Denmark Pursues National Ban on Fast-Growing Turbo Chickens
The Danish government is seeking a national and EU-wide ban on fast-growing chicken breeds following allegations of animal welfare violations in North Jutland.
The Government of Denmark is pursuing a national ban on fast-growing Ross 308 chickens, commonly known as turbo chickens, and is calling for a similar prohibition across the European Union. The initiative follows a TV2 documentary that used secret footage from a coop in North Jutland to allege that producer Christian Tvergaard violated Danish law by restricting required daily darkness to increase feed intake.
The Ross 308 breed reaches 2kg in 33 days, a growth rate that often leads to bone and organ failure. Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare Christian Rabjerg Madsen is leading the push for the ban, while animal rights groups like Eurogroup for Animals and Animal Protection Denmark describe the breeding process as an unethical race to the bottom in intensive farming.
Industry leaders have expressed concerns regarding the implementation of the policy. Danpo CEO Klement Hinkbøl Ribergaard warned that a national ban would fail to improve animal welfare if it did not also include restrictions on imported chickens. Meanwhile, Christian Tvergaard has admitted to making wrong decisions regarding his operations.
