21 September 2004
Campaign Against Factory Farming (CAFF) scientific adviser Dr. Michael Morris says he is pleased with a recent 60
minutes documentary that realistically portrayed the cruelty inherent in the battery cage system of egg production. "The
silence of the Egg Producers' Federation, and other organisations supporting the practice of battery production was very
telling", says Morris. "The statement the Egg Producers' Federation finally made at the end of the programme would be
laughable if it was not such as serious concern".
The Egg Producers' Federation allege that hens suffer "little or no pain" when the tips of their beaks are removed. "The
beak of a hen is a sensitive organ of touch, used to forage. As such it is covered with sensory receptors. How anyone
could believe that beak amputation could be painless beggars belief", says Morris. "Independent scientific evidence
confirms the common sense view that suffering is both intense and long lasting".
CAFF have been running stalls educating the public, and encouraging a boycott of battery eggs. "We hope to encourage
shoppers not to be misled by beguiling advertising into believing that "farm fresh" or "Farmer Brown" eggs are free
range. Hopefully recent media coverage will increase awareness of battery farming, and shoppers will be more inclined to
choose humane alternatives".
ENDS