Ingham’s chicken deaths: Tens of thousands of birds die unable to walk

Ingham’s has denied it has problems, but internal correspondence shows it is responsible for an alarming rise in chicken deaths.

Ingham internal correspondence shows poor breeder flock hygiene and hatching out second-grade eggs led to infections that decimated growers’ flocks.

Chicken meat growers have reported mortality rates of 15-25 per cent among batches supplied by Ingham, due to a bacterial infection that has left tens of thousands of birds with leg problems and in pain.

A mortality rate of 15 per cent in batches of 100,000 to 300,000 birds delivered to growers is soon overwhelming, given it equates to the loss of 15,000 to 45,000 birds.

Growers, who did not want to be named, said Ingham was refusing to acknowledge the extent of the problem, which could be traced back to Enterococcus cecorum infections in the company’s breeding flock and hatchery that first appeared late last year.

Ingham has denied responsibility for the high mortality rates, with a company spokeswoman stating that while there had been increased mortalities linked to the bacterium in growers’ facilities, “it is not a problem affecting the breeder flock, nor is it an issue with the Pakenham hatchery, which is a brand new, state-of-the-art facility”.

Yet internal Ingham’s correspondence seen by The Weekly Times states the high mortality rates on broiler farms was due to labour shortages leading to poor egg hygiene on its breeder farms.

The correspondence also states second-grade eggs, with high bacterial loads, that would normally be thrown out, were being hatched out due to an egg shortage and increased consumer demand for chicken meat.

International research and local veterinarians report Enterococcus cecorum is an opportunistic bacterium, normally found in chickens’ guts, but which can overwhelm birds when their immune systems are compromised, due to stress as embryos in the egg or as young birds.

Other Ingham’s internal correspondence reported at least a dozen farms had been affected and that many birds were in pain, with one Ingham’s manager reporting the outbreak was the worst in decades.

The correspondence also outlined that other states and processors had been affected, but that Victoria had been hardest hit.

Ingham’s officers reported the RSPCA needed to be called in, under the animal welfare lobby group’s Approved Farming Scheme standards for meat chickens.

Asked if it had reported the surge in chicken deaths, the Ingham’s spokeswoman said the company had “complied with our reporting responsibilities to the RSPCA”.

RSPCA Australia failed to respond to requests for comment on the bird deaths and what action they had taken in regard to Ingham’s compliance with its standard.

Ingham’s supplies chicken to McDonald’s, KFC and the major supermarkets.