Canadians for the
Ethical Treatment of
Food Animals
CONTENTS
Executive Summary..................................................................................... 3
Introduction.................................................................................................. 4
Genetic Problems of Meat Poultry............................................................... 4
Cruel On-Farm Practices............................................................................. 7
A. Detoeing, Dubbing, Desnooding and Debeaking............................. 7
B. Barn Conditions................................................................................11
Areas of Routine Violations..........................................................................14
A. Transportation...................................................................................14
A-1 Lack of Weather Protection......................................................14
A-2 Overcrowding...........................................................................17
A-3 Inability to Stand in Natural Position........................................19
A-4 Improper Crate Design.............................................................20
Inability to Access and Euthanize Injured Birds.................20
B. Catching, Carrying, Loading and Unloading Practices.....................24
C. Live-Hanging.................................................................................... 28
D. Slaughter.......................................................................................... 32
D-1
Electrified Stun Bath............................................................. 32
D-2
Pre-Stun Shocks.................................................................. 33
D-3
Neck Cutting......................................................................... 33
D-5
Scald Tank............................................................................33
Hygiene, Bacterial Infections, Antibiotic Resistance,
Infectious Diseases and Other Human Health Issues................................. 36
A. Listeria............................................................................................. 36
B. Bacterial Infections.......................................................................... 37
C. Antibiotic Resistance....................................................................... 38
D. Avian Influenza................................................................................ 38
Summary of Recommendations...................................................................40
Overall Recommendations...........................................................................42
Injured broiler chicken en route to slaughter
Cover Photo: Live-hanging at Granny's in Blumenort, Manitoba
Report produced and released April, 2009
P.O. Box 18024, 2225 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6M 4L3
email: care@cetfa.com website: www.cetfa.com
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