcomes and inputs, ensuring good standards and the challenges of putting these into practice were discussed at a recent international conference in the UK. The commercial broiler industry is 50 years old this year. It has seen many changes and will doubtless see many more in the next half-century. One aspect though does not seem to change - the importance of good animal husbandry. One hundred delegates from eleven countries came together in Bristol in May for a conference entitled "Measuring and auditing broiler welfare". It was organised by the Langford Continuing Education Unit (part of the University of Bristol) and sponsored by the supermarket chain, Safeway plc. It was that company's financial support that helped to turn the workshop originally planned into an international conference, giving an indication of how seriously UK supermarkets are taking animal welfare issues.
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