Historic Commitment Could Spare Millions of Chicks from Being Ground Up Alive
Following Animal Equality Italy’s campaign, Assoavi, the trade association that represents major egg producers in the country, has committed to working to eliminate the routine mass culling of male chicks in the egg industry.
The egg producers will instead use in-ovo sexing technology where available, which allows the sex of chick embryos to be identified still inside the eggs and before they’re able to feel pain. The use of this technology prevents male chicks from being brought into the world to be ground up, crushed, or killed by suffocation in their first hours of life because they’re considered unprofitable—a practice that’s still standard in the United States egg industry.
25 MILLION CHICKS COULD BE SPARED ANNUALLY: This historic commitment from a massive association like Assoavi will have a concrete impact on the lives of millions of animals, and could not have been made possible without the tireless work of Animal Equality Italy’s corporate outreach team, concerned consumers, and activists throughout the country.
“Assoavi’s decision to favor the introduction of in-ovo sexing represents a truly historic moment for animals raised for food, and in particular for male chicks, who suffer one of the most shocking injustices.”
Alice Trombetta, Director of Animal Equality Italia.
CHANGE IS COMING: Animal Equality has collaborated with Assoavi to request that the the Italian government publicly promote the use of in-ovo sexing technology for all egg farms in the country and support companies and trade associations that publicly declare themselves in favor of the introduction of these technologies.
OTHER COMMITMENTS: France recently committed to banning male chick culling, and Spain is also working toward a ban, but in the United States the practice is still commonplace.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Announcements like Assoavi’s are only a first step, but this step is necessary to start a wave of change in our broken food system. The best way you can prevent suffering of animals is to simply not eat them or their eggs. For tips on replacing animal products like eggs in meals or when baking, visit loveveg.com.
