Copenhagen (AFP) – Denmark’s animal welfare minister said Wednesday that he wants to introduce a ban on the farming of fast-growing “turbo chickens,” first nationally but ultimately across Europe. “I want to work towards a national ban, but it’s clear that this is something that has to be examined both from a legal standpoint and, of course, an economic one before we can move forward,” Christian Rabjerg Madsen told broadcaster TV2. “We are also working towards a ban at EU level,” he added.
In neighbouring Norway, there are also currently no restrictions, but under pressure from retailers, the country committed to phasing out turbo chicken breeds by the end of 2027. One of the popular commercial breeds of broiler chickens for meat consumption takes only five weeks to raise a chick to its full weight, compared to 12 weeks for popular breeds of chickens that are allowed to roam pastures.
On Tuesday, Denmark’s TV2 aired footage filmed with a hidden camera at one of Denmark’s largest chicken producers, showing that the chickens only had three hours of darkness per day, whereas regulations require at least six hours. Fewer hours of darkness means the birds eat more and therefore reach a higher slaughter weight. “The images we are seeing do not reflect the level of animal welfare I want to see,” the minister stressed.
Rabjerg Madsen also noted that in the country one in three inspections resulted in a sanction, showing “that we have general problems when it comes to animal welfare.” Animal welfare was one of the main themes of the debates leading up to Denmark’s March parliamentary elections, in a country known for its extensive pig farming and pork exports.
In 2025, a report by the Danish Veterinary and Food Authority found that using slower growing chickens was linked to better animal welfare.
© 2024 AFP
