Eyes on Animals has decided to leave the Poultry Catching Steering Group. The industry stakeholders within the steering group (a.o. NVPSB, Nepluvi and LTO) are not committed to switch to a catching and loading method which holds birds in an upright, natural position. Even though scientific studies, the EFSA recommendations and a court decision, all conclude that birds … [Read more...] about Eyes on Animals resigns from the Poultry Catching Steering Group
chicken-catching
Aeres field-study on catching broilers needs improvement
Today Eyes on Animals observed the catching and loading of broilers at the Aeres MBO school in Barneveld (NL). The catching and loading was part of a field-study of Aeres comparing two different catching methods: the traditional catching method (holding birds upside down by one leg) and an alternative method. Aeres calls this alternative method the ‘upright method’; … [Read more...] about Aeres field-study on catching broilers needs improvement
Training chicken-catchers, NL
This afternoon Eyes on Animals was asked by a large and progressive chicken- catching company to give an animal-welfare training course to their employees. The purpose was to educate their catchers on poultry behaviour, their sentience and physiology and how to catch birds keeping them upright instead of by their legs upside down. We also covered how to load the birds in … [Read more...] about Training chicken-catchers, NL
Eyes on Animals certified for humane poultry catching and loading
Today, all the members of Eyes on Animals took part in the IKB training 'Responsible Poultry Loading' at the SVO training center in Houten. This training is mandatory for all chicken catchers in the Netherlands working in the sector for more than 3 months. By completing the training and passing the exam, Eyes on Animals is now officially authorized to catch and load … [Read more...] about Eyes on Animals certified for humane poultry catching and loading
Consultation with ministries LNV and SZW regarding implementation Futselaar motion
This afternoon Eyes on Animals was in The Hague at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.We met with the Minister of Agriculture (Piet Adema) and the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (Karien van Gennip). Follow up on the progress after the implementation of the Futselaar Motion. Other participants were people from the meat industry, trade unions and … [Read more...] about Consultation with ministries LNV and SZW regarding implementation Futselaar motion
Dutch court rules: catching birds by their legs is illegal and authorities must take enforcement action
Today the Dutch court ruled that catching chickens by their legs is forbidden under EU law 1/2005, and that the Dutch Food Authority (NVWA) should enforce this. The case was filed by the organization Wakker Dier. Until now the NVWA has only given warnings to catching companies that catch and load chickens by their legs. The judge has decided that this does not suffice. The … [Read more...] about Dutch court rules: catching birds by their legs is illegal and authorities must take enforcement action
Meeting with Peer Systeem about the partial automation of catching and loading of laying hens
Today Eyes on Animals brainstormed with the chairman of Peer Systeem. Peer Systeem developed an automated system to catch, load and transport broilers. The system is currently being used in a Czech poultry slaughterhouse. The broilers are caught with a machine and transported to a mechanically ventilated poultry truck on a conveyor belt. There is little to no contact … [Read more...] about Meeting with Peer Systeem about the partial automation of catching and loading of laying hens
More and more chicken-catching companies, encouraged by the Dutch Chicken Catching Organization, refuse to catch birds upright
For more than six years we have had a positive time training chicken-catching companies on the gentle upright method of catching poultry and, together with several egg and poultry producers, have been catching the birds upright instead of inverted by the legs. Gentle upright catching was not something that could be put into place at all poultry farms in the Netherlands, as … [Read more...] about More and more chicken-catching companies, encouraged by the Dutch Chicken Catching Organization, refuse to catch birds upright
Laying hens from Rondeel this time caught by the legs and held upside down
Despite Rondeel having been the first egg company to switch to the gentle upright method of catching hens in 2017, this time none of the birds were caught upright. The reason being that the large chicken-catching companies, such as Den Ouden in this case, refuse. They have been pressured by the umbrella poultry organization to no longer catch any birds in the Netherlands … [Read more...] about Laying hens from Rondeel this time caught by the legs and held upside down
Presentation to DEFRA’s expert-committee on the catching, loading and transportation of poultry
This morning we gave a presentation to the UK government agency DEFRA and their committee of experts AWC (Animal Welfare Committee). We shared our knowledge, experiences and advice on 'upright' catching, as well as showing them the conventional methods of catching, loading and transporting. Sadly we continue to see serious welfare issues, such as hens flying against metal … [Read more...] about Presentation to DEFRA’s expert-committee on the catching, loading and transportation of poultry
