Colombia is a marginal performer (“D”) under the VACI, on par with China and Spain. The country has a moderate level of animal production and consumption and inadequate farmed animal protection legislation.
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Colombia slaughters around 16 land-based animals per person per year, compared to a global average of 10.1. However, the country's dependence on farmed animals is around 3.8 farmed animals per person, close to the global average of 4.1. Caged egg production is widespread, although is less prevalent than other forms of animal husbandry practices. However, the production of factory farmed broiler chickens is intensifying. Around half of the pigs reared in Colombia are also in intensive systems.
The Colombian diet contains a relatively high proportion of animal products, with around 50% of the average person's diet made up of land-based animal protein, versus a global average of 35.2%. Each Colombian consumes around 35.1g of land-based animal protein per day, compared with a global average of 27.2g.
Colombia is rated as a marginal performer ("D") under the Animal Protection Index (API), and its farmed animal protection legislation achieved a poor performance rating ("E") under the same index. General provisions banning cruelty to animals are in place, but species-specific welfare requirements are missing, cruel confinement and mutilation of animals in factory farms is allowed, and slaughterhouse inspection needs to be strengthened. Learn more about the quality of Colombia's legislative protections on the API here.