At YoKuku, animal welfare is fundamental to the way we operate. We believe that healthy, well-cared-for birds are essential to producing safe, high-quality food, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of care throughout every stage of their lives.
Our farming practices are guided by nationally and internationally recognised animal welfare principles. We continuously invest in responsible husbandry, trained personnel and modern farm management systems to ensure our birds are raised in a safe, healthy and comfortable environment.
Our commitment is built around the internationally recognised Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare: freedom from hunger, malnutrition and thirst; freedom from fear and distress; freedom from physical and thermal discomfort; freedom from pain, injury and disease; and the freedom to express natural behaviours. These principles guide our daily operations and reflect our promise to produce food responsibly and ethically.
Read our Animal Welfare Performance for 2023
Policy Principles
Animal welfare is central to how we operate at YoKuku. Guided by internationally recognised welfare principles, we are committed to providing a safe, healthy and comfortable environment for our birds while continuously improving our farming practices through responsible management, innovation and collaboration.
We provide clean, comfortable and well-managed housing that supports the health and wellbeing of our birds. Our farms maintain appropriate stocking densities, good air quality, natural lighting and enrichment features that encourage natural behaviours.
We select breeds that are well suited to our environment and demonstrate strong welfare outcomes. We continue to evaluate and adopt breeds that support healthier birds and responsible farming practices.
Our birds receive balanced nutrition, continuous access to clean drinking water and attentive daily care. Experienced farm teams monitor flock health closely, with veterinarians available to provide prompt treatment whenever needed.
We are committed to responsible antimicrobial stewardship. Antibiotics are only used when prescribed by our veterinarians, and every product is monitored to ensure it is free from antibiotic residues.
We are committed to handling birds with care throughout transportation and processing. We continually support and adopt practices that improve animal welfare and minimise unnecessary stress.
We work with customers and transport partners who share our commitment to animal welfare. This helps ensure birds are handled responsibly throughout the supply chain.
We regularly assess our animal welfare practices through independent audits and collaboration with industry experts. By working with trusted partners, we continue to improve our standards and contribute to better animal welfare across the region.