Its not unusually ‘bad’ farming practice but modern farming systems that lead directly to development of E. coli and Salmonella infections
“The poultry microbiome is even more affected by intensive farming practices than that of the pig. The main reason for this is that in birds, the early gut colonization occurs during the development of the egg in the mother’s oviduct. The chicks absorb microorganisms from the mother at this stage, as well as through the pores of the eggs during brooding. Once the chicks have hatched, they continue to enrich their microbiome by exposure to feces. However, in modern farming systems, the eggs are taken away from the mother and cleaned on the surface, which removes the beneficial bacteria. Also, when the eggs hatch, the chicks do not get access to an outdoor space where they would have access to feces and other sources of beneficial bacteria. They also do not interact with adult chickens. Finally, the crowded conditions that chickens often live in can cause heat stress. This, in turn, is a fertile ground for the development of E. coli and Salmonella infections. This is yet another example of how the environment can affect the birds’ microbiome”
🔗 Source: Drug resistance: Does antibiotic use in animals affect human health?
Deaths and injuries before slaughter
Poultry recent FSA (Food Standards Agency) data It has been shown that over a million chickens die in transport to, or awaiting, slaughter every year in the UK - Whistleblower says birds are dying ‘in a pretty rough way’ from heat stress and lack of water on journeys in England and Wales
🔗 Source: ‘Dying like flies’ Guardian 26th Feb 2021
FSA data released in 2020 revealed that over 60 million chickens in England and Wales are rejected in slaughterhouses every year due to disease and defects The data showed that more than 3 million were rejected due to ascites or heart failure the main reason for this is believed to be an increased oxygen demand by the fast growing muscle, a direct result of inappropriate genetic selection
🔗 Source: Over 60 million chickens in England and Wales rejected over disease and defects The Guardian 25 August 2020
1.4 million birds culled - the impact of highly pathogenic avian flu on bird numbers
An FOI request made it possible create this application allowing exploration of the number of birds culled
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