How is your feather loss measuring up?
Feather loss is a key indicator of hen welfare and a concern across the laying hen industry. As a producer you may already be collecting feather loss scores on your flocks, or have received scores following a welfare outcome assessment during your farm assurance visits.
Welfare outcome assessment is now part of all Freedom Food and Soil Association farm assessments for laying hens. Following a welfare assessment you will receive immediate feedback and a copy of your feather loss results, plotted on a graph showing how your scores compare to those of your peers.
Our AssureWel Benchmarking Tool allows you to compare your scores to other non-caged industry flocks*, aids self assessment, and provides guidance on addressing risk factors and improving performance on feather cover.
In addition to helping you monitor feather loss and providing support and guidance, AssureWel encourages producers who are achieving good feather cover to share best practice to help guide continuous improvement within the wider industry.
- Monitor your feather loss online using the AssureWel Benchmarking Tool - enter your own feather loss scores and see how you compare to other producers.
* Compares your scores to those collected during farm assessment visits on Freedom Food and Soil Association farms.