In a draft resolution submitted to Parliament, PAN advocates for a review of the regulatory framework applicable to the slaughter of birds in poultry production, in order to eliminate methods such as maceration, electrocution, crushing, asphyxiation and similar practices currently used for the slaughter of male chicks.

Discarded chicks

The party states that "every year millions of newborn chicks are discarded and ground up alive by the livestock industry" in Portugal and Europe shortly after hatching because they are considered to have no economic value, since they do not produce eggs and are not profitable for the meat industry.

In this resolution, PAN argues that, although mechanical maceration and gassing of these animals is permitted by European legislation, a 2019 study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found that "maceration may fail to protect the welfare of these animals."

"EFSA identified certain risks to welfare protection during the maceration (grinding) of chicks: slow rotation of blades or rollers, machine overload, and rollers that are too wide. This can result in failures to kill the chicks, leaving them conscious, in pain, distress, and fear," writes the party's sole MP, Inês de Sousa Real, in the explanatory memorandum.

Strengthening oversight

PAN wants the government to strengthen the mechanisms for monitoring and controlling the incubation, breeding, and slaughter of poultry to ensure "the adoption of appropriate administrative measures whenever violations of animal welfare standards are detected."

Inês de Sousa Real also proposes the creation of technical, financial and monitoring support mechanisms for producers, to promote the reconversion of production processes to "in-egg" embryonic sexing technologies, which allow the sex of the embryo to be identified before the chick hatches.

Similar measures in the rest of Europe

PAN argues that, in France, this technology, which guarantees the disposal of the egg before the seventh day of incubation and without "causing pain to the embryo", "has prevented more than 50 million chicks from being crushed alive every year".

"In Italy, Assoavi, the trade association representing the largest egg producers in the country, has stated that this practice can completely prevent the birth of millions of male chicks and their slaughter," it also says.

PAN also wants the executive branch to ensure, in coordination with the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Medicine (DGAV), the "implementation of regular inspection and monitoring actions in poultry establishments, with a view to monitoring the implementation of alternative methods to the slaughter of male chicks and ensuring compliance with animal welfare standards."