Table 1.
Advantages and disadvantages of the current situation in the laying hen industry versus in ovo sexing
Current situation | In ovo sexing | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Advantages | Disadvantages | Advantages | Disadvantages | |
Consumer | Low prices | Unethical | Ethical | Higher prices |
Industry | Selling corpses as feed |
Gruesome working conditions No profit on male chicks |
Ethical Re-purposing culled eggs Incubator space optimization |
High investments |
Male chicks | NA |
Naturalness infringementa Pain and stress |
No/less pain or stress | Possible pain perception depending on incubation day |
Environment |
Efficient production No waste |
More energy necessary for incubation | Lower electricity consumption | Consumables waste |
Information adapted from Bruijnis et al. [1]
NA Non-applicable
aNaturalness is one of the Five Freedoms in animal welfare, in which an animal should be allowed to demonstrate their animal behavior [11]. With culling male chicks, this possibility is not given to the male chicks. The culling is closely related to the lack of animal integrity the sector gives these male chicks, rendering as a non-ethical practice