Graphics are often published as an attempt to raise awareness on aspects of protected animal husbandry that are considered negative. Graphics like this one for example:
Images like this are both true and not. There is in fact a mistake: it concerns life expectancy. It must be clear that what is described is not ‘life expectancy’, … the term is in fact improper and even incorrect in the context of protected livestock farms in which animal welfare is, on the contrary, important and particularly cared for.
On the other hand, the graphics correctly indicate the planned length of life of animals born by human decision because they are intended to provide food for mankind and, for some parts, also for the production of pet food and zoo food (the tins and kibble for instance).
On the other hand, free-range and backyard poultry are managed at an amateur level, not always and not only for food purposes (eggs excluded). Their natural life span may be longer, but also shorter due to the lack of capacity of amateurs and/or small farmers to follow and support all the necessary practices to protect the animal’s health.
The graphic just considered is also incomplete. The figure for slow-growing broilers is missing, which are bred for about twice as long as a broiler. The ‘slow-growing’ animals are the result of requests from animal welfare associations organised at European level that, with a certain hypocrisy, have asked the industry to grow animals for a longer time, which is certainly possible (in fact, the industry has shown that they listen and know how to do it) but which inevitably affects the overall cost that the consumer will have to pay (about twice as much) and the environmental impact because each slow-growing animal reaches the targets necessary to become a human food chain after twice as many days, thus consuming twice as much energy, food, water, space… than conventional broilers. compared to conventional broilers:
https://moreaboutchicken.com/the-price-of-chicken-could-double/
It should not be forgotten that protected farming and amateur farming come into being for very different purposes:
- protected livestock farms aim to produce healthy, accessible and affordable food for mankind. Their development is based on the selection of the most efficient animals https://moreaboutchicken.com/who-grows-more-and-consumes-less-chicken/ taking care of their farming and welfare throughout the supply chain.
- The amateur ones, on the other hand, are born for individual initiatives whose purposes are generally to participate in animal aesthetics and exchange between enthusiasts.
On this site ( www.moreaboutchicken.com ) you can find insights such as this one you are reading, on many of the hottest topics in the sector, curiosities and refutations on the fakes circulating on protected farming farms. You can also find clarifications on the issue of male chicks that, incidentally, only concern laying hens here:
https://moreaboutchicken.com/i-heard-that-males-are-killed-why-where-can-i-find-more-information/
and here:
https://moreaboutchicken.com/chickens-or-hens-how-many-people-know-the-difference/
which is in any case a constantly evolving theme …
The editorial staff of M.A.C.
