COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF COMMERCIAL REARING M ETHODS OF COMMON PHEASANTS (PHASIANUS-COLCHICUS SPEC) CONSIDERING ASPECTS OF ANIMAL PROTECTION INEXTENSIVE AND INTENSIVE ANIMAL KEEPING

The study presents the effects that different rearing methods of comme rcial pheasantries have on pheasants. The techniques applied by 17 com mercial pheasantries in Northern Germany are specified. These techniqu es were exemplarily simulated on pheasants reared under defined condit ions in special aviaries. The results illustrate the impact of the dif ferent rearing methods on the condition and constitution on the birds seen from the point of view of animal welfare. Only about 35 % (20 400 ) of all pheasants reared (85 000) in commercial pheasantries were kep t under conditions which allowed a physical and behavioural developmen t that nearly complied with the stipulation of the animal protection l aws. In approximately 65 % of all the pheasants were not enabled to ad apt themselves to the food or climate of the habitat they would have t o live in after their release. The study proves that most of the curre ntly applied rearing techniques as well as the methods for preventing feather picking are not compatible with the law on the protection of a nimals.