The measures also include moving away from the use of pig farrowing crates, which contain sows during birth and nursing to stop them rolling over onto their young. The National Farmers' Union said laws should also require imports to be produced to the same standards to prevent unfair competition for British farmers. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said the package of reforms, which include banning trail hunting and puppy farming, was "the most ambitious animal welfare strategy in a generation", but the Conservatives said it showed Labour did not care about rural Britain.

The government aims to implement the new strategy by 2030. "We've already acted to improve zoo standards, end puppy smuggling and protect livestock from dog attacks. Now, we're planning to ban caged hens, cruel snares, trail hunting, and curb low welfare dog breeding," Reynolds said. The new animal welfare strategy said it would "transition to non-cage systems and consult on phasing out enriched 'colony' cages" - which contain multiple chickens.

It added that it would work with the farming industry to " explore how to transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems". As well as ending "confinement systems", the government is looking at outlawing controversial so-called "Frankenchickens" - a term used by animal welfare campaigners to describe fast-growing breeds. Anthony Field, head of Compassion in World Farming UK, said the government was "raising the bar for farmed animal welfare". Conventional battery cages for individual hens are already banned in the UK, where the RSPCA says an estimated 80% of hens are free range. The RSPCA's head of public affairs David Bowles said removing the final 20% of hens from cages should not pose a "massive commercial problem". NFU President Tom Bradshaw urged the government to ensure imported food was not produced at a lower standard than would be legal in the UK. He warned that this would lead to British farmers facing unfair competition from cheaper goods around the world. (BBC)