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UPDATE, 1.45pm:
The boss of a Bendigo hatchery targeted by protesters today has said his business wants to implement a more humane way of “eliminating” unwanted male chicks.
Specialised Breeders Australia chief executive officer Richard Rayner said in a statement on Thursday afternoon his operation’s shredding of day-old birds was in line with RSPCA guidelines.
The animal protection body also permitted using carbon dioxide to fatally gas chicks, he said.
“We recognise that the way male chicks are culled can be improved, and we share the concerns of many people that there has to be a more humane method of conducting this process,” he said.
“That’s why the industry as a whole internationally for a number of years now, has been conducting research into new technology where male embryos can be identified and eliminated during incubation.”
But Mr Rayner said his business had to wait for the technology to be approved for commercial use, adding it took time ensure dispatching embryos was both efficient and effective.
UPDATE, 12:45pm:
An activist escorted from a Bagshot hatchery this afternoon has said conversations with the facility’s staff were civil.
Protester Chris Delforce said the demonstration at the Specialised Breeders Australia hatchery on the Midland Highway aimed “to draw public attention to whats happening to millions and millions of male chicks every year who are killed as waste products of the Australian egg industry”.
Roughly 20 people went into the facility this morning, Mr Delforce said, with five activists chaining themselves to machinery.
Asked what he thought would amount from the protest, Mr Delforce said he hoped employees would think about the processes used inside their workplace.
“I think a lot of them would’ve never seen what was happening inside that sealed room where the males are killed. They never have to see what’s happening to them,” he said.
While he said protests at the entry to the facility will continue “for a while”, before taking their efforts to social media so more people were aware of the maceration.
He also had concerns for female chicks in the egg industry that were “de-beaked” and killed at 18 months of age when their egg production slowed.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brendan Randoe said no charges had yet been laid and described the protests as peaceful.
However, he warned against activists going on to private property as part of their demonstrations.
SBA are not providing comment at this time.
UPDATE 12.30pm: The protesters who chained themselves to machinery inside the building have been walked out by police.
EARLIER: Police have been called to a hatchery in Bagshot where about 100 protesters have rallied against the industry practice of “shredding” male chicks.
The protest is in response to an Animal Liberation video released on Tuesday showing footage of maceration from inside the Specialised Breeders Australia (SBA) hatchery.
The protesters, many of whom are from group Aussie Farms, arrived at the property shortly after 9.30am, group spokesman Matthew Maker said.
A small number of the group entered the property on Bissell Lane, off Midland Highway in Bagshot, chaining themselves to machinery in an effort to stop the hatchery's operation, he said.
Police were called to the scene about 11am and were negotiating with staff and activists still inside the building.
Leading senior Constable Todd Deary said he did not believe anyone had been injured.
He said the protesters who remained at the Midland Highway driveway to SBA Hatchery were behaving peacefully and not obstructing entry to the property.
In Australia, about 12 million male chicks are shredded or gassed to death each year because they're deemed "useless" - they can't lay eggs or be raised for meat.
The footage of maceration, as well as sorting and de-beaking, was recorded inside the hatchery near Bendigo, which accounts for up to 70 per cent of the 13 million female chicks hatched and sold to egg farmers each year.
SBA chief executive Richard Rayner said on Tuesday the use of maceration was an RSPCA-approved and government-endorsed method under the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals.
"We acknowledge this is an issue and are looking forward to adopting new technology as soon as it becomes commercially available where male embryos can be identified during incubation," he said.
"This will eliminate the current practice."
Protesters from across Australia were present at today's gathering, Mr Maker said.