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What hidden impacts does the battery cage system have on the lives of laying hens?
In modern agriculture, battery cage systems play an important role in the large-scale laying hen farming around the world. The use of this system is controversial, causing fierce confrontation between animal welfare advocates and industrial producers. However, the impact of the battery cage system on the lives of laying hens contains many deep-seated problems that are not known to the public.
According to statistics, according to 2014 data, about 95% of eggs in the United States come from battery cages.
How battery cages work and what impacts they have
The battery cage system is designed primarily to improve production efficiency, reduce space requirements and operating costs. However, this high-density breeding method prevents laying hens from performing many natural behaviors, such as walking, flying or dust bathing, which in turn affects their physical and mental health.
For example, chickens have to live in small spaces, which leads to behavioral constraints such as lack of social behavior and limited voluntary movement. This not only causes anxiety, but can even lead to the spread of disease.
Animal welfare scientists have widely criticized battery cage systems, saying their spatial limitations lead to boredom and frustration.
Hidden Impacts on Mental and Physical Health
Under this harsh environment, the bone health of laying hens is often threatened, which is called "cage osteoporosis". Research shows that in the final stages of a laying hen's life, with high calcium requirements and lack of exercise, the erect bones become brittle, leading to fractures in the legs and other bones.
Physiological health issues have been documented in multiple studies, with many hens from battery cages showing recent bone fractures at slaughter.
In addition, laying hens often require beak tip trimming to combat problems with excessive feather pecking and aggression. This procedure is usually performed on the first day after the chicks hatch, and while it can reduce aggression to some extent, many scientists believe it causes the chicks to experience acute and chronic pain.
Battery Cage Policy and Law
As awareness of animal welfare increases, many countries have begun efforts to restrict or ban the use of battery cages. For example, the European Union banned traditional battery cages in 2012 and replaced them with “enriched cages.” However, critics argue that these enriched cages still fail to meet the basic needs of hens. Even under this system, the hens are still not free to engage in natural behavior.
Many animal welfare organisations have strongly called for a complete ban on all cage systems, including enrichment cages, as they believe this does not truly improve the welfare of the hens.
Improvement measures and future prospects
As market demands change, more and more farmers are considering non-cage farming methods, such as free-range or local farming systems. Not only do these systems give hens a wider range of space to roam, they also allow them to express social behaviors more naturally and help reduce the incidence of disease.
In addition, scientists and agricultural experts have also proposed some management measures, such as increasing environmental enrichment and improving the breeding environment, to promote the physical and mental health of hens.
Ultimately, how should consumers choose the right egg products while being mindful of animal welfare and environmental sustainability?
