Moreaboutchicken.com (hereafter MAC) offers its readers here a concise compilation of statements that in multiple media, digital and otherwise, CIWF spreads about intensive poultry farming. The CIWF phrases we have extrapolated come from a more substantial document they sent by email and, where it was not clear, always refer to chickens, eggs and intensive farming. Our purpose, of course, is to submit to our readers any observations/objections/corrections that MAC feels should be highlighted:
CIWF – QUALITY OF LIFE = QUALITY OF MEAT
- MAC– This is a very forced equation: examples can be given that disprove it.
CIWF – … how would you feel if your body was destined to develop unnaturally to become big in a very short time?…
- MAC: These are domestic animals adapted to human functions, therefore the concept of naturalness does not apply to just any domestic animal. Chickens raised to feed mankind are the result of careful selection for their characteristics and not only is their development natural, but their needs and freedoms are respected:
√ from thirst, hunger and poor nutrition
√ to have a suitable physical environment
√ from pain, injury and disease
√ to express behavioral characteristics
√ from fear and discomfort
CIWF – This is what happens to fast-growing chickens, a breed genetically selected to reach slaughter weight in just over a month (while wild ones would need at least three months to reach the same size).
- MAC-In the meantime, they are hybrids and not breeds (i.e., crosses from different breeds), and then that is exactly what the professional poultry industry has been working for dozens of years to achieve: rapid growth is therefore a result that characterizes their nature. These animals are only well when they can grow in this way. By doing so, they express their nature as voracious animals capable of turning a grain-based feed into good quality lean meat.
CIWF – … You would probably feel bad, and your body accordingly.
- MAC– It is a conclusion that is not based on any kind of assumptions.
CIWF-to reach slaughter weight in just over a month (while wild ones would need at least three months to reach the same size). Their meat is edible, of course, but it suffers greatly…. intensively raised chickens are subject to several issues that also impact the quality of the meat we find in supermarkets.
- MAC– There are no wild breeds: breeds refer to domesticated animals. Likely CIWF refers to slow-growing genetic types https://moreaboutchicken.com/is-slow-growth-really-a-benefit-for-who/
CIWF – They have several health problems
- MAC- These have not been shown to be health problems, but are known meat abnormalities that are constantly being addressed by genetic selection and have no impact on nutrient quality. https://moreaboutchicken.com/pheno-or-geno/
CIWF –… by now there is no doubt: the quality of chicken meat is influenced by breed, diet, conditions and stocking density.
- MAC– False. The factors listed by CIWF may influence the number of “waste” animals if the feed was not balanced or if the density was too high, of those with skin scratches if the broilers do not develop adequate plumage or the number of feeders was insufficient, but they cannot influence the quality of the meat, which instead depends on genetics i.e. how that breed, or hybrid, uses protein, fat and amino acids to build muscle.
CIWF – …some of the most common issues among fast-growing chickens.
White striping (white striping)
The breast shows abnormal white streaks along the muscle fibers. When present, protein decreases and meat fat increases.
Woody breast (wooden breast)
The breast is harder and puffier, with an almost woody texture, in fact. The meat is therefore difficult to chew, as well as less protein.
Meat “a spaghetti” (spaghetti meat)
Breast muscle fibers separate due to loss of connective tissue in the chicken. The meat results mushy and stringy.
These are not exceptional problems, but are the consequence of the too-rapid growth of “broiler” chickens, which are intensively bred to achieve high levels of productivity and meet the high market demand
- MAC– Not so. The chickens of 2025 have a much lower incidence of these abnormalities (about 50% less) than those of 5-10 years ago, while still growing faster. These abnormalities suddenly appeared around 2012-2013 in all broiler breeds, although with different incidences. The problem had never been observed before. The primary cause is not yet clear and yet it is not a disease. Fast growth does not depend on the type of breeding but on the genetic type, and it is by intervening in genetic selection that the indicated abnormalities are constantly observed to eliminate them. These are more of cosmetic defects that in any case are bound to disappear as (constant) genetic selection proceeds. Today’s chickens are still better than yesterday’s chickens and today’s “worst” chicken is markedly better than yesterday’s chicken…simply because genetics in the industry is always at work.
CIWF – We want more for all chickens raised for their meat, because these conditions are painful for them and also affect the nutrition of those who consume them.
- MAC– A clear relationship between myopathies and animal welfare status has not been demonstrated, often the affected animals are also the “best looking” ones, and chickens carrying these defects are also often among the best performing and well off. It should be reiterated that if an animal were “sick” it would be discarded from the food chain. Farmers have an overriding interest in keeping the animals they raise healthy. Were it not so, they could not market them.
CIWF – IF THE CHICKEN SUFFERS, THE MEAT SUFFERS TOO
In recent years, the poultry industry has experienced a significant increase in chicken meat quality issues, which are closely related to the breeding standards adopted
- MAC– It is not the breeding standards that determine these problems, but rather the genetic profile of these animals (high rate of growth and development of pectoral muscles)
CIWF – … certain conditions known as “white striping,” “woody breast,” and “spaghetti meat” (“white striping,” “woody breast,” and “spaghetti meat”) have become increasingly common, raising concerns for both the welfare of chickens and the quality of the product intended for consumers.
- MAC– What is the incidence of these conditions? For woody and spaghetti chest we are talking about 2-4%. For white striping the incidence is probably around 30%, but it is more of an aesthetic anomaly than anything else. It is true that these streaks do double the percentage of breast fat, however, which goes from 1% to 2% (in pork and beef we are still at 5-10%).
CIWF – BREEDING CONDITIONS? THEY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Chickens raised in intensive systems are genetically selected to grow as fast as possible and develop large muscle mass quickly, reaching slaughter weight at only 40 days of age. This accelerated growth leads to physiological imbalances as their cardiovascular system struggles to support the disproportionate muscle development they undergo.
- MAC– False. The very purpose of genetic selection is to identify and discard those individuals who do NOT bear this development and to identify and use those individuals who grow into excellent shape. The latter are the ones that give birth to the next generation on which selection is continued in the same way, discarding the worst and keeping the best, and so on for years and years. It has been going on like this for about 60-70 years now, and selection continues even now.
CIWF – In addition, high density on intensive farms, lack of environmental enrichment, and limited opportunities to express natural behaviors (such as perching and pecking for food) further compromise their health and in turn affect meat quality.
- MAC- These factors are not related to the intrinsic quality of meat, but are ethical attributes. These are typical observations of those who have never raised a chicken and produce instrumental narratives. Countering such a lack of knowledge can be daunting because one would have to go through the history of research that poultry farming has been conducting for 70 years each time.
CIWF – THE MOST PREVALENT ISSUES
Among the abnormalities found in the meat of fast-growing chickens, we can consider the following three as the most prevalent.
– White streaking (“White Striping”): is manifested by white streaks along the muscle fibers of the breast and thighs. This defect is due to an abnormal accumulation of fat in the muscle and results in a reduction in the protein content of the meat, altering its nutritional quality. According to a recent study, white streaks are found in half of the chicken breasts in Italy.
– Wooden Breast (“Wooden Breast”): causes abnormal hardening of the flesh due to degenerative processes in the muscle. The meat appears stiff, swollen and pale, and may have bleeding in the affected areas. It also turns out to be not very juicy and more difficult to chew as well as, again, less protein.
- MAC- Again according to the same recent study, what is the percentage of woody breast? Too little to mention! Probably 3-4%
CIWF – – “Spaghetti Meat” (“Spaghetti Meat”): characterized by separation of muscle fibers, making the meat stringy and mushy. This condition compromises the texture of the product, which is sometimes downgraded to products involving further processing (e.g., ready-made products such as cutlets, nuggets etc.).
- MAC- Again according to the same recent study, what is the percentage of spaghetti meat? Too little to mention! Probably
CIWF – In addition to these problems (which may also occur together), other alterations in meat may result from the rapid growth rate and stress suffered by chickens on intensive farms during operations such as catching and transport. Examples include myopathy of the deep pectoralis muscle.
- MAC– Anomaly due to severe wing flapping in fast-growing chickens after reaching at least 2.5 kg. It is established about a week before slaughter and is not related to stress of any kind.
CIWF – the “PSE” (pale, soft, exudative – i.e., pale, soft, exudative) meat and “gaping” (the separation of the pectoralis minor muscle fibers), also a demonstration of how breeding and slaughtering conditions can negatively affect not only the animals’ lives but also the quality of the final product.
- MAC- Defect that has no connection with animal stress factors, but depends solely on carcass chilling kinetics and the way the sirloin is detached. In general, the problems mentioned by CIWF really exist, but as always they are presented trying to provoke a strong emotional reaction. Neither the causes of the problems, nor their real incidence, nor the poultry industry’s effort to solve these problems, nor the successes of these efforts are properly represented. A great many problems that plagued chickens 40, 30, 20 years ago and that have been brilliantly solved by research and selection are not mentioned. Raising half a billion chickens each year in Italy alone is a complex business, and overly simple solutions are always superficial. To think that there should never be problems is utopian and childish. The alternative of using slower growing breeds (hybrids) is emblematic. On the one hand it is true that they have a lower incidence of muscle problems, but they have and will have other kinds of problems. For example, they are more expensive, consume more feed, and need many more sheds that it is not known where to build. Moreover, CIWF does not realize that it is promoting slow-growing breeds (slow compared to today’s fast-growing breeds) that grow at a similar rate today as fast-growing chickens did 10 years ago. Yet back then CIWF was criticizing those bloated, diseased, antibiotic-laden chickens….
CIWF – BETTER ALTERNATIVES FOR CHICKENS AND CONSUMERS
In order to improve the welfare of chickens, and at the same time ensure higher quality meat for those who consume it, it is essential that farms adopt better breeding standards in their supply chains. Among the most effective solutions are the use of slower-growing breeds, which have a lower incidence of muscle problems, and improved rearing conditions with more living space, environmental enrichment and access to natural light.
- MAC– The anomalies described by CIWF are indeed mishaps in the continuing quest for improvement in the poultry industry. There have been many others in the past. Recall that with each new problem, the internal commentary was: have we now reached the limit of rapid growth or have we now reached the limit of breast development? Do we need to go back? In fact, all those mentioned as “problems” have all been solved. All of them. By a combination of advances in breeding, nutrition, biosecurity and herd management and particularly ventilation. The problems of myopathies mentioned will also be solved. And certainly others will come. The progress of science leads to uncharted lands, and every once in a while we have to put in some surprises. But we are not playing games. Scientific research is one of the most relevant assets in the poultry industry. And the goal is always to achieve better and better results for the animals being raised and that the availability of food for a growing human population that requires constant availability of quality food at affordable prices is guaranteed. If CIWF and the other associations that criticize the poultry industry want to take care of it they will
CIWF – Several studies show that chickens raised with these criteria (ed. note: those indicated by CIWF) not only live better, but also produce meat with better nutritional and sensory characteristics.
- MAC– These are different quality characteristics, not necessarily better
CIWF – Switching to more respectful farming systems is therefore a win-win choice for both animals and consumers.
- MAC – Meat quality improvement is doubtful. Price increase is certain
https://moreaboutchicken.com/flip/ebook/index.html
https://moreaboutchicken.com/poultry-farming-and-the-paradox-of-the-quest-for-sustainability-first-section/
CIWF – If you haven’t already done so, ask Italian supermarkets to endorse the European Chicken Commitment (ECC), a set of key criteria for improving the welfare and health status of chickens, or share the campaign using your preferred channels.
Other articles commenting on statements by anti-poultry activists:
https://moreaboutchicken.com/what-do-we-know-and-from-whom-about-poultry-farms/
https://moreaboutchicken.com/white-stripes-let-us-clarify/
At the link below you will find a summary of the recent Poultry Science Association symposium addressing myopathies in broiler breast meat, focusing on the interactions between genetics, nutrition, breeding, and meat processing:
Online at:
https://cris.unibo.it/handle/11585/973094
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579124003808?via%3Dihub
