Statistics: Broiler Chickens
Contentsx Production: World, EU, UK
x Consumption: World, EU, UK
x Trade: World, EU, UKx Housing Systems: World, EU, UK
x Key Health and Welfare Problems: EU, UKProduction
WorldxOver 66 billion chickens are slaughtered for meat in the world each year.
(Source: FAOstat – see Table 1)x

Total global chicken meat production is nearly 110 million tonnes per annum.
(Source: FAOstat – see Table 1)x

The largest producer of chicken by weight is the USA, accounting for nearly 18% of worldchicken meat production. The highest producer of chicken by numbers, however, is China,accounting for over 14% of world production of broiler chickens.
(Source: FAOstat – see Table 1)
Table 1: Chicken production 2017 –Top 10 global production countries.
(Source: FAOstat)

CountryWorld
United States of America
BrazilChina
Russian Federation
India
MexicoIndonesia
Japan
Iran (Islamic Republic of)TurkeyFarm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

Chicken meatproduction 2017
(tonnes)
109,056,179
19,140,744
13,607,352
12,855,950
4,444,334
3,519,959
3,211,687
2,258,239
2,214,899
2,161,678
2,136,734

Share of global chicken
meat production 2017
by tonnage (%)

Chickens meatproduction by numbers2017 (1000 head)

100
17.6
12.5
11.8
4.1
3.2
2.9
2.1
2.0
2.0
2.0

66,566,725
9,050,716
5,842,721
9,400,621
2,542,310
2,536,004
1,734,126
2,847,978818,612
1,849,892
1,228,444

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Figure 1: Source: FAOstat.

Share of global chicken meat production 2017 intonnes (%)

USA
18%
Other
40%

Brazil
12%
China
12%

Turkey2%
Iran (IslamicRepublic of)
2%

Japan
2%

Indonesia
2%

Mexico
3%

India
3%

Russian Federation4%EU
xOver 7.4 billion chickens were slaughtered for meat in the EU28 in 2017, producing over 12
million tonnes of chicken meat.
(Source: FAOstat – 7.4 billion chickens slaughtered in 2017, producing 12.1 million tonnes; AVEC
Annual Report 2018 – 12.8 million tonnes chicken meat in 2017)x

In 2017, roughly 1.1 billion chickens were slaughtered for meat in the UK, producing
approximately 1.6 million tonnes of chicken meat.
(Source: FAOstat – 1.08 billion chickens slaughtered in 2017, producing 1.63 million tonnes chicken
meat; Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2018 – 1.09 billion chickens slaughtered in 2017, producing
1.58 million tonnes chicken meat; AVEC Annual Report 2018 – 1.59 million tonnes chicken meat in2017)

xMore recent provisional statistics suggest these numbers to be even higher now, with nearly
1.14 billion chickens slaughtered in 2018, producing almost 1.7 million tonnes of chickenmeat.
(Source: Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2018 – 1.137 billion chickens slaughtered in 2018,
producing 1.67 million tonnes of chicken meat in 2018)

UKFarm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

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Consumption
WorldxAverage global poultry meat consumption per capita in 2017 was 14.0 kg/head/year. NB.
Poultry meat here includes all other forms of poultry; however, broiler chicken meat will form the large
majority.
(Source: OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook, 2018)
Per capita meat consumption will increase by 3.2 kg per annum, with poultry accounting for 70% of
this increase. Consumption of meat by 2021 is expected to increase mainly in the developing countries
with an extra 3.6 kg of meat per capita compared to the base period. The preferred meat for thisincrease shall be mostly poultry. N.B. The following figures are slightly dated but more recent ones do
not appear to be available from AVEC.
(Source: AVEC Annual Report 2012)
Table 2: Poultry meat consumption (kg/person/year) Source: The Poultry Site: Global Poultry Trends 2012)

Figure 2: Global per capita poultry meat consumption trends by region (kg/person/year).
(Source: The Poultry Site: Global Poultry Trends - 2012)

Total world poultry meat consumption in 2012 was over 102.2 million tonnes.
(Source: OECD-FAO)
Farm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

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Average broiler chicken meat consumption per capita in 2017 in the EU28 was 19.4kg/head/yr.
(Source: AVEC annual report 2018)x

Total poultry meat consumption in the EU-27 was over 11.7 million tonnes in 2011.
(Source: AVEC Annual Report 2012)x

Average broiler chicken meat consumption per capita in the UK was 23.2 kg/head/yr in 2016,
increasing from 22.9 kg/head/yr in 2015.
(Source: AVEC annual report 2018)

UKBrazil, China & USAx

In 2017, the average person from the USA consumed 48.0 kg/head/yr.
(Source: AVEC annual report 2018)x

In Brazil, the average broiler chicken meat consumption per capita in 2017 was 44.2
kg/head/yr.
(Source: AVEC annual report 2018)x

Meanwhile in China, the average meat consumption per capita in 2017 was 8.3 kg/head/yr.
However, the size of the Chinese population must be accounted for here (as it is over 4 times larger
than the USA’s and almost 7 times larger than Brazil’s).
(Source: AVEC annual report 2018).

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TradingWorldxThe largest exporter of chicken meat globally is Brazil, followed by the USA and theNetherlands.
(Source: FAOstat – see Table 3 and Figure 3)

xThe largest importer of chicken meat is Saudi Arabia, followed by Mexico and Hong KongSAR.

Table 3: Chicken meat gross exports 2016 - top 10 global exporting countries.
(Source: FAOstat)

CountryWorldBrazil
USANetherlands
PolandChina, Hong Kong SAR
Belgium
TurkeyFranceGermany
UK

Chicken meat
Share of global
export 2016
chicken meat(tonnes)
exports 2016 (%)
13,019,802
100.0
3,959,394
30.4
3,112,26623.9
1,044,822
8.0
618,3884.7
518,4904.0
450,240
3.5
314,695
2.4
312,8272.4
305,527
2.3
242,611
1.9

Figure 3: (Source: FAOstat)

Share of global chicken meat exports 2016 (%)
UK
2%Germany
2%
France
2%

Other
17%
Brazil30%

Turkey2%
Belgium
4%
China, HK SAR
4%

USA
24%

Poland5%Netherlands
8%

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EUx

In 2016, the EU exported 3,789,753 tonnes of chicken meat.
(Source: FAOstat)
Table 4: Chicken meat exports from the EU28 countries in 2016.
(Source: FAOstat)

Country
Total
Netherlands
PolandBelgium
FranceGermany
United KingdomSpain
Italy
HungaryRomania
Denmark
IrelandLithuania
Austria
Czechia
Slovakia
Bulgaria
Portugal
GreeceSlovenia
SwedenFinland
LatviaEstonia
Croatia
CyprusLuxembourg
Malta

Farm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

Chicken meat
Share of European chicken
exports 2016
meat exports 2016 (%)(tonnes)
3, 789, 755
100.0
1,044,822
27.6
618,38816.3
450,240
11.9
312,8278.3
305,527
8.1
242,611
6.4
168,5074.4
101,2542.7
100,180
2.6
63,2291.7
62,591
1.7
46,014
1.2
44,915
1.2
34,7020.9
32,5520.9
28,4280.8
24,8530.7
20,4870.5
19,0190.5
15,9470.4
15,9250.4
12,8730.3
11,628
0.3
5,706
0.2
5,578
0.1
606
0.0
346
0.0
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x

In 2016, the EU imported 2,549,190 tonnes of chicken meat.
(Source: FAOstat)
Table 5: Chicken meat imports to EU28 countries in 2016.
(Source: FAOstat)

Country
Total
Germany
United Kingdom
FranceNetherlands
Belgium
Spain
Romania
Czechia
Bulgaria
IrelandGreece
SwedenAustria
Slovakia
Italy
Denmark
Portugal
Lithuania
LatviaHungary
PolandEstonia
Croatia
Slovenia
CyprusLuxembourg
Malta
FinlandFarm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

Chicken meat
imports 2016
(tonnes)

Share of European
chicken meat imports
2016 (%)

2,549,189
447,257
378,285355,597274,370
150,633
111,183
107,825
88,97984,947
77,38851,87650,22247,702
43,14842,33633,82433,54429,533
29,10322,786
19,226
16,904
13,382
11,637
10,021
7,294
5,202
4,985

100.0
17.5
14.8
13.9
10.8
5.94.4
4.2
3.5
3.3
3.0
2.0
2.0
1.9
1.7
1.7
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.2

Page7 of 1 0UKx

In 2017, the UK exported 393,185 tonnes of fresh, frozen and processed poultry meat(including offals).
(Source: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2018: IHS Maritime and Trade – Global Trade
Atlas ®/HMRC 2018)
Table 6: UK fresh and frozen poultry meat exports 2017 by destination (including offals).
(Source: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2018: IHS Maritime and Trade – Global TradeAtlas ®/HMRC 2018)
UK poultry meat exports
2017 (tonnes)
Total exports
EU28
Netherlands
IrelandFranceGermany
Belgium
Spain
PolandHong Kong
South Africa

x344,850
268,523
101,126
32,781
28,195
26,526
21,84019,7298,087
24,372
1,699

In 2017, the UK imported 822,584 tonnes of fresh, frozen and processed poultry meat(including offals).
(Source: (Source: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2018: IHS Maritime and Trade –Global Trade Atlas ®/HMRC 2018)
Table 7: UK fresh and frozen poultry meat imports 2017 by source.
(Source: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2018: IHS Maritime and Trade – Global TradeAtlas ®/HMRC 2018)
UK poultry meat
imports 2017
Total imports
EU 28
Netherlands
Ireland
PolandGermany
FranceBelgium
ThailandBrazilChina

Farm Animal Welfare Compendium
Updated 27.08.2019

366,462
180,975
42,387
31,522
31,371
26,21323,9498,095
138,182
40,6846,002

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Housing systems
WorldxIt seems clear that most chicken meat producers follow intensive industrial practices, but we
do not have current figures for industrial production at present.

xIntensive broiler housing systems are generally characterized by crowded conditions, fast growing
chickens slaughtered at an early age and vast indoor establishments where chickens have no access toenrichments or to the outdoors. As a result, factory farmed broiler chicken welfare is typically very low.
(Source: Agribusiness Consulting, n.d.)x

The top 5 leading broiler meat producing countries in the EU are Poland, France, the UK,
Germany and Spain.
(Source: European Commission, 2016)x

EU broiler chickens are slaughtered when they reach an average age of 42 days, weighingaround 2.5kg. One-day old chicks are typically placed within a shed on a floor with a litter covering(including bedding materials such as paper, peat, straw or wood chips). The chickens remain on thesame litter throughout their 42-day life. The litter is then changed after the slaughter of the older
chickens and before the arrival of the next flock of one-day old chicks.
(Source: European Commission, 2016)

EUUK
xAccording to Poultry World, just 11% of UK chicken production is slower growing, meaningthat 89% of UK chickens are produced in fast growing factory farming systems. This iscompared to Dutch and French production, whereby 40% and 24% of production is slower growing
respectively.
(Source: Poultry World, 2019)x

Waitrose have recently made a commitment which will benefit over 43 million chickens every
year however, which is almost 4% of UK total production. Although these chickens are fast
growing, they are provided with all the other factors that we consider as higher welfare for chickens.
These chickens can therefore be considered as non-factory farmed.
(Source: Waitrose, 2019)x

As a result, we can now comfortably say that the UK produces over 1 billion chickens eachyear and over 90% of these are factory farmed.

Brazilx

Chicken production in Brazil typically follows intensive practices, with approximately 98% ofchickens produced in factory farm systems.
(Source: Agência Embrapa de Informação Tecnológica, n.d.)

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Key Health & Welfare Problems
Lameness, Hock Burns & Footpad Dermatitis
EUx

Almost 90 broiler flocks were examined in a cross-sectional study across the UK, France, Italy
and the Netherlands, where 15.6% of chickens were considered lame.
(Source: Bassler et al. 2013)

x

Another large study based on Dutch, British, Italian and Belgian flocks found that on average,
57% of the fast-growing chickens had severe walking problems. This was compared to flocks
with alternative, slower-growing chickens wherein only about 17% had severe walking problems.
(Source: de Jong et al. 2011)x

A study in EU slaughter houses found that:o Prevalence of foot pad dermatitis in these flocks was about 22% in standard fast-growing
broilers and around 7% in slower growing broilers. Footpad dermatitis is a condition whereby
painful lesions develop on the underside of chickens’ feet as a result of standing on wet litter.
o Prevalence of hock burns was about 20% in standard, fast growing broilers and less than
1% in slower growing broilers from alternative housing systems. Hock burns form when theammonia within chicken waste burns through the skin of the chicken’s hock (made much moreprevalent when in crowded conditions).
(Source: Welfare Quality ® 2009)x

A study of Netherlands-based broiler production found that only around 35% of chickens
within their research had no footpad dermatitis lesions, compared to over 21% that had mildlesions and over 38% that had severe lesions on their feet.
(Source: de Jong et al. 2012)UKx

A comprehensive UK-based study using over 50,000 broiler chickens showed that at an
average age of 40 days old, almost 30% of the birds had poor locomotion ability and over 3%
were almost incapable of walking.
(Source: Knowles et al. 2008)x

A large research project using 2248 broiler chickens housed in UK intensive systems found that
14.8% of chickens had footpad dermatitis.
(Source: Pagazaurtundua & Warriss, 2006)

It is important to note that these figures may be subject to change depending on the outcome of Brexit.
Images courtesy of istockphoto and Compassion in World Farming.
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