Report highlights advances and setbacks of Latin American companies regarding cage-free chicken policies

The well-being of laying hens is seriously compromised by confinement in cages. Generally raised in tiny spaces, between 430 and 450 cm², these birds are deprived of essential natural behaviors, such as building nests, searching for food and taking dust baths, which results in intense suffering. Photos: MFA/Disclosure Studies, such as the Monitor of Corporate Initiatives for Animals (MICA) by the international NGO Mercy For Animals (MFA), prove that this type of confinement causes physical and psychological pain to hens, causing health problems such as metabolic, bone and joint disorders, and the weakening of the birds' immune systems, among other problems. For the MFA, the adoption of cage-free production systems, in addition to promoting animal welfare, contributes to food safety, reducing the risks of contamination and the spread of diseases, especially in regions such as Latin America, which includes Brazil. Focused on this process, Mercy For Animals has just launched the ...