Translations:Benutzer:Arian/Klett-Mini-Test/542/en

Since the 1950s and 60s, poultry keeping — above all, hen keeping — has lost its role of enriching the soul organisation of the farm organism, disposing of waste and vermin. In its place has come mass poultry keeping. Bred for the highest efficiency of their metabolic function, the animals live crowded together in hermetically sealed, electronically controlled, fully air-conditioned production facilities, and are kept healthy through the use of predominantly abiotic means for the brief span allotted to their productive lives. Poultry keeping has separated itself out from the agricultural whole. In modern poultry breeding and keeping, poultry as farmyard animal experiences its cultural death. Of the more than 150 chicken breeds, today only a few are drawn upon for line, crossbreeding and hybrid breeding. Their performance, trimmed to the highest pitch, compresses itself into a laying span of only one year.