In my last blog I was analyzing the situation of the present consumer demands concerning the use of cage-free eggs. However, I've always wondered what would happen with broiler chickens, because they do not say much about them in terms of animal welfare.
Well, hopefully it will not happen, but a few days ago in Fortune, there was a story written by Beth Kowitt in which she mentions that the next front in the animal welfare debate will be fast-growing chickens. She even mentioned that there are already companies, such as Nestle and General Mills that recognize that it is an issue "to at least discuss."
What do they need to discuss? That there have been improvements in genetics? That nowadays animal nutrition is more refined?
Apparently, the goal is to show that such practices (I guess, genetics and nutrition) cause leg problems, a weak immune system and cardiovascular problems, as if in the past chickens had not had those or other problems, and lived in heaven. And what about the problems caused by the lack of animal protein in people?
It seems to me somewhat a futile battle to wage. It seems that stakeholders that are applying this pressure care very little about feeding the people. Of course, as in their countries basic needs such as food are covered, they have to see how to impose those changes. They forget that south of the Rio Grande and in the Mediterranean and Asia there is a need to feed millions of people. Whether they like it or not, protein from poultry and eggs is the solution. Or is it only a marketing strategy? I insist that the market will decide.
