| | Mercy for Animals, known for its ability to infiltrate production facilities and then disseminate graphic visual material alleging cruelty, has posted a video purporting to show inappropriate handling of turkey poults at a hatchery in North Carolina. The video demonstrates operation of an infra-red robotic processing machine responsible for beak and toe trimming and vaccination. It is known that occasionally “hang up” of a poult can occur and the video as posted may reflect such an occurrence or may in fact have been staged. |
The company also macerates weak and culled poults following industry practice as endorsed by the AVMA. This is contrary to the practice in the broiler industry, where culled and wet “floor chicks” are subjected to euthanasia using carbon dioxide prior to maceration. This procedure was apparently not in operation in the poult hatchery and should be adopted.