Document type : Technical advisory note DGAL/SDSanimal welfare/2021-628, French Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Author: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Preview: The European regulations on the protection of laying hens must be strictly adhered to. In particular, laying hens must be provided with an area for pecking and scratching. The absence of a pecking and scratching area (PSA) in cages is frequently observed. This non-compliance was the subject of a recommendation issued by the European Commission to the French authorities following an audit mission conducted at the end of 2012. Since that time, new measures have been developed to facilitate the implementation of this minimum standard. The purpose of this instruction is to specify the action to be taken in the event of a finding of non-compliance with regard to the pecking and scratching area (item A0221) in managed cage systems.