McDonald's will get its pork suppliers to phase out the use of immobilizing cages for pregnant pigs

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McDonald's said it will get its pork suppliers to phase out the use of immobilizing cages for pregnant pigs, a move that was applauded by the Humane Society of the United States, but not the pork industry.

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"Confining pigs in gestation crates is arguably the cruelest practice in factory farming," said Josh Balk, spokesman for the Humane Society of the U.S. "These are iron maidens that are barely larger than the pigs' own bodies."

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But the pork industry doesn't see it that way. Dave Warner, spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council, said that, contrary to popular opinion, pens aren't necessarily better than the stalls.
"Pens have some real problems," he said. "Let's say you put ten pregnant sows in a pen. They get mean.

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John McGlone, director of the Pork Industry Institute at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, said that scientific studies of pens and stalls have determined that their impact on the pigs' quality of life is essentially the same. But he acknowledged that it doesn't matter, as far as the perception is concerned

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More here: McDonald's: No more tiny cages for pregnant pigs - Feb. 14, 2012

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2012/...stalls.top.jpg

The pens and stalls that I have seen do not seem to be a problem. Ask the pigs. I know the difference between a stressed unhappy pig and a happy one.

I have visited with PETA in DC and had conversation with Occupy Austin people that believe farm animals live in fear their entire lives.

If we were not meant to eat meat, we would have all molars.

:)

I am an animal lover, including farm animals, but at the same time, I'm a realist.

This is going to lead to higher menu prices for pork products at McDonalds (not that I care because I try not to eat their slop.)


Pigs in pens as opposed to gestation crates kill their piglets sometimes accidentally and sometimes out of aggression. Also, as the article says, multiple pigs in a large pen will injure each other, AND...any farmer/employee who tries to handle or interact with them. I know a few people who have been injured by pigs; one who had 3 fingers amputated via swine.

Either way this will lead to swine injuries and deaths, and as a result, higher menu prices at Mickey D's.


I don't like the idea of a pig living the majority of it's reproductive life in a crate either though. Whether they're meant to be eaten or not, they deserve better than that. They'd be better off selecting pork producers who use gestation crates until the piglets are weaned, and then give momma a break and let her out of her crate for a period before inseminating her again. That's more humane.

McDonald's should have cages and pens instead of tables and booths.