About This Special Issue
Poultry welfare acquired a lot of attention in the last years especially in Europe. That appears in the activities of Animal Welfare organisations in addition to the governments of European Union which include researches and performing legislations and standards for keeping poultry. In general, animal welfare known as chances to perform natural behavior, free of disease, pain and distress and producing well. That means keeping of poultry in an optimal conditions where there are no signs of stress or illness according to the environment. The Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) established five freedoms to achieve good welfare. 1- Freedom from hunger and thirst, by providing accessible fresh water and diet i.e. (Feeding Programme). 2- Freedom from discomfort, by supplying suitable environment (Housing systems and management). 3- Freedom from pain, injury and disease by prevention or prompt diagnosis and treatment (Diseases control and prevention). 4- Freedom to express normal behavior by offering plenty space and convenient facilities (Free range system). 5- Freedom from fear and distress, by providing proper conditions and treatment to prevent mental suffering (Management). Therefore to achieve welfare standards these five freedoms should be supplied. As observed to supply these five freedoms feeding programme, housing systems, diseases control and prevention and management should be provided properly. Furthermore, free range system and organic production are got a lot of attention and mentioned in relation with poultry welfare.
Poultry welfare concern in developed countries is progressing when considering establishment of welfare standards and regulations, mainly due to scientific development in addition to governments and Organizations activities. But in developing countries this concern faces some difficulties to progress. Therefore the objective of this issue is to give more strength and direction to the poultry welfare regarding housing systems with concentrate on free range system advantages and disadvantages and how it can be modified to achieve welfare standards and be economic. Organic production cannot be neglected because its relation to the free range system especially in developed countries, and how we can distribute its practise and make it more preferable by consumer and economic for producers. The objective is also, to give more directions to difficulties that facing poultry welfare concern in developing countries and how to manipulate and treat these difficulties. We seek to have contributions in the following fields:
a) Progress of animal welfare concern in the world
b) Improvement of free range system for poultry
c) Distribution of organic production concern
d) Find solutions for poultry welfare issues in developing countries