In recent years, new laws have come into force that define animal rights, but that concern goes beyond domestic animals: it also includes farm animals. Most Europeans believe that the well-being of these animals must be protected better than it is currently, and the Government of Castilla-La Mancha has just taken a step in that direction:

Aid to eliminate cages on egg-producing farms.

happy chickens. In a releasethe Government of the region announces that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development has resolved the requests for aid for the poultry extensification of eight farms in the provinces of Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo. They total 4.6 million euros, which are added to the 11.3 million resolved in the 2023 call.

In total, between 2023 and 2024, there are 15.9 million euros in aid for 25 farms in the region. The objective is for owners to be able to make the necessary changes to move from the cage breeding to more extensive models, such as soil breeding, free-range or organic chickens.

Social demand. The administration has commented that this aid to eliminate cages on farms responds to a social demand. Julián Martínez Lizán is the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development and has declared that this aid is intended “to progressively eliminate the use of the cage system to guarantee greater animal welfare in this type of farms.”

horror farms. The reason is that cage exploitation hides more conditions sadistic than it may seem. They are excessively small cages, where the chickens eat compound feed and with farms in which the animals not only do not see sunlight, but also have their beaks severed. The key here is efficiency, the number of eggs laid and the number of chickens that can be raised, not their well-being.

HE esteem that some 180 million chickens in the European Union live in these conditions, a situation that the European Commission has proposed eradicate to gradually improve the situation of the animals. And the story of chickens on certain farms is not the only farm horror story experienced inside and outside our borders.

2.3 billion euros. Castilla-La Mancha is not the only community that has taken action with the elimination of cages and there are already those who have dared to calculate the economic impact of the European Commission’s proposal. The Interprofessional Organization of Eggs and their Products stated A few months ago, Spanish producers will have to make an investment of more than 2.3 billion euros to adapt.

More expensive eggs. Europe gave a period of 10 years to adapt productions, but the organization states that it is insufficient and that, at a minimum, the industry will need about 15 years.

In addition, they ask for aid for producers who wish to change their activity, since consider that the cost of producing a dozen eggs in the free-range system will be 17.3% higher than the current model of some cage production farms. In the case of jackets, the increase will be almost 31%.

animal welfare. In the end, there are several themes that respond to this growing social sensitivity for animal rights. We have diets like the flexitarian diet as an example, also the increase in number of vegan people around the world and change in habits in choosing a pet. For example, opting less for birds or continuing to acquire birds, but with larger cages so that they have more space.

These are data that were reflected a year ago in the Eurobarometerwhere it could be seen that more than 90% of Europeans considered that livestock practices should meet basic ethical requirements. In the survey, in which 26,376 people from 27 Member States participated, 84% believed that the welfare of farm animals should be better protected, and 83% thought that their transport time should be limited.

In the end, changing cages for flooring is a positive change not only for the hens, but for the quality of the eggs we consume, especially if the changes in the hens’ own diet include changes in their diet.

Image | Maqi

In techopiniones | Yes, the neighbors on the tenth floor can have chickens at home even if they don’t want to. The Animal Welfare Law says so