Investigation into Glenrath Farms Ltd – Scotland's largest egg producer

In March and April 2007 our investigators filmed inside sheds containing hens kept in battery cages on a unit at the Head Office of Glenrath Farms Ltd, Scotland’s largest independent egg producer. Our video shows just some of the many breaches of Scottish animal welfare regulations discovered at the farm.

 

Up to eight birds were found crammed into barren wire cages which according to welfare rules should only have held a maximum of five birds. Within the cages inspected there was a high incidence of overcrowding, as well as significant feather loss and severe foot deformities. Dead and decomposing birds were found, even though the law requires removal of dead birds on a daily basis.

There is no legal limit on the number of birds that can be kept in a single shed but our experienced investigator said he had never witnessed battery egg farming on such a scale before. He said: “These sheds are absolutely enormous – like aircraft hangars. They contain row after row of cages stacked in 7 tiers about fifteen feet high.”

By law all hens must be inspected at least once a day. However, in our view proper inspections are almost impossible when hens are kept in intensive systems on such a large scale. The sheer height of the batteries makes it difficult to properly inspect the hens.

A detailed report was submitted to the authorities. We asked them to investigate all Glenrath egg-producing farms thoroughly as a matter of urgency, and called for charges to be brought for breaches of regulations discovered. The authorities inspected the unit and confirmed that cages were overstocked but disappointingly chose not to take legal action.

Glenrath Farms Ltd, the second biggest producer of eggs in the UK, packs 1.2 million eggs per day. The company sells eggs to major supermarkets including Tesco and Asda. We informed both supermarkets of our findings and urged them to undertake their own investigations and to commit to ending the sale of battery eggs.