Nearly 20% of egg farmers raise ducks in cages, and the agency approves "bloody duck eggs". Duck egg king: scrapping cages is an international trend.

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The Taiwan Society for Animal Society held a press conference today (10) to name some operators raising laying ducks in cage. this is not only against animal welfare, but also a kind of cruel torture to waterfowl and animals.

The Republic of China Duck raising Association said that at present, the proportion of caged laying ducks is about 15%, which is still based on "flat feeding." directly approved animal protection groups should not deal a blow to the reputation of the industry as a whole in the name of "bloody duck eggs." At the same time, it is also stressed that cage feeding is indeed helpful in improving management efficiency, and the choice of operators should be respected.

Scholars say that flat-fed laying ducks in Taiwan have become very mature, and farmers have rich experience in management. "We should not go back to cage feeding!" Kuang Liang Foods, the largest exporter of duck eggs in China, also points out that consumers are paying more and more attention to animal welfare products, and if they want to develop export strength, they must be in line with the international trend of "scrapping cages" in order to safeguard animal welfare and upgrade the industry.

In response, the Council of Agriculture responded that it has been tutoring non-open flat-feeding egg duck livestock farms since 1949, and the flat-feeding model will continue to be promoted in the future. for a small number of existing cage-fed egg duck breeders, the government will set up counseling teams to strengthen industrial communication and assistance.

A small number of egg farmers use cage feeding to produce duck eggs: against the nature of waterfowl and as "bloody duck eggs"

Moon cakes, which are indispensable for the reunion of the Mid-Autumn Festival and gifts, are packed with domestic salted egg yolks, which are delicious and delicious. However, according to the survey data of the Taiwan Animal Society Research Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Animals Society"), about 15-20% of domestic egg ducks are raised in cages, with layers of lattice cages, each of which is about the size of A4 paper, stuffed with two to three ducks, so that ducks who are in great need of water bath and grooming have no access to open water, and flippers can only trample and rub on the bottom of the dry rust cage all day long. It is more likely to cause excessive dryness and bleeding.

Chen Yumin, deputy chief executive of the agency, said that ducks are webbed and are connected by a skin membrane between their three front toes to facilitate their progress in the water. On the other hand, the duck's chest and abdomen are very broad and flat, and the tail end can secrete grease. When swimming in the water, the grease will be squeezed out and applied to the whole body feathers to facilitate the feathers to enter the water without getting wet. "these characteristics are closely related to the duck's long-term adaptation to life in the water. Water is the second life of ducks, and they will groom, dip their heads in the water, rub their wings, shake and other natural behaviors." She believes that caged ducks are not only not in line with animal welfare, but also pose a threat to the life and health of ducks.

Cage-fed laying ducks have a narrow space for swimming and grooming. (supply / Action Agency)

Egg duck flippers rub on the dry rusted bottom of the cage all day long, resulting in excessive dryness and bleeding. (supply / Action Agency)

In the survey images released by the agency, the feathers of many laying ducks were seen to be agglomerated and dirty, and even red and swollen wounds could be seen. Chen Yumin pointed out that according to a study by the American Humane Association (HSUS), when ducks cannot take a bath with water, because their beaks and eyes and noses cannot be kept clean, it is easy to increase the risk of infection, and because the cage feeding space is narrow, waterfowl and egg ducks have to endure serious torture such as heat urgency, so it is difficult to produce high-quality and healthy livestock and poultry products.

The agency stresses that Taiwan's duck egg industry has gradually shown its export strength in recent years, and should not run counter to the global "waste cage trend."the international community is gradually phasing out 'lattice cages', and both Taiwan egg ducks and laying hens should follow." Call on the Council of Agriculture to formulate "duck-friendly production standards", provide guidance to a small number of caged duck farmers in the transformation, formulate sunset provisions, and prohibit the addition of lattice cages in order to enhance the development of the industry as a whole.

Duck raising Association: four advantages and convenient management of caged laying ducks

Chen Zicheng, chairman of the Republic of China Duck raising Association, says that at present, the proportion of caged laying ducks is about 15%, mainly in Changhua. He pointed out that the use of lattice cages has four main advantages: first, the environment is indoor, it is easier to be non-open, and reduce the contact between ducks and migratory birds. Second, cage breeding can isolate ducks from feces, prevent contact with the ground, avoid coccidiosis and parasites, and reduce the occurrence of diseases and the need for medicine. "Waterfowl will have the habit of pecking. If a duck gets sick, there will be viruses and bacteria, and other ducks will peck at them, and ducks may be cross-infected, and ducks are prone to getting sick."

The third is to consider that Taiwan's small population is dense and the breeding area is limited, and cage feeding can improve the land utilization rate; the fourth is to reduce the burden on managers. "if flat feeding, egg farmers have to get up at four o'clock in the morning to pick up eggs, and the time is tied up. Unable to expand the scale of enterprise operation, cages are easier to manage." With regard to the fact that caged feeding by animal protection groups goes against the nature of waterfowl and egg ducks, he believes that the egg ducks currently raised are economic animals, have been domesticated, and are not directly caught in the wild, and do not agree with the saying that they are "against nature."

Raising egg ducks in cages (Photo / Lin Xiejun)

Li Hongzhong, secretary general of the Duck farming Association, also points out that because caged laying ducks reduce contact with the external environment, animals, and other pollution sources, ducks are relatively healthy. "the standards for animal welfare vary according to different opinions. Take ── China, the world's largest duck farmer, as an example," in the north, water pools freeze in winter, and operators have to raise ducks indoors. Waterfowls don't necessarily have to have water. They have to adjust measures to local conditions. " He also stressed that the cost of cage feeding equipment is relatively high, and not every egg farmer is willing to invest. In recent years, the increase in the proportion of cage feeding is related to the increase in demand for export. "because of the increase in demand and the need to increase supply, there is a need to improve management efficiency. Farmers will measure their own income, and the choice of the industry should be respected."

The duck breeding association reiterated that at present, the egg duck industry is still based on "flat feeding", and the animal protection group should not crack down on the whole industry in the name of "bloody duck eggs." It is also stressed that although the demand for the use of duck eggs on the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival has greatly increased, in fact, each egg yolk has only increased by 50 cents, and the purchase price of duck eggs has gone up and down throughout the year. I hope that the demands of non-governmental organizations on the operation of the industry will not hurt the efforts of duck egg farmers, nor should it damage the reputation of the industry.

Council of Agriculture: cage feeding is a minority feeding mode, accounting for only 15%.

According to the statistics of the Council of Agriculture, a total of 2.16 million egg ducks are raised in China, mainly in Pingtung (45%), Changhua (31%) and Tainan (10%). They can supply 400-500 million duck eggs a year, and about 80% of them are made into preserved eggs, salted eggs and other processing.

In this regard, Hsieh Yao-ching, director of the Animal Husbandry Department of the Council of Agriculture, said that at present, there are more than 400 egg duck farmers in Taiwan, of which about 60, or 15%, are raised in cages. "they are only a few breeding models, not the mainstream!" He points out that the Council of Agriculture has been tutoring non-open egg duck farms since 1949, and the flat feeding model will continue to be promoted in the future. For a small number of existing cage laying duck breeders, the government will also set up counseling teams to strengthen industrial communication and assistance.

In response to the advantages of cage feeding proposed by the duck breeding association that it can better achieve "epidemic prevention" and "improve land efficiency", Wang Zhongshu, deputy director of the Animal Husbandry Department, pointed out that the key point is to avoid open breeding, and operators should build sheds and shelter duck houses by themselves. Stop migratory birds and feed from being contaminated, especially during the bird flu outbreak period after autumn and winter, let alone open-air breeding. "but it has nothing to do with cages." It is not to ask the operators to adopt the non-open mode and then they have to be caged. "

The agency also pointed out that in the case of flat-fed laying hens, flat feeding can be concentrated in a high-rise building, and it does not mean that laying ducks have to be caged to improve land utilization.

Scholar: ducks just like water, and the flat feeding farm meets the physiological needs of ducks.

"the physiological habit of ducks is that they like water and need it!" Chen Zhifeng, a poultry expert and a special professor in the Department of Animal Science at Chung Hsing University, says that waterfowl animals are different from poultry. Ducks often use "spray" to defecate, and the humidity is higher. If cage breeding is used, it is more difficult to clean up the feces, which may cause feces and urine to accumulate and become infested with flies. In addition, the physiological need of waterfowl is to come into contact with water. "the act of swimming in the water can relieve its thermal urgency, and it also has the function of cooling down. at the same time, water allows ducks to arrange their feathers for cleaning and protection." Captivity may make it difficult for ducks to regulate temperature and deprive ducks of their physiological needs, resulting in a high loss rate.

In the case of the flat egg-feeding duck farm he tutored, he also taught egg farmers how to build mobile swimming pools and that the houses were equipped with trench or high-bed equipment so that the duck flocks were properly concentrated and would not pollute the pool. He stresses that flat-fed laying ducks in Taiwan have become very mature and experienced farmers, and "we should not go back to cage feeding!"