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| France to ban culling of unwanted male chicks by end of 2021 | France to ban culling of unwanted male chicks by end of 2021 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| France has pledged to outlaw the practice of culling unwanted male chicks by the end of 2021, as part of animal welfare reforms. | France has pledged to outlaw the practice of culling unwanted male chicks by the end of 2021, as part of animal welfare reforms. |
| About seven billion male chicks - not wanted for meat or eggs - are killed around the world each year, usually in shredding machines or by gas. | About seven billion male chicks - not wanted for meat or eggs - are killed around the world each year, usually in shredding machines or by gas. |
| The government said new methods were emerging that would make it possible to test the sex of embryos inside the egg. | The government said new methods were emerging that would make it possible to test the sex of embryos inside the egg. |
| But some campaigners said the reforms did not go far enough. | But some campaigners said the reforms did not go far enough. |
| What are the changes in France? | What are the changes in France? |
| French Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume announced the reforms at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. | French Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume announced the reforms at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. |
| "From the end of 2021, nothing will be like it was before," he said. | "From the end of 2021, nothing will be like it was before," he said. |
| Mr Guillaume said he hoped a method would soon be developed that would allow the gender of a chick to be determined before it had hatched. | Mr Guillaume said he hoped a method would soon be developed that would allow the gender of a chick to be determined before it had hatched. |
| Researchers have been working on the issue for years, but are yet to come up with a solution that works on an industrial scale. | Researchers have been working on the issue for years, but are yet to come up with a solution that works on an industrial scale. |
| The 2021 ban will make France one of the first countries to outlaw the practice of culling male chicks. A ban in Switzerland came into effect earlier this year, while a top court in Germany has ruled that the practice can continue on a temporary basis until an alternative can be found. | The 2021 ban will make France one of the first countries to outlaw the practice of culling male chicks. A ban in Switzerland came into effect earlier this year, while a top court in Germany has ruled that the practice can continue on a temporary basis until an alternative can be found. |
| France and Germany last year said they would work together to put an end to mass chick culling. | France and Germany last year said they would work together to put an end to mass chick culling. |
| Mr Guillaume also announced on Tuesday that the practice of castrating piglets without anaesthesia would be banned by the end of 2021. | Mr Guillaume also announced on Tuesday that the practice of castrating piglets without anaesthesia would be banned by the end of 2021. |
| Castration is performed to prevent "boar taint" - a potent smell or taste that can occur in the meat of non-neutered pigs. Several countries have already made the use of anaesthesia obligatory. | Castration is performed to prevent "boar taint" - a potent smell or taste that can occur in the meat of non-neutered pigs. Several countries have already made the use of anaesthesia obligatory. |
| How widespread is male chick culling? | How widespread is male chick culling? |
| The mass-killing of male chicks shortly after birth is common practice in food production around the world. | The mass-killing of male chicks shortly after birth is common practice in food production around the world. |
| For the billions of hens used in egg and poultry farming every year, a similar number of male chicks are killed shortly after birth. | For the billions of hens used in egg and poultry farming every year, a similar number of male chicks are killed shortly after birth. |
| Male chicks are viewed in the industry as commercially useless, because they grow more slowly than hens so are deemed unsuitable for meat production. | Male chicks are viewed in the industry as commercially useless, because they grow more slowly than hens so are deemed unsuitable for meat production. |
| After sorting, the most common methods of killing involve asphyxiation by gassing or maceration in high-speed grinders. | After sorting, the most common methods of killing involve asphyxiation by gassing or maceration in high-speed grinders. |
| What has the response been? | What has the response been? |
| Many animal rights activists welcomed the changes in France but said they did not go far enough. | |
| They are "a step in the right direction, but still inadequate", Anissa Putois of the campaigning group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) told AFP news agency. | They are "a step in the right direction, but still inadequate", Anissa Putois of the campaigning group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) told AFP news agency. |
| French animal protection group L214 said the measures were "not ambitious" and "do not address the basic problems". | French animal protection group L214 said the measures were "not ambitious" and "do not address the basic problems". |
| "There is nothing on slaughter conditions, nor on how to exit from intensive animal farming," it said, according to AFP. | "There is nothing on slaughter conditions, nor on how to exit from intensive animal farming," it said, according to AFP. |
| You might be interested in watching: | You might be interested in watching: |