The parliament of Switzerland has voted in a symbolic manner and decided to outlaw the shredding of living baby chickens. This law was certainly the need of the hour and this regulation will curb the inhuman practice taking place in the egg industry.
The egg industry of Switzerland shreds the living male chicks. This is mainly done for the reason that they are considered of no use in the production of eggs in the industry. As a result, the Swiss government has been making efforts in order to improve animal welfare in their country.
Several of the NGOs have lauded Switzerland with heaps of praises. Such compliments have come their way because they have taken the initiative of pioneering the issue of animal rights in a much better way in comparison to the nations under the European Union.
On 20th May, Thursday, the Swiss parliament had decided on putting a ban on the practice of shredding the living male chicks. It is important to note that this method is no longer practiced in Switzerland. On the other hand, however, the egg industry kills baby birds with the help of CO2 gas.
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Egg Industry In Switzerland Gets Strict Laws
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This shredding of male chicks was considered a controversial practice in 2019 and resulted in the ban. This dreadful practice happened because male chicks cannot lay eggs after maturity. Consequently, commercial egg farms all over the world usually culled them through shredding.
Although the government of Switzerland put this ban into effect from 1st January 2020, killing baby chickens with CO2 is still under practice. On the contrary, the government has informed that chicks cannot be put under any fatal ‘lethal procedure’ that is often done in some of the hatcheries. It is known that chicks are disposed of through maceration but that has now been banned.
The Swiss government has further added that the process of determining the gender of the chicks inside the egg is not available at most places as of yet. Nevertheless, many firms, as well as universities, have been trying to figure out the commercial method.
The culling process is extremely appalling and widely practiced in the intensive egg industry. The chicks are shredded in the high-speed grinder soon after they are sexed. Such large-scale shredding is done only because they are unable to lay eggs that obviously makes them unprofitable.
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Welcoming Animal Rights Laws
The allowance of the practice of putting the male chicks to death was definitely a rare practice. It was an exception in the restricted section of the Swiss animal rights laws that were implemented over 10 years back. As of now, politicians have insisted on putting a formal ban.
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The committee of the House of Representatives has noted that this tendency of rearing species merely for the production of meat or eggs turns animals into objects. Such adverse practices have resulted in the shredding of the male chicks in the egg industry. Hence, such practices must be immediately stopped.
GalloSuisse is a producer of eggs in the Swiss Association and they have gladly welcomed this legal reform. The company has accepted the fact that such practices are indeed outdated. In addition, the 4 most important egg hatcheries in Switzerland that provide the hens to the poultry farmers have already implemented this method a few years back.
Nonetheless, an estimated 3 million male chicks have been gassed to death in Switzerland each year. This happens because they are not considered worth rearing for commercial purposes. Over 50% of the chicks that are discarded get processed and serve as animal feed in zoos.
Image Featured PETA
