Battery cages in poultry farms a worrisome trend

Hyderabad: Poultry farming means raising various types of domestic fowls, including chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks for the production of meat and/or eggs. In India, different types of poultry birds or fowls are being raised since long. The total poultry population in India is 729.2 million, which is 12.39% higher than the numbers in the previous census.

The hens used for the production of eggs in the egg industry are reared in small, barren-wired cages (size of an A4 paper) called battery cages – a name was given due to the arrangement of cage placed side by side. These cages are so small that the animals are unable to stand up straight or even spread their wings, leading to sore feet, broken bones and other bodily injuries to the birds, which increase the risk of birds in the flock.

Commercial poultry farming in India has created and still creating a profitable business opportunity for business runners. The demand for eggs and meat in the market is never-ending. Therefore, this business provides a huge source of employment for poor, lower middle class, housewives, etc.

In addition, the business does not require a huge capital investment and even bank loans are easily available throughout the country. However, the economics, as well as employment opportunities of poultry farming in the caged system and cage-free system, needs to be studied separately.

Speaking to The Hans India, Campaign Manager – Farm Animal Protection Humane Society International (India) Shreya Praopkari, said, "The predecessor roaster, which was trade selected by the manufacturers to make the hen what we have today use to lay 20 eggs a year. The hens, which we see in poultry farms now, lay nearly 300 eggs a year. It is very unhealthy for the hen.

When they are 16 weeks old, they are made to lay eggs nearly every day for about a year, and after that they lay eggs, but not at the frequency like the first year. Once the egg productivity goes down they are all sent for culling, but by that time, they are in a very bad condition due to the small size of the cage, sloping wire floor, lack of nest boxes or perches and close proximity of other birds, etc."

"There have been different issues related to "farming conditions" like the unhygienic practices under which fowls or birds are raised. The consumption of contaminated food, such as eggs from unhygienic poultry farms, may result in diseases in human due to Salmonella, E coli, and Campylobacter. The other serious issues are harsh treatment during transportation, trimming off the beaks at just one day of age resulting in the damage of nociceptors and acute pain, culling of newly-hatched male chicks as they do not lay eggs or are weak. " Shreya added.

It may be noted here that on June 3 2014, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, wrote a letter to all Directors/Commissioners of State Animal Husbandry Department, advising controlled and judicious use of antibiotics in treatment of food-producing animals and in animal feed. The Directorate General of Health Services, on June 6, 2014, reiterated the directions in the aforementioned letter to the State Drug Controllers.

Despite directions to the state Animal Husbandry Departments and State Drug Controllers from their respective nodal Ministries, it has been observed that the use of antibiotics in the treatment and in feeding the birds at poultries (layer & broiler) is high, which otherwise, need to be as per the advice of Animal Husbandry Departments and State Drug Controllers.

Consumer Health Effects

The issue of antibiotic use in poultry is leading to antibiotic resistance in fowls, which in turn is an emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance in consumers of poultry eggs and meat. Consumers may develop antibiotic resistance through the consumption of poultry products that have prior exposure to resistant strains. Besides oral consumption, antibiotic resistance may develop through extensive handling and transfer of birds.

Such a problem could be more prominent in broilers than egg-laying hens. It is also apparent from the literature that arsenic is fed to the hens and chickens to promote growth and weight gain with less feed. Arsenic apparently helps fight some diseases and aids in tissue and vascular development, making the muscle of animals look more appealing to consumers. The long term exposure of arsenic above the recommended limit can cause cancer in the skin, lung, bladder, and kidney. Growth hormones given to the fowls is another issue related to the health of the consumers.

Environmental Concerns

There are several environmental concerns related to poultry farming with respect to air, water, and soil pollution as well as the socio-economic aspect. Poultry production is associated with a variety of environmental pollutants, including oxygen-demanding substances, ammonia, solids, nutrients (specifically nitrogen and Phosphorus), pathogens, trace elements, antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, etc., and other airborne emissions. Besides, the poultry attracts flies, rodents, dogs and other pests that create local nuisances and carry diseases. Poor management of manure, litter, and waste water, etc., adversely affects the environment. Besides, odour emissions from poultry farms affect the life of people living in the vicinity.

Odour is generated from fresh and decomposing waste products, such as manure, carcasses, feathers, and bedding litter. Furthermore, intensive poultry production may be responsible for the emission of greenhouse gasses, acidification, and eutrophication. Other indirect impacts include ecosystem destruction and biodiversity erosion associated with the expansion of feed crop production into natural habitats and the over-exploitation of non-renewable resources for feed production.

Harmful effects of battery cages

1. Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome [FLHS]
2. Cage Layer Fatigue
3. Osteoporosis
4. Keel Bone Disorders
5. Foot Disorders [Hyperkeratosis, bumble foot, lesions]