The European Agency for Food Safety advises against raising chickens in cages

The European Agency for Food Safety (EFSA or EFSA, in its acronym in English) has recommended this Tuesday to avoid the use of cages in the breeding of chicks or laying hens to improve animal welfare. The EFSA, a scientific body based in Parma (Italy), has published two reports with recommendations to improve the welfare of chicken production (“broilers” and laying hens), in which it advises avoiding various practices: mutilation, restriction of feed and the use of cages. The agency's opinions affect the space, stocking density, lighting, noise, litter or platforms used on poultry farms. In the case of cages, EFSA experts advocate avoiding them and looking for alternative methods. The reports respond to questions raised after a citizen initiative that has promoted the end of the use of cages in livestock farming. The European Commission (EC) requested the agency's ...