Questions answered
There are 30 questions about “Animal welfare” in the “What are you doing about...” topic.
Click on a question to read our answer.
- 1. It is great that McDonald's will only use free-range eggs in their food, but what about animals for the meat? I think it is important to only eat meat that has been kept ethically, and having seen how chickens are intensively reared it makes me sick to think that McDonald's may source their meat from such farms. Do McDonald's use intensively reared meat? If not, is it fully free-range, or just given environmental stimulation? Thanks for your help.
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Firstly, many apologies for the very slow response to your question, as the site went through a few changes, some questions had slipped through the net, so thank you for your patience.
The terms 'battery' and 'free range' are only used in relation to egg producing chickens. The chickens used for McDonald's eggs are all free range. The chickens used for meat are not free range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards and are monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations.
McDonald's will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to the company's high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation. In addition, McDonald's works with internationally renowned welfare experts to ensure best practices are in place. All animals reared by McDonald’s for the production of food are treated with respect and kept in the best possible conditions.
The dairy cows that supply milk for McDonald’s are kept indoors in the winter and allowed to graze in the summer when the conditions are suitable. The pigs used for bacon and sausage products are mostly kept indoors, although some are outdoor-reared. Beef cattle generally are grass-fed and graze throughout the year. They are kept indoors during the winter months when there is not enough feed or suitable land to keep them outdoors.
You can find out more about how the animals live, here on this site, by checking out the independent Quality Scout report from Kym Norman. Kym Norman, a Health and Safety Director and dad, went to visit one of McDonald’s free range egg suppliers near Penrith. You can read his report, see his interviews with key personnel, see pictures of his visit and watch video too. Just click the 'Meet the scouts' link in the Quality Scout section.
(November 2008)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 2. so is it fun to crush 30,000 chickens in a cage and kill them when there 6 weeks old for little peices of rubbish quality additive full chicken nuggets which cause obesity in children today because there addictive?
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No McDonald’s food menu items are created to be addictive. Chicken McNuggets are made from carefully deboned chicken breast and are coated in a specially seasoned batter. McDonald's takes the view that meat can form an important and natural part of a balanced diet. the slaughter of animals is unavoidable. McDonald’s have strict standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter and rearing of chickens is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner and will not work with any supplier that cannot adhere to these high standards, and to those required by UK and EU legislation.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 3. I heard that the birds used to make your finger-licking chicken have a torrid time when they are growing up because they are packed in poor conditions with fod designed to make them go massive - what is the script here?
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The chickens used for meat (called broilers) are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards, monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations. The British Poultry Council also sets high standards for chicken welfare, which is monitored through a set of regulations called Assured Chicken Production (ACP). All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own strict protocols. You may be interested to know that McDonald's is constantly monitoring the situation with regard to the use and availability of free range meat. Currently the market is a specialised and relatively small one. McDonald's is a co-sponsor of The Food Animal Initiative who are running a research project looking into the commercial viability of free-range chicken meat production.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 4. Do you use animal by products in your buns,shakes and ice creams?
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If by animal by-products (ABPs) you mean products of animal origin that are not intended for human consumption, then no, McDonald’s absolutely does not use them in any of its products.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 5. Your rules surrounding the humane slaughter of animals seem to be sufficient in the UK. Do these extend to the US market? ie - was the lobster in you trial lobster meal humanely treated or boiled alive as is the usual practice?
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This website has been set-up to deal primarily with questions regarding McDonald's in the UK and therefore cannot comment on McDonald's in other countries. Please visit www.mcdonalds.com for more information. However, with regard to McDonald’s in the UK, when considering any new product animal welfare and food safety are the top priority, so any issues of humane slaughtering would be a deciding factor on whether McDonald's UK would list a product or not.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 6. what conditions do the chickens live in before slaughter are they battrey hens or free range?
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The terms 'battery' and 'free range' are actually used in relation to egg producing chickens. The chickens used for meat are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards monitored by the Assured Chicken production regulations and are slaughtered using the most humane technique. McDonald's will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to the company's high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation. In addition McDonald's works with internationally renowned welfare experts to ensure best practices are in place. It is worth noting that McDonald's has won the RSPCA Alternative Award for their commitment to improving animal welfare in the 'fast food' category for the third year running.
(October 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 7. the lady that visited the mcnugget factory mist an all important part. like the actul live chickens! how about some footage of the farms they come off? and how are they killed? and can i please have a full breakdown of the chickens diet including drugs?? thanks
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Charlotte Haile visited the factory that makes and supplies McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. This factory receives the chicken meat already prepared and doesn't have any involvement in the slaughtering of the chickens. There are always new Quality Scout reports coming out, so a Scout may be visiting an abattoir in the future. The chicken farmers who supply McDonald's chicken are accredited by the nationally recognised Farm Assurance Scheme – Assured Chicken Production. Strict animal welfare standards are in place, and the feed used for rearing the chickens is not genetically modified and is free from antibiotic growth promoters. The diets for the chickens are carefully formulated by experienced nutritionists, with bird health regularly monitored by veterinary personnel. The slaughter of animals is an unavoidable part of preparing meat. Every animal is stunned prior to slaughter and will not feel a thing during the procedure. McDonald’s has standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel and under veterinary supervision. The company will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation.
(October 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 8. How do you get around issues in India (or have I got the wrong country?) where cows are considered sacred animals. Are you allowed to serve them as food?
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Thanks for your question. When McDonald's opened its restaurants in India, none of the sandwiches on the menu were made from beef. A special menu was developed which included lamb-based products. You can find out more information by logging onto www.mcdonaldsindia.com.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 9. How come mcdonalds in the US treat animals so badly? I read about this in 'Chew on this everything u didnt want to no about fast food'.
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Unfortunately McDonald’s UK cannot comment on the practices of McDonald’s in the US. If you’d like more information about McDonald’s worldwide animal welfare practices you can look McDonald’s Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Report at www.mcdonalds.com at http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/report.htm.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 10. Are you aware that 50% of the UKs animal slaughter is due to McDonalds? Now I'm only 12, but I know that animals are being killed for the sake of a chicken nugget. How does that make you feel? Also, how are your animals killed?A
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McDonald's is not responsible for 50 percent of the animals slaughtered in the UK. For example, the chickens used in its products account for no more than 4 percent of chickens slaughtered each week. The company takes the view that meat can form an important and natural part of a balanced diet. the slaughter of animals is an unavoidable part of that process. Every animal is stunned prior to slaughter and will not feel a thing during the procedure. McDonald’s has standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel and under veterinary supervision. The company will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation. But if you don’t want to take McDonald’s word for it and would like to find out more, please follow the Quality Scouts programme on this website. The Quality Scouts are members of the public who are reporting back on their visits to McDonald’s farms and factories, and animal welfare is obviously an issue that they will be keenly exploring.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 11. You said that your company does not mis-treat animals. A chicken's life span is 3-5 years so do you not think that killing it at 60 days is mis-treating it?
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Chickens reared for human consumption are bred to reach their optimum weight in around 40 days. The British Poultry Council sets these standards in relation to the production of chicken, which is managed through a set of standards called Assured Chicken Production (ACP). McDonald's take the view that meat can form an important and natural part of a balanced diet. The slaughter of animals is an unavoidable part of that. The company has standards in place to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel. McDonald's will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to these standards, and to those required by UK and EU legislation.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 12. why do you allow merciless killings of millions of animals? how can anyone associated with mcdonalds sleep at night?
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McDonald's takes the view that meat forms an important and natural part of a balanced diet. the slaughter of animals is an unavoidable part of that process. McDonald's has standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel and will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 13. Because you sell food containing meat, hundreds of thousands of animals have died. Why can't you just sell vegetarian everything? There are plenty of other businesses selling meat, why do you have to?
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McDonald's UK has been selling hamburgers since 1974, and they're essentially the basis of the business. McDonald's takes the view that meat can form an important and natural part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle. McDonald's does have vegetarian options on the menu, including the Grilled Veggie Melt, Garden Side Salad and French Fries.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 14. Do you find it appropriate that thousands of anmals suffer and are killed simply for taste ?
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McDonald's have standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel and will not work with any supplier who does not adhere to high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation. McDonald's take the view that meat forms an important and natural part of a balanced diet. the slaughter of animals is an unavoidable part of that process.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 15. What policies do you have in place to minimise the suffering of the animals that you serve as food in MacDonalds? Do you have any plans not to use battery chickens, for example?
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The company set up the McDonald's Agricultural Programme in 2002 to ensure that every step of the supply chain is championing best practices and is constantly monitored to ensure that standards are met at all times. McDonald's also works with internationally renowned welfare experts to look for improvements, including funding an organisation called the Farm Animal Initiative, click on 'Useful Links' and navigate to the 'Farm Animal Initiative' link for further information. And this commitment has led to McDonald's being awarded an RSPCA Alternative Award for its commitment to improving animal welfare in the 'fast food' category. And last year, McDonald's UK received an award from Compassion in World Farming as recognition that they only use free range eggs in their breakfast and sauces. McDonald's does not use battery chickens.
(April 2007)
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