A COK Report:
Animal Suffering in the Broiler Industry
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Conclusion
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"[S]imple calculations suggest that
it is better to get the weight and ignore the mortality." |
Standard broiler industry selective breeding, confinement,
transport, and slaughter practices cause chickens to experience
both acute and chronic pain. For producers, profits have taken
priority over animal welfare, as birds are pushed beyond their
physical limits and housed in conditions both unhealthy and
unnatural. As two poultry researchers asked, "Is it more profitable
to grow the biggest bird and have increased mortality due
to heart attacks, ascites, and leg problems, or should birds
be grown slower so that birds are smaller, but have fewer
heart, lung and skeletal problems?....A large portion of growers'
pay is based on the pound of saleable meat produced, so simple
calculations suggest that it is better to get the weight and
ignore the mortality."(68)
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