Norway's largest producers of chicken have announced their intention to switch to a slower-growing breed. Ross 308 production in Norway is nearing its end.

The production of the fast-growing broiler chicken breed, Ross 308, appears to be coming to an end in Norway.

There are three major producers of broiler chicken in Norway: Norsk Kylling, Nortura, and Den Stolte Hane. Norsk Kylling switched to a slower-growing breed in 2018 and now fulfills the European Chicken Commitment (EEC) criteria. Nortura is by far the largest producer and supplies its smaller competitor, Den Stolte Hane, with parent animals. The grandparent animals that supply both companies are kept in Sweden and owned by the international breeding giant Aviagen.

In October 2023, undercover footage from the Swedish group Djurrättsalliancen showed severe suffering in Aviagen's chicken facilities. Cannibalism and severe feather picking were among the behaviours documented on camera. It was commented on by high-profile Swedish and international animal researchers such as Linda Keeling and Per Jensen. Both Keeling and Jensen made it clear that Ross 308 grows too fast and has an abnormal appetite because of its breeding genetics.

When The Norwegian Animal Protection Alliance exposed the connection between Swedish breeding and the Norwegian industry to Norwegian media, it caused a national outcry.

A few days after the release of the footage in Norway's biggest newspaper, VG, the Head of Communications at Nortura told the media that they would stop using Ross 308. Soon after, Den Stolte Hane also told the media that they would follow suit.

Nortura still has not set a cutoff date for when they will have finished their production of Ross 308. The Norwegian Animal Alliance has made it clear that our campaigns will continue until a cutoff date is publicly communicated and will resume if that deadline is not achieved.