Farming News - New research shows alternatives to day-old chicks in raptor feed as UK moves toward ending culling
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New research shows alternatives to day-old chicks in raptor feed as UK moves toward ending culling
New research finds dual-purpose chickens are not a viable alternative to ending the culling of millions of male chicks
Jenny Canham, Public Affairs Lead at the Vegetarian Society, said:"The Government's commitment to transitioning to in-ovo sexing technology in two major policy documents is a significant milestone for animal welfare and demonstrates growing momentum towards ending the routine culling of male chicks in the UK.
A growing number of countries have already moved to prohibit male chick culling or transition to in-ovo sexing technology, demonstrating that ending the practice is both achievable and economically viable. Last month, the US company NestFresh announced it has now fully transitioned to in-ovo sexed eggs, following the introduction of in-ovo sexing technology in Australia shortly before.
New research concludes that dual-purpose chicken breeds are not a commercially or environmentally viable solution to ending the routine culling of male chicks, reinforcing the case for the UK Government to support the transition to in-ovo sexing technology as the most practical and sustainable way to end the practice.
Around 45 million male chicks are killed every year in the UK because they cannot lay eggs and are not suitable for profitable meat production. They are typically killed within hours of hatching.
The report, 'The Drawbacks of Dual-Purpose Chicken Breeds as a Solution to Banning the Culling of Male Chicks', reviews the interest in dual-purpose breeds, chickens bred for both egg and meat production, and finds that while they offer some welfare improvements over highly specialised commercial breeds, they cannot realistically replace existing egg production systems at scale.
The research argues that widespread adoption of dual-purpose breeds would require significantly more chickens to be bred and reared to produce the same quantity of eggs and meat, increasing environmental impacts, land use and the number of animals exposed to intensive farming systems. The report follows research published last month identifying viable alternatives to using culled male chicks as feed for birds of prey. Together, the findings address two of the most frequently cited barriers to adopting in-ovo sexing technology in the UK.
This new research, commissioned by the Vegetarian Society, identifies in-ovo sexing technology as the most effective and immediately available solution. This technology determines the sex of an embryo before it becomes capable of experiencing pain, preventing male chicks from hatching and eliminating the need for their routine culling.
Since April 2025, the Vegetarian Society has been campaigning for the UK to transition away from the routine culling of day-old male chicks by adopting in-ovo sexing technology through the 'Ban Hatch & Dispatch' . In December 2025, the Government committed in its Animal Welfare Strategy to work with industry to deliver the transition to in-ovo sexing technology. That commitment was reaffirmed last month in the Farming Roadmap 2050, signalling continued Government support for ending the practice.
As the UK considers how best to deliver this transition, this latest research is important because it shows that dual-purpose chicken breeds are not a viable alternative to male chick culling. Our position remains clear: in-ovo sexing technology is the most effective solution to ending this unnecessary practice.
We now urge the Government to build on its commitments by publishing a clear timeline and roadmap for UK adoption of in-ovo sexing technology. The public wants to see an end to cruel male chick culling - it's time to turn these commitments into meaningful action."