On Wednesday, Germany’s Cabinet approved legislation that will prohibit the practice of killing newly hatched male chicks from 1 January next year.

Instead, Germany will use in-ovo gender technology, which enables egg producers to test the sex of embryos inside the egg during the early stages of incubation.

SAFE Campaigns Manager Jessica Chambers said New Zealand needs to adopt these technologies, so it doesn't fall behind.

"Every year around four million day-old male chicks are killed in New Zealand because they’re considered unwanted by-products by the egg industry," said Chambers.

"Male chicks are killed by gassing or a process called maceration, where the chick is minced and shredded alive."

France has also pledged to ban the killing of day-old male chicks. They plan to make the transition by 2022. Assoavi, the trade association representing the largest egg producers in Italy, committed to adopting in-ovo sexing technologies last Month.

Executive Director of the Poultry Industry Association Michael Brooks, has previously said the egg industry would look to adopt in-ovo gender technology if it were proven effective.

"There are now moves in multiple jurisdictions to adopt in-ovo gender technology end the slaughter of day-old male chicks. The industry has all the proof it needs that this technology is available and it works."

Millions of chicks could be spared a horrific and needless death, if New Zealand follows in the footsteps of other progressive countries.

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