Thread: Thai chicken better than most British production

Thai chicken better than most British production, says RSPCA
Martin Hickman
Thursday, 4 November 2010


Secret footage by the vegetarian organisation Viva! of the 'conveyor belt to death' that spells doom for millions of male baby chicks each year in the UK
PA

Shoppers who care about animal welfare should shun standard British chicken and buy meat imported from thousands of miles away in Thailand, according to the RSPCA.

Britain's biggest animal welfare charity said that the standards in two of the biggest poultry exporters, Thailand and Brazil, were generally higher than in basic UK production.

The calls came on the same day campaigners released footage showing a "conveyor belt to death" for male chicks unwanted by the egg production industry. Vegetarian organisation Viva! said that between 30 million and 40 million chicks were killed each year in gas chambers or by being thrown into electric mincers.

The RSPCA said Thai poultry had more space – around 13 chickens per square metre compared with 20 per square metre in basic UK production – and were allowed to grow for longer, 42 days, compared to as little as 35 days here. They were also allowed more rest; six hours of darkness rather than the four they have here.

Although more variable, standards in Brazil were also often better, said Dr Marc Cooper, an RSPCA farm animal welfare scientist, who visited poultry farms in Thailand last year and in Brazil this year. In an interview with The Independent, he said consumers were wrong to assume that chicken from Britain was raised to a higher standard than cheaper birds from developing countries – where land and labour cost less.

"Based on what we saw it would be safer to make the opposite assumption and say that chicken that's come from Thailand has been reared to a higher welfare standard than the standard industry chicken you would buy here," Dr Cooper said.

"It's the same for Brazil. The production there is more variable, but again, it would be incorrect to assume that the chicken that's coming in from overseas – from Brazil and Thailand – is being reared to a lower standard."

While touring Thailand's second biggest producer last year, he noticed that the birds' conditions were substantially better than their UK counterparts. "They have a very low stocking density, typically they will use natural lighting, they use a slower growing breed than is typically used here, and biosecurity is on another level," Dr Cooper said.

Supermarkets seeking cheaper supplies have dramatically increased imports of chicken into the UK, which have soared more than ten-fold in value in a decade, from £36m in 1996 to £510m last year.

Thailand is the largest non-EU importer, with sales of £292m last year, while Brazil had £30m. However most of the chicken eaten here is UK-produced.

Although negative publicity about factory farming has led to a jump in sales of organic, free-range and "higher welfare" chickens, such as Marks & Spencer's Oakham range, 80 per cent of UK production is farmed intensively in sheds containing up to 50,000 birds.

Dr Cooper said: "The UK industry always say we can't raise our birds to a higher welfare standard because we are always threatened by imports and imports are coming in at a lower welfare standard. That argument simply isn't true."

Peter Bradnock, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, said: "I don't think Marc Cooper is right".

The breeds used in Thailand were not slower growing, he said, but producers had to grow the birds slower and give them more space because sheds used natural ventilation and outside temperatures were hot.

Mr Bradnock said: "I not saying it [Thai chicken] is poor quality, nor am I saying that it's any better."

UK chickens vs Thai chickens

Space: UK: About 20 chickens per square metre.

Thailand: About 14 chickens per square metre

Breeds: UK: Fast-growing breeds such as Ross 308, whose bodies grow too large for their legs, causing lameness in some

Thailand: All of a genotype that would be marketed in the UK as "slower growing."

Rest: UK: Four hours darkness a night

Thailand: Six hours darkness a night

Standard UK chicken production, which accounts for 80 per cent of UK market.

Source: RSPCA, Assured Chicken Production

independent.co.uk

Not in KFC it aint.

I miss hot greasy dripping chicken from back home.

I don't get this rock hard breadcrumb shite they do here

I always buy Thai chicken.

Originally Posted by Mid

The calls came on the same day campaigners released footage showing a "conveyor belt to death"

We are all, in one way or another, on a conveyor belt to death.

I believe that a major reason mens and womens booby's are getting bigger is because of the growth hormones they pump into animals to make them ready for slaughter sooner- especially chicken.

Western chicken tastes like cardboard anyway, unless it's free range or corn fed.

Originally Posted by sabang

I believe that a major reason mens and womens booby's are getting bigger is because of the growth hormones they pump into animals to make them ready for slaughter sooner- especially chicken.

So, you're saying Thais need to eat more English chicken?

Still cheaper than plastic boobs.

I keep my own chickens and very happy hens they are.
I have to admit that the chicken i ate in Thailand certainly tasted better than any standard chicken meat here in the UK.
I would also add that most, apart from hobbyists people here cannot cook anyway, if they had the best meat they would ruin it !

Originally Posted by Agent_Smith

Originally Posted by Mid

The calls came on the same day campaigners released footage showing a "conveyor belt to death"

We are all, in one way or another, on a conveyor belt to death.

Profoundly depressing statement. Thanks for that nugget, you little ray of sunshine.

Thai chicken is good as is the price here. Wife tells me about 15-20% of the cost than buying in the UK

EU to assess Thailand for raw chicken exports
Thursday December 02 2010

An EU delegation plans to visit poultry plants in Thailand early next year to assess them for raw meat exports.

With Thailand two years in the clear from highly pathogenic bird flu, the delegation is expected to examine processing procedures and animal welfare standards.

Thailand hopes the EU will approve a number of the plants for raw chicken meat exports, according to Preecha Somboonprasert, director-general of the department of livestock development of Thailand.

agra-net.com

If their chicken is so good, why is the KFC here so awful compared with the UK? Most of the time the chicken is watery and tastes of the blood that's still in it.

Chook not good for gout though.

Originally Posted by Mid

Shoppers who care about animal welfare should shun standard British chicken and buy meat imported from thousands of miles away in Thailand, according to the RSPCA.

They should visit Chatuchak at the weekend to relieve themselves of that ridiculous notion.

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

Originally Posted by Mid

Shoppers who care about animal welfare should shun standard British chicken and buy meat imported from thousands of miles away in Thailand, according to the RSPCA.

They should visit Chatuchak at the weekend to relieve themselves of that ridiculous notion.

Or any other meat market for that matter.

Thai chicken good? Brit chicken must really stink.