Animal Well-Being

Animal Health and Welfare Commitment

Peco believes that proper care for animals is the moral and ethical obligation of all corporations that care for and process animals that are used in our food products.

This commitment has and will always be foremost in the day-to-day operations of our company. All personnel involved in the care and handling of animals are properly trained and expected to follow the Peco Animal Health and Welfare Program completely. Peco will not tolerate anyone mistreating the animals that we depend on for our business existence and our company's success.

Mark Hickman
President and CEO

Roddy Sanders
Corporate Director of Live Operations
Animal Health and Welfare Chairperson

over 99% average third-party animal welfare audit scores over the last 3 years

over 200 team members trained by PAACO infographic

poultry handling & transportation certified company by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association

Trains every 6 months for team members, producers and contractors in animal health and welfare

Doing What's Right

At Peco, we strive to do what’s right. We raise chickens to provide a safe, nutritious and quality product to families around the world. We pledge to protect the health and welfare of our chickens through an all-encompassing Animal Health and Welfare program to keep our chickens as healthy and comfortable as possible. The program is established and overseen by our veterinarian(s) and carried out by our family contract producers and Peco team members.

▸FlockFocus^®

FlockFocus^® Program

Our Focus is providing the Best Care and Environment to Keep Our Animals Healthy and Comfortable from Day One.

The Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (“PAACO”) has certified Peco’s internal welfare auditing program known as FlockFocus^®. Through this program our team will continue to prioritize best management practices to ensure our birds are properly cared for, promoting a culture and mindset of continuous improvement in animal health and welfare.

PAACO Certified Audit List

▸Animal Welfare

We follow an animal welfare program built around the National Chicken Council’s Animal Welfare Guidelines, customer specific programs, academic research and our care requirements. Our program is monitored by a team of Peco auditors certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization, along with third-parties, to verify and ensure the proper handling and care for our chickens. We recognize the “Five Freedoms” of animal welfare and we encourage all Peco Team Members, Contract Producers and Contractors to practice them.

Five Freedoms

Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
Freedom from Discomfort
Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease
Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
Freedom from Fear and Distress

A chicken is considered to be in a good state of welfare “…if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress” (OIE). Animals’ physical needs are relatively easily discussed, described, and studied, but their mental states and needs can be more difficult to characterize. We recognize that this is an ongoing discussion and evolving science. With that in mind, Peco Animal Health and Welfare Guidelines are updated regularly to include new science-based parameters. We feel the health and welfare of our birds’ starts with Peco’s Team Members and Contract Producers that are educated on why they do what they do. We biannually train all team members and contract producers in animal health and welfare that interact and work alongside the chickens. This thorough training includes doing what’s right by caring for and respecting the chickens in our hatcheries, contract farms and plants to protect and promote their welfare.

▸Flock Health and Veterinary Care

At Peco we believe that safe, wholesome food starts with healthy chickens. We work with our board - certified veterinarian(s), academic institutes and current peer-reviewed scientific research to guide our decisions on the care of our chickens, and helps us continuously, identify and implement improvements to our flock health plans. Our veterinarian(s) oversee and counsel our disease-prevention efforts, diagnose and control illness and prescribe treatments for flocks when medically necessary. Poultry nutritionist(s) work with our veterinarian(s) to develop custom-made nutrition plans for every step in our chickens' lives.

▸Biosecurity

Biosecurity is one of the cornerstones in keeping our chickens healthy. "Bio" refers to life, and "security" indicates protection. It is what we do on a daily basis to reduce the chances of a disease being carried to our chickens. We follow comprehensive biosecurity practices, incorporating the National Poultry Improvements Plan’s “14 Biosecurity Principles”, to safeguard chicken health, welfare and prevent the introduction or spread of disease. Biosecurity is not just a set of principles to our company, it’s a state of mind.