Outdoor access is a defining characteristic of organic poultry that provides poultry with fresh grass, insects and worms that may lead to enhanced product quality. There is evidence that meat from pastured-based poultry may contain some additional nutritional benefits through lower fat content, as well as higher vitamin and mineral contents. At the same time, under good pasture management, bird health and welfare can be achieved. This review gives an overview on the pasture management practices that can be employed to prevent potential risks in organic poultry systems such as uncontrolled weather conditions or mortality due to predators. This paper discusses the various effects of pasture management on (a) poultry health and welfare, including physical comfort, absence of hunger and disease, possibilities to perform motivated behaviours and (b) meat quality, including both consumer and nutritional quality and sensory attributes as related to pasture synthesis and intake.

The introduction of the UK Protection of Animals Act 1911 demonstrates that animal welfare has been of concern for at least a century. The matter came to the fore about 50 years ago, when the welfare of hens in battery cages became an issue. Since then poultry welfare research and the development of superior management and housing systems for poultry have been stimulated by the lobbying of animal welfare organisations along with subsequent policy decisions and legislation. WPSA WG9 was formed in 1972 to encourage scientific studies to inform the poultry welfare debate; its members have positively influenced research and development of welfare-friendly housing systems and husbandry throughout Europe. They have also been active in EU projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of poultry e.g. LayWel, EFSA Opinions and Welfare Quality®. Information derived from such projects has influenced EU Directives and national legislation on the protection and welfare of laying hens and broilers, in particular.

The use of pasture-based systems for poultry production is growing due to consumer demand for specialty ‘natural’ and ‘welfare-friendly’ meat and eggs. This paper discusses the various meanings of the term ‘pastured poultry’ and defines the different pasture-based poultry production systems. Considerations of poultry welfare standards provided through the specific system are also discussed. Production topics such as poultry genetics, outdoor access and pasture management are presented together with potential problems. Finally, various aspects of sustainability are analysed to estimate the environmental, economical and social benefits promoted by the pasture-based poultry production systems.

In this study, laying hen welfare is taken into account as part of an overall ‘egg safety and quality concept’. A holistic approach is adopted that encompasses the whole food chain in which responsibility for the production of safe and high quality eggs is shared along the entire food chain. Scientific data on egg quality traits in relation to laying hen welfare in different housing systems are presented. Public concern to improve laying hen welfare and egg quality is widely discussed, partly because it is an area of potential added value for producers, retailers, processors, manufacturers, producer cooperatives. Legislation and legal requirements for the labelling of eggs are described in order to demonstrate the ability to provide sound and scientifically based information on the welfare status of laying hens used to supply particular eggs. The study concludes by highlighting achievements and future aspects on the relationship between hens’ welfare and egg quality.

In this paper we analyse virtual learning environments to provide a framework for developing a set of quality indicators for an e-learning course in the domain of poultry welfare, environment and food quality interactions. The framework is based on a case study: an e-learning course which is developed in the context of the Leonardo da Vinci Community Vocational Training Action Pilot Project entitled “WELFOOD-Promoting quality assurance in animal welfare-environment-food quality interaction studies through upgraded e-learning”. First, general issues and known questions regarding Quality Assurance (QA) for Open Distance Learning are examined. Secondly, the domain specific needs for e-learning based education are studied in relation to the target groups/sectors addressed (education, agriculture, food industry). The framework also takes into consideration the fact that such a course is developed and should be offered and tested for its educational value, collaboratively by the project partners. Finally, the course is made available in the national language of each participating institute, so that the possibility for access to expertise and the opportunity for continuous training is guaranteed.