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Location: NW Scotland
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 432
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"Oakham Chicken
All Marks & Spencer fresh chicken is Oakham™ Chicken which is produced exclusively for M&S
All our fresh Oakham™ chickens are produced on known, specially selected farms in the UK. We even put the name of the farmer and the country where the bird was reared on our whole bird packaging.
The Oakham™ chicken has been specifically chosen for its slower growth. It is this slower growth when combined with the birds’ bespoke diet, rich in cereals (wheat, maize, barley), soya and the high maize content which produces an improved flavour and succulence.
All Marks & Spencer fresh Oakham™ chicken is produced in the UK on farms which are known to us and are regularly inspected by specially trained auditors from within our suppliers and by Marks & Spencer technologists. All our chicken farms are inspected to ensure they meet the requirements of Marks & Spencer’s own Codes of Practice. Our welfare standards are based on the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council and have been developed in liaison with animal welfare organisations.
In terms of how the birds are housed, firstly you can be assured that no chickens are housed in cages. Oakham™ chickens are reared in controlled environment barns. The birds are housed on straw or wood shavings and have constant access to food and water. The temperature and lighting levels inside the barn are controlled by the farmer. We know that giving birds plenty of space is important and we have therefore adopted the Farm Animal Welfare Council’s recommendations on stocking density, therefore housing the birds at a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m2.
We know that in addition to giving the birds plenty of space to move around the environment needs to stimulate activity. The environment in which the birds are housed is enriched to encourage bird movement and activity. In addition to using the lighting inside the house to create activity we insist on the use of straw bales inside the barns which the birds use to roost and perch on – they also pull and peck at the straw.
Our Oakham™ Free-range chickens are housed in similar straw bedded barns to our Oakham™ chickens. In addition they have constant daytime access to the range on which they are free to roam. In the free-range system the internal house stocking density is 27kg/m2 and the area of range is determined on the basis of 1m2 per bird. To encourage birds to use the range area and to provide shelter our farmers use tree planting and whilst the trees are maturing use wig wams made from conifer branches, which the birds use for shade, shelter and protection.
With regard to the feed fed to Marks & Spencer Oakham™ chickens, Marks & Spencer has developed its own Code of Practice for poultry feed. This ensures birds are fed a wholesome diet to maintain optimum health and welfare. All poultry feed used by Marks & Spencer poultry farmers comes from known, independently audited feedmills. Because of these strict controls we know exactly what Marks & Spencer Oakham™ chickens are fed.
Our fresh chickens are fed a non-GM predominantly cereal based feed ration containing a combination of wheat, barley, maize, soya and other plant proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals. Marks & Spencer prohibits the addition of any animal or avian derived by-products in any of its poultry feed. This applies to the breeding birds as well as the growing chickens.
In addition, for many years Marks & Spencer has prohibited the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in the feed rations of all of its poultry and other livestock."
http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/no...&mnSBrand=core
"2003 survey of higher welfare chicken products
The RSPCA fresh chicken product survey asked supermarkets to list the products they sold that met the higher welfare criteria specified by the RSPCA.
# Marks & Spencer stocks 'Oakham Gold free-range chicken' and 'Organic free-range chicken' which meet higher welfare criteria including six hours of darkness per 24-hour period.
# Marks & Spencer also stocks 'Fresh chicken' and 'Oakham White chicken' - these are not higher welfare products as defined by the RSPCA as they are reared at stocking densities of up to 34kg/m2. However, this is in-line with the government's recommendations for stocking density and is slightly better than the industry standard of 38kg/m2 - often used by other supermarkets for their 'standard' range of chickens.
# The 'Oakham White' is typically slaughtered from 41 days onwards as the birds are ten per cent slower growing than the standard produced bird ('Fresh chicken').
Survey update - October 2004
"Oakham chicken is exclusive to Marks & Spencer and has been specially selected to be slower growing for improved animal welfare, as well as flavour and texture. We have retained our position on having low stocking density for our indoor produced birds - a maximum of 34kg/m2. Our suppliers have undertaken significant investment in both new poultry housing and upgrading of existing buildings over the last 12 months to ensure optimum housing standards."
http://chickens.rspca.org.uk/servlet...=1099596656273
HTH