vivid wrote:
But I think these are the very conversations that need to be had - unsentimental and reasonable discussion taking into account the economic situations and the crucial differences in UK/EU/US/AUS/NZ etc. welfare legislation with regard to conditions on farms, e.g., which countries still keep calves in narrow veal crates etc., the transportation and slaughterhouse methods.
Transportation in the case of chickens is a major cause for concern since they have a very poor ability to cope with the extremes of hot and cold. A lorry of birds numbers about 7,000 (and takes about 30 minutes to slaughter). At the height of summer and in the depths of winter anything upto 3000 of these can be delivered dead and consequently disposed of. This happens in transit. A number of years ago an entire load was dead on arrival. The conditions for the birds must be horrific.I need to give this some thought as I haven't even finished me first cuppa but will be back later in the day!
I understand that they have similar problems in the sheds and that sometimes a whole flock has to be disposed of. Heaven knows what numbers we would be talking about but it would be tens of thousands.