21 September 2004

Campaign Against Factory Farming (CAFF) scientific adviser Dr. Michael Morris says he is pleased with a recent 60 minutes documentary that realistically portrayed the cruelty inherent in the battery cage system of egg production. "The silence of the Egg Producers' Federation, and other organisations supporting the practice of battery production was very telling", says Morris. "The statement the Egg Producers' Federation finally made at the end of the programme would be laughable if it was not such as serious concern".

The Egg Producers' Federation allege that hens suffer "little or no pain" when the tips of their beaks are removed. "The beak of a hen is a sensitive organ of touch, used to forage. As such it is covered with sensory receptors. How anyone could believe that beak amputation could be painless beggars belief", says Morris. "Independent scientific evidence confirms the common sense view that suffering is both intense and long lasting".

CAFF have been running stalls educating the public, and encouraging a boycott of battery eggs. "We hope to encourage shoppers not to be misled by beguiling advertising into believing that "farm fresh" or "Farmer Brown" eggs are free range. Hopefully recent media coverage will increase awareness of battery farming, and shoppers will be more inclined to choose humane alternatives".

ENDS

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