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Accredited RSPCA products
Accredited RSPCA products
The RSPCA believes that farm animals must be treated in
a way which meets their physical, physiological and psychological needs.
Farm animals must not only be provided with appropriate food, shelter and
veterinary care, they must have the freedom to express normal behaviours and
be kept in an environment which avoids suffering. The RSPCA therefore
opposes many common practices in farming and animal husbandry because it
believes that such practices do not meet the animals’ needs. These include,
as examples, the keeping of hens in battery cages, the use of sow stalls and
tethering for pigs and hot iron branding of livestock.
Accredited egg and pork producers pay a royalty to the RSPCA. All royalties
from accreditation are used to pay specialist officers who carry out regular
inspections of the accredited properties, to fund the development of
certification standards and to fund ongoing campaigns aimed at improving the
welfare of farm animals.
Learn more about
RSPCA's accreditation program.
 Piggery
accreditation program
Piggeries over the years have raised serious welfare
problems. The space and management of farrowing is at the root of the
problem and that there needs to be a more humane pork production system. In
many current piggeries, sows are unable to stand up and are separated from
their offspring.
A working group was established to inspect a number of piggeries and pig
production systems. With the assistance of scientists from the Victorian
Institute of Animal Science, they developed a set of pig production
standards to provide an excellent and humane system guaranteeing the pigs an
enriched environment.
The Pastoral Pork Company developed the RSPCA standards and now offer pork
under their own Otway Pork brand. Otway Pork is 100% Australian owned.
Otway Pork pigs are bred at the Pastoral Pork Company farm near the Otway
Ranges in South Western Victoria. The pigs are born outdoors. From birth,
Otway Pork pigs are free to play, forage and do what all pigs do best - roll
in the mud, play and sleep in straw, eat a healthy diet and drink fresh
clean water freely. To protect them from the natural elements they have free
access to large straw lined shelters, where they can move about, play,
exercise and socialise. At no stage is their welfare compromised.
Otway Pork pigs are fed a natural grain based diet which is free of
antibiotics and growth hormones.
The RSPCA believes that the welfare of pigs is paramount, and by giving
accreditation to Otway Pork, pigs will be able to enjoy an enriched
environment during their lives.
Otway Pork is now also available in selected butchers in Sydney.
RSPCA barn laid egg accreditation program
Important facts and developments
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In
2000 non-caged eggs accounted for 8% of all eggs sold, in
2003 it was 12.8%. This is a very positive result, showing
consumers are moving away from caged eggs towards barn laid
eggs.
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Monies raised from the barn laid egg program are used
to fund
national inspectors who ensure the egg producers are meeting
the standards set. Money raised is also used to promote barn laid eggs
to further increase demand.
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The RSPCA is proud of our product accreditation of
barn laid eggs as it is making a difference to hen welfare.
The RSPCA has investigated and developed humane egg
production standards that gives a logical, feasible and practical
accreditation program.
The RSPCA wanted to provide egg production with a viable opportunity to
convert from battery cage production to something more humane and acceptable
to the community.
The welfare problems associated with battery egg production and the need for
good management and design of alternative systems prompted the RSPCA to
setup its own strict national standards for egg production.
Serious animal welfare concerns
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Chronic frustration of dust bathing, wing flapping
and other comfort/exercise behaviours.
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Chronic inhibition of other comfort behaviours (e.g.
body shaking, head stretching) and increased incidence.
of behaviours associated with frustration.
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Chronic disruption of social interaction and stress
caused by hens being housed close together.
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Acute suffering during the pre-laying period every
day caused by the frustration of nesting behaviour.
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Prevention of foraging and feather pecking.
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Inability to maintain bone strength due to
restriction of exercise.
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Lack of perching opportunities and prevention of
roosting.
The RSPCA has developed these standards for the
humane production of eggs and any producer operating to these standards can
apply for accreditation.
A 2% royalty is paid to RSPCA Australia. Monies raised from the barn
laid egg program are used to fund National Inspectors who ensure the egg
producers are meeting the standards set. Money is also used to promote barn
laid eggs to further increase consumer demand.
Current RSPCA accredited brands include
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Coles Barn Laid Eggs
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Farm Pride
Mrs McKechie's Barn Laid Eggs
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Modra Free Range Eggs
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Sunny Queen Barn Laid Eggs
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Ruradene Free Range Eggs
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Southern Egg Barn Laid Eggs
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MMM
Farm Barn Laid Eggs
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Compass Barn Laid Eggs
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Golden Eggs Barn Laid Eggs
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Valley Brook Barn Laid Eggs
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