Denmark pushes for EU ban on ‘turbo chickens’ as secret footage causes outrage
Summary
Denmark is pursuing a national ban on fast-growing Ross 308 chickens, known as “turbo chickens,” and is calling for an EU-wide ban. The effort follows a TV2 documentary alleging a Danish producer broke animal-welfare rules; the producer acknowledged mistakes and said he had changed some practices.Key Facts
- The Ross 308 breed can grow from about 50 grams to 2 kilograms in 33 days; other breeds take 46 to 63 days to reach that weight.
- The documentary alleged producer Christian Tvergaard gave chickens only half the legally required daily darkness to encourage them to eat more.
- Tvergaard told TV2 he had made wrong decisions and had tightened lighting and stable procedures.
- Denmark’s minister for nature and animal welfare, Christian Rabjerg Madsen, said the government would work toward national and EU bans, while investigating legal and economic issues.
- Denmark’s proposed ban has cross-party support, but industry leaders say it must also cover imported chicken to affect the market.
- Eurogroup for Animals says 95% of chickens in the EU are raised in intensive systems and bred for low-cost meat production.
- Animal Protection Denmark is calling for chickens to be bred for 56 days, the period it cites for organic breeds.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
