Half a billion eggs are being recalled in the USA as part of an investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella. Two farms in the State of Iowa are reportedly involved in the recall after tests proved positive for the food poisoning bug. The US Egg Safety Center has issued information on which eggs US consumers should avoid. Although reports are not clear about the exact farming method, battery cage farms dominate US egg production.
Unlike the European Union, US egg producers are not compelled to declare on the packaging how the eggs were produced. US consumers therefore often don’t have information available to make an informed choice and avoid eggs from caged hens. This lack of transparency has clear animal welfare implications. It enables battery eggs to masquerade under labels that may not give an accurate picture of the way factory farmed birds are forced to live. The significance of poor labelling goes further. Hens kept in battery cages are often at greater risk of contamination with Salmonella.
Laying hens in cage systems are tightly packed and experience greater levels of stress which can increase the spread of disease and lower immunity. Free-range eggs have been shown to have greater resistance to penetration with bacteria, such as Salmonella. Large-scale studies of UK laying hen flocks have shown that the risk of Salmonella is significantly lower in non-caged birds than in caged birds.
A recently published study by the Veterinary Record (Snow et. al., 2010) found that 25% of battery cage farms in Britain tested positive for Salmonella, compared with 7% of free range and 5% organic farms. Overall, cage farms were six times more likely to harbour the dangerous strain of Salmonella (S Enteriditis) than non-cage systems. The study also showed that “despite cleaning and disinfection, Salmonella (including S Enteritidis) was still present in most of the cage houses when the next flock was introduced”. Another big factor in the presence or absence of Salmonella at farm level was flock size, with bigger farms “consistently associated with an increased risk of infection”.
The industrialisation of egg production has not only confined millions of hens to cages, it also poses a serious risk to public health. It is time to end the use of all cages for laying hens in Europe, the USA and elsewhere. Not surprisingly, the major animal welfare groups working on this issue on both sides of the Atlantic agree.
Reference: L.C. Snow, R.H. Davies, K.H. Christiansen, J.J. Carrique-Mas, A.J.C. Cook, S.J. Evans, 2010. Investigation of risk factors for Salmonella in commercial egg-laying farms in Great Britain, 2004-2005. Veterinary Record, 166: 579-586 (May 8th, 2010).
Very concerning indeed.
This is a real scandal! Just shows that we should end the use of cages, not only because of the cruelty, but also because it threatens our health too!
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