Berlin
A good 30 million fattening turkeys are slaughtered every year. There is criticism of the keeping conditions. Now Minister Özdemir wants to act.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (Greens) wants to significantly increase animal welfare for turkeys. “We urgently need minimum requirements for keeping fattening turkeys. There is one here regulatory gap – nationally and across Europe,” Cem Özdemir told our editorial team. “Currently, turkeys are being fattened in too small a space in many stalls,” he lamented.
“The rapid weight gain often leads to massive health problems such as disease and deformation of the skeletal system, breast blisters, foot pad diseases, feather pecking or cannibalism,” criticized the Green politician. Although this has long been banned for poultry, turkeys still have their beaks routinely docked. “These are all unacceptable conditions,” said the minister. Beak docking is prohibited by the Animal Welfare Act.
To date, there are no animal welfare requirements for fattening turkeys. The minimum requirements for fattening turkeys include the Reduction of the stocking density, i.e. the number of animals per square meter. Özdemir: “I have now introduced this as a basis for discussion so that we can enter into a professional dialogue with those affected at an early stage. Society expects that there will be more animal protection in the stables.”
Animal welfare: More space and, above all, more controls
The goal of the ministry is to animal welfare to improve sustainably and comprehensively for all animals. The minister proposes that during the first five days of rearing a maximum of 25 fattening turkeys live on one square meter, up to the fifth week of life there may be a maximum of ten animals.
If the fattening hens weigh a maximum of 35 kilos, there should be a maximum of 3.1 animals per square meter. at broilers with a maximum of 40 kilos, there should be a maximum of 1.9 animals per square meter. In addition, the ministry wants to make regular animal inspections mandatory.
2021 got loud Federal Statistical Office 33.2 million fattening turkeys slaughtered. For comparison: In the same year, 625.8 million young broilers were killed for consumption. (bk/gau)
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