Poultry Farms Or Concentration Camps

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Poultry Farms or Concentration Camps" by Atul Shah (now Muni Hitruchivijayji Maharaj):

The author begins by contrasting the natural, pleasant awakening provided by a rooster's crow in villages with the artificial and impersonal alarms of modern technology. This serves as an introduction to the theme of the "destruction of our natural way of living" by mechanization.

The core of the text is a stark comparison of modern poultry farms to concentration camps, highlighting the extreme cruelty inflicted upon chickens and hens for commercial purposes. The author criticizes the poultry industry's treatment of these birds, arguing that it's not a "farm" but a place of torture.

The text details the barbaric practices involved in the rearing of "layer hens" (for egg production) and "broiler chickens" (for meat):

• Exploitation of Natural Capacity: In the past, hens laid about two dozen eggs a year naturally. Today, through genetic manipulation, they are forced to lay around 300 eggs annually. The author draws a powerful analogy to a human woman being forced to give birth to 12 children a year, emphasizing the immense suffering this entails.
• Confinement and Discomfort: Birds are kept in cramped cages made of wire mesh, preventing them from moving comfortably or sleeping properly. They are also subjected to artificial light for 18-23 hours a day to maximize egg production, exploiting their natural light sensitivity.
• Chemical Interference: To prevent diseases caused by these artificial conditions, the birds are given hormones and antibiotics.
• Mutilation: To prevent infighting caused by stress and confinement, the birds' beaks are cut off, a procedure described as excruciatingly painful.
• Shortened Lifespans and Commercialization: Hens that naturally live for 6-7 years are exploited for eggs from 18-20 weeks old and then killed. Broilers are slaughtered within 5-7 weeks. The author describes birds being treated as commodities on conveyor belts, processed like factory inputs, and their parts utilized, including their blood and feathers.
• Governmental Complicity: The author expresses shame that the Indian government rewards this "barbarism" with tax rebates (33% on Income Tax) and other concessions, despite the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which prohibits keeping animals in cages where they cannot move comfortably. Financial institutions like IDBI, IFCI, ICICI, and SBI are also criticized for providing loans to these operations.
• Weak Justification of Employment: The argument that poultry farms provide employment is debunked by the author, who points out that modern mechanized farms actually reduce employment opportunities and may even displace smaller-scale farmers. Furthermore, he suggests that reviving traditional village industries could create significantly more jobs.
• Societal Ignorance and Impact: The text suggests that the general public, including those who unknowingly consume products containing eggs or chicken, are unaware of the suffering involved.
• A Call to Action: The author urges enlightened citizens to challenge the vested interests in the poultry industry and the government to halt these practices, which are condemned not only from a religious perspective but also as a "blot on the rich civilization of mankind."
• Inspiration from Abroad: The example of "Chickens Lib" in the UK, an organization fighting barbaric practices in hatcheries, is presented as an inspiration. The author questions why such activism cannot occur in India, a country known for its compassion towards living beings.
• The Danger of Escalation: The text concludes with a warning that violence and cruelty are contagious and grow proportionally. If individuals are desensitized to animal suffering, they may eventually become desensitized to human suffering. The author implores the reader not to allow future generations to blame them for failing to act against these "horrendous activities" in their early stages.

In essence, the text is a passionate Jain critique of the modern poultry industry, framing it as an industry built on immense animal suffering and urging societal action to prevent its further growth and acceptance.