October 9, 2001

Dear Mr. Runkle,

Recently I viewed the videotape that was sent to me concerning two Ohio egg farms. My professional opinion regarding the footage was requested. As a veterinarian who routinely sees avian species in practice, I am compelled to express my views about the video subject matter. My analysis of the footage is grounded in the oath that I, as all veterinarians, have sworn: "...to protect animal health, relieve animal suffering, and promote public health."

There are several issues in the footage that are of great concern to me in my work to uphold this oath. These points are as follows:

• Overcrowding of the hens to such a magnitude that they are often unable to ambulate, groom, eat, drink or rest in a natural fashion.
• Sanitation: Gross neglect of basic principles of sanitation affect not only the hens but the workers at these facilities as well. In addition, the public that is consuming the final product is necessarly affected. The battery cages viewed were filthy; it appears that there is no basic cleaning program established in either of the facilities. While there were no quantifiable measure of the ambient ammonium levels, the footage demonstrates extreme amounts of manure and, hence, ammonium in the production facility. It is well established that excessive ammonium levels are irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract of the hens, which then increases stress. This stress then exacerbates the hens’ susceptibility to more disease/infection and reduces their basic quality of life.
• Several birds are afflicted with severe ocular and respiratory infections. The fact that such severe infections would take days to weeks to appear as they did on the footage demonstrates two points: 1) The sick hens were housed with healthier hens for long periods of time and 2) it is clear that the sick hens were not receiving specific treatment.
• Several birds were found live but with their wings, heads, or bodies trapped in the bars of under the feeding trough. Not only were these birds in distress from the fact that they were trapped, but of course, they were not able to access food or water.
• Many hens appeared to have bloody wounds from either self-mutilation or from damage by other hens in these overcrowded units. Not all but many hens were "debeaked." However, some birds had so much of their beaks removed that it is questionable whether or not these birds were able to prehend food.
• Live but dying birds were found in the manure pits below the cages and in te "dead pile." This again demonstrates that regular checks of the production units wither were not done, or these hens were left in negligence.
• Dead birds in various stages of decay were not an infrequent finding on the videotape. Decomposing corpses in the battery cages clearly are not an acceptable part of egg production. As evidenced my days-old dead hens in these cages, the facilities are obviously not checked regularly. One would certainly speculate at the level of care delivered at a facility where dead birds may be in a cage for days.

  In conclusion, observation and analysis of the footage reveals an immediate need for major changes in basic farming protocol at these facilities. Fundamental principles such as hygiene, sanitation, and hen overcrowding, disease, and lack of routine checks of these facilities must be addressed directly.

  Sincerely,

  Meg J. Baho, DVM