Animal welfare lacks sufficient methods for quantitative inclusion in food system impact assessments. The Welfare Footprint Framework addresses this gap, revealing that adopting slower-growing breeds can prevent at least 15–100 hours of intense pain in chickens at an estimated cost of US$1 per kilogram of meat, or US$0.00003–0.00005 for each hour using carbon externality pricing.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Poore, J. & Nemecek, T. Science 360, 987–992 (2018).
Sebo, J. et al. CABI One Health https://doi.org/10.1079/cabionehealth.2022.0002 (2022).
Alonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. BMC Res. Notes 14, 229 (2021).
Schuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, W. J. in Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens: A Blueprint for the Comparative Analysis of Welfare in Animals (eds Schuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, W. J.) Ch. 1 (Center for Welfare Metrics, 2021).
Alonso, W. J. & Schuck-Paim, C. Welfare Footprint Framework: Methodological Foundations and Quantitative Assessment Guidelines (Center for Welfare Metrics, 2025)
Schuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, W. J. Quantifying Pain in Broiler Chickens: Impact of the Better Chicken Commitment and Adoption of Slower-Growing Breeds on Broiler Welfare (Center for Welfare Metrics, 2022).
Schuck-Paim, C. et al. Sci. Rep. 15, 19850 (2025).
Khire, I. & Ryba, R. Br. Poult. Sci. 66, 290–298 (2025).
Schuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, W. J. in Quantifying Pain in Laying Hens: A Blueprint for the Comparative Analysis of Welfare in Animals (eds Schuck-Paim, C. & Alonso, W. J.) Ch. 9 (Center for Welfare Metrics, 2021).
Hartcher, K. M. & Lum, H. K. Worlds Poult. Sci. J. 76, 154–167 (2019).
Chan, I., Franks, B. & Hayek, M. N. R. Soc. Open Sci. 9, 210478 (2022).
Valuing Higher Welfare Chicken: Making the Financial Case for More Humane Chicken Production (World Animal Protection, 2019).
Lusk, J. L., Thompson, N. M. & Weimer, S. J. Agric. Resour. Econ. 44, 536–550 (2019).
Costs and Implications of the European Chicken Commitment in the EU (Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade, 2024).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Peer review
Peer review information
Nature Food thanks Linda Keeling and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schuck-Paim, C., Alonso, W.J., Verkuijl, C. et al. The Welfare Footprint Framework can help balance animal welfare with other food system priorities. Nat Food 6, 737–739 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01213-z
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01213-z
