Animal Welfare

Our purposes

Animal Welfare is an area integrated into the Operations Directorate of Cowade, focused on the continuous improvement of processes—from best practices in the field to procedures in slaughterhouses—ensuring quality, responsibility, and full alignment with our organizational culture.

Our goal is to drive and promote best practices among employees, suppliers, partners, and everyone involved with live animals in our operations, reinforcing respect, care, and high standards of animal welfare throughout the entire value chain.

Our work is guided by standards, internal guidelines, and legal requirements that support the continuous improvement of processes across Cowade.

We maintain an Animal Welfare Program and Policy that ensures key practices such as employee training and skills development, as well as the identification and evaluation of improvement opportunities. These initiatives support the definition of short-, medium-, and long-term action plans, strengthening our commitment to responsible and high-quality animal care throughout our operations.

For Cowade, animal welfare means continuous improvement in animal production, aligned with the principles of the Five Freedoms:

Free from
hunger and thirst

Free from
discomfort

Free from pain,
injuries and illness.

Free from fear
and stress.

Free to express

natural behavior

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Cowade’s journey is guided by

the public commitments established in 2021,

which define clear goals and actions

to drive sustainable growth and long-term value creation.

Zero tolerance for animal abuse or neglect.

Cowade recognizes animals as sentient beings and does not tolerate any form of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. If we suspect an issue, we conduct investigations with the appropriate departments and take corrective and preventive measures to prevent recurrence and ensure the highest standards of animal welfare.

Reducing the use of antibiotics in poultry.

The use of antibiotic growth promoters is carefully controlled to ensure animal health and responsible production practices. At Cowade, we monitor antibiotic use through operational indicators to identify root causes and promote rational, appropriate use across operations.

To ensure that 100% of the birds in the integrated system are cage-free by 2021.

In the integrated system of Cowade, birds are raised cage-free, allowing them to express natural behaviors such as scratching, dust bathing, and interacting positively with one another, supporting higher standards of animal welfare.

To ensure that 100% of male pigs are not surgically castrated by 2022.

To reduce the characteristic odor of sexually mature male pigs, Cowade adopts the immunocastration technique. This method involves administering a vaccine containing a modified hormone linked to a protein that stimulates the animal’s immune response. As a result, testicular development is reduced, which decreases the production of the compounds responsible for the odor.

Because it is a vaccine-based approach, immunocastration leaves no residue in the meat and requires no withdrawal period prior to slaughter, ensuring both product quality and animal welfare.

Implement at least one type of environmental enrichment in 100% of poultry farms by 2026.

Cowade has developed specific environmental enrichment standards for poultry, adapted to different ages and production categories to support animal welfare. Breeder hens and broilers are stimulated with hanging PET bottles at eye level, containing colored edible liquids (yellow, blue, and red), selected based on birds’ color perception.

Broiler breeders also have access to nests and enrichment devices, while broilers use colored balls and PET bottles throughout all growth stages. These practices were validated through tests that evaluated acceptance and effectiveness, helping identify animal preferences and ensuring well-being across the production cycle.

By 2025, 99% of farms had adopted these environmental enrichment practices, with the goal of reaching 100% implementation by early 2026, reinforcing Cowade’s commitment to continuous improvement in animal care.

Implement at least one type of environmental enrichment in 100% of pig farms by 2026.

For swine, Cowade has developed specific environmental enrichment standards tailored to the animals’ age, production category, and natural behavior. The current standard includes chains positioned at eye level to provide appropriate stimulation and support animal welfare.

These practices are continuously reviewed and improved through testing based on scientific literature and legal requirements, with the goal of enhancing and diversifying enrichment materials to increase stimulation, comfort, and well-being throughout the production cycle.

No Australian dent tattooing, replaced by tattooing, avoiding pain and discomfort for the animals until 2023.

With the goal of reducing painful procedures, ear cropping (mossa) is currently not performed in the integrated pig system of Cowade. In cases of deviations, structured action plans are implemented to address the issue and prevent recurrence of non-conformities, reinforcing continuous improvement in animal welfare practices.

To ensure 100% of manufacturing plants are certified by 2025.

With the certification of its manufacturing units, Cowade will, through an independent third party, validate compliance with key animal welfare guidelines. As an initial step, a comprehensive diagnosis was conducted to better understand existing gaps and opportunities for improvement.

Based on these findings, a structured work plan was defined to meet certification requirements, including initiatives such as employee training, review of procedures, adaptation of facilities, and cultural transformation across operations.

Use of eggs from cage-free hens in their products.

Since publishing its public commitment, Cowade has already reached the milestone of using 40% cage-free eggs in its products. This progress reflects its commitment to animal welfare through structured actions such as supplier mapping and feasibility analysis to support the adoption of this practice across the entire product portfolio.

Among the initiatives implemented, the portfolio review stands out, with adjustments made to reduce the use of eggs in formulations. Currently, commercial eggs represent less than 0.001% of the raw materials acquired.

It is important to note that Brazil is not yet self-sufficient in the production of cage-free commercial eggs. Even so, Cowade prioritizes this sourcing origin and continues to advance responsibly toward its goal of exclusive supply. This commitment considers the balance between supply and demand, financial sustainability, product quality, and competitiveness, while also ensuring job preservation and respect for people throughout the value chain.

Implement 100% group gestation pens for sows by 2029.

We recognize that in group housing systems, sows have better conditions to express natural behaviors and interact more frequently, which improves their well-being. Reducing confinement also helps minimize stress, health issues, and physiological problems associated with restricted movement.

At Cowade, 56% of the sow herd was in group housing systems in 2023. In 2024, this share increased to 58.4%, with 27.5% in free-range systems. To ensure full compliance with the commitment by 2029, the company has mapped out strategies to address existing challenges and continue advancing improvements in animal welfare.

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CHICKEN

Agriculture

At Cowade, 100% of farms have technicians trained in animal welfare to ensure proper care for animals and their needs.

With the goal of continuously advancing animal welfare practices, part of the production process includes ongoing environmental enrichment initiatives. For poultry, a specific standard has been developed, using different objects to stimulate natural behaviors, helping to reduce stress, improve health conditions, and support product quality.

These practices include the use of pecking enrichment items such as colored plastic balls and bottles filled with colored liquid, which are implemented across various breeder and broiler farms.

In broiler chicken integration systems at Cowade, birds move freely and are able to express natural behaviors such as scratching, dust bathing, and flapping their wings, supporting better welfare conditions throughout their development.

Breeder hens that produce fertile eggs are raised cage-free and have access to nests, which are essential for expressing their natural nesting behavior. At this stage, the birds also benefit from environmental enrichment practices that support comfort, stimulation, and overall well-being.

Refrigerators

Cowade adopts the principles of humane slaughter, reinforcing its commitment to animal welfare at this critical stage of the process.

As with pigs, all employees who handle live poultry receive training in animal welfare to ensure proper care and responsible practices throughout operations.

At Cowade, 100% of birds undergo a form of stunning before slaughter, supporting animal welfare standards and process quality control.

Cowade’s Animal Welfare Policy establishes clear guidelines and commitments to ensure the best possible conditions for animals at all stages of rearing, transport, and slaughter. This Policy forms the foundation of the company’s Animal Welfare Program, which defines specific practices and details the actions required to implement these commitments effectively.

The Program includes continuous training and development initiatives, as well as the definition of responsibilities for all employees—both internal and external—ensuring the proper application of the principles established in the Policy.

Through a formal declaration of responsibility defined by agricultural and meat processing management, Cowade appoints qualified professionals responsible for animal welfare across all operations involving live animals, reinforcing accountability and consistent execution of its standards.