Guidance

Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes

The code provides game farmers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals, required in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 8 April 2013
• Last updated: 31 October 2023 — See all updates

Documents

Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes

HTML

Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes

Ref: PB13356

PDF, 427 KB

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Details

The legislation covering on-farm welfare for gamebirds is:

• the Animal Welfare Act 2006
• the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007

The code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds provides guidance on how to comply with this legislation. It’s intended to help all those who care for gamebirds to practise good standards of stockmanship to safeguard gamebird welfare.

You and any staff working with gamebirds must read, understand and have access to this code. Welfare codes are not law, but if you do not follow them they can be used as evidence in court to show breaches of legislation.

Some of the references to legislation in the codes are out of date. You should refer to the animal welfare legislation listed above and relevant wider legislation as needed.

For more information on legislation and codes of practice for other species, see farm animals: looking after their welfare.

Published 8 April 2013
Last updated 31 October 2023 + show all updates

1. 31 October 2023

   Updated links to the legislation covering on-farm welfare for gamebirds.

2. 5 October 2023

   Created new HTML version of the code of recommendations for gamebirds to match the PDF version laid in parliament.

3. 18 June 2019

   Added impact assessment

4. 8 April 2013

   First published.