Masses of Easter eggs from sick chickens
The consumer organization foodwatch has criticized the husbandry labeling of eggs as insufficient for animal welfare. Even if consumers consciously choose free-range or organic eggs, they cannot be sure that the laying hens are healthy. According to foodwatch, the farming method says nothing about the animals' state of health.
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Animals in organic husbandry suffered from pain and diseases just as often as animals from conventional husbandry. Statistically, for example, 4 out of 10 Eggs laid by a hen with broken bones - there are no differences between organic and conventional farming or between small and large farms, as scientific studies show. The decisive factor for animal health is above all how the individual farmer manages his farm - i.e. whether he prevents animals from falling ill in the first place and reacts quickly in the event of illness. foodwatch called on Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner to finally focus on the health of farm animals and no longer allow products from sick animals to enter the market. The experience with egg labeling showed that initiatives such as Ms. Klöckner's "Animal Welfare" seal or the new "husbandry" labeling of the large supermarket chains fell far too short. They focus almost exclusively on formal husbandry conditions - while animal health plays no role, foodwatch criticized.
"Whether the chickens were healthy or suffering from pain and Diseases suffered, is completely indifferent for egg labeling. When shopping, no one can tell how healthy or sick a chicken was - neither in organic eggs nor in eggs from barn-raised hens," said Matthias Wolfschmidt, veterinarian and international campaign director of foodwatch. It is true that in organic or free-range systems, the animals have more space and better opportunities to act out their natural behaviors, such as scratching and pecking. However, he said, these factors are no guarantee that a chicken has actually lived a healthy life. "As long as the health of the animals does not play a role in labeling, we will continue to be served masses of food that come from sick animals. A few centimeters more space or outdoor runs are of little use to the animals if they suffer from pain and disease. In a well-managed conventional farm, the animals can be healthier than in a poorly managed organic farm. What is needed, therefore, is both the best possible husbandry conditions plus healthy animals - this must be enforced for each individual farm," says Matthias Wolfschmidt.
More info
www.foodwatch.org
