Thai Department of Livestock Development is working on new standards to keep laying hens out of cage

Thailand's Department of Livestock Development (DLD) announced that it is working on new standards to keep laying hens out of cages. The department's director-general, Sorawit Thaneto, said that this standard was in line with the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard and will be enforced to lift production standards to meet global demand in the future.

Such an announcement from the government agency has a tremendous impact on the lives of millions of hens in the country. In Thailand, currently, the majority is kept in a system called battery cages, which is considered one of the cruelest practices in animal agriculture.

Hens spend their whole lives in a space smaller than an A4-sized sheet of paper, in which they cannot even walk or stretch their wings completely. Because the cages are too crowded, the constant contact of the hens' bodies with the metal bars makes them lose their feathers. The lack of physical exercise causes painful bone diseases and fractures. Cage-free farms can significantly reduce the suffering of laying hens, as they allow animals to fully express their natural behaviors, such as moving freely, nesting, pecking, and perching.

Sinergia Animal hopes that this announcement from DLD will encourage companies in Thailand to adopt cage-free egg policies and inspire other governments in Southeast Asia to promote higher welfare systems for laying hens.

Sinergia Animal will continue to work diligently with negotiations and campaigns to get more companies joining this movement in Thailand. You can help reduce the suffering of thousands of animals by being a part of this movement. Donate here.