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submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml to c/dataisbeautiful@lemmy.ml

EDIT: for some context on the problems this creates

The science is clear that fast-growing chickens like the Ross 308 are doomed by their genetics. These have been engineered to grow so incredibly fast, and their bodies just cannot handle it.”

Jackson said secret filming at broiler farms supplying big supermarkets has shown birds struggling to walk or collapsing under their own weight, or dying from heart failure, and dead birds were filmed lying among the flocks.

[...]

Andrew Knight, a professor of animal welfare and ethics at the University of Winchester, said: “With these really rapid growth rates, it can be difficult for the heart and circulatory system to keep up with the expanding body mass. A proportion of these animals suffer from heart failure. It’s also difficult for the bones, ligaments and tendons to keep up with the rapidly increasing body mass, meaning that a proportion of these birds become severely lame [inability to walk properly].”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/16/cheaper-than-chips-frankenchicken-at-the-centre-of-fight-for-animal-welfare

And that quote only lists just some of the health problems they face. There's a ton of other problems too

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[-] Ephera@lemmy.ml 11 points 5 months ago

Interesting that the crest also grew much quicker on the obese chicken.

[-] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

It's not just feeding them more that's caused this. To get chickens this large they genetically selected/modified for what was more profitable. I.e they may lead to features being changed unevenly

This is all at expense of pretty everything else like their health

this post was submitted on 27 May 2024
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