Deadly experiment

YOU carried a report on the gassing of 12,000 chickens as a Department of Agriculture experiment (Irish Examiner, May 17). We all realise a way must be found to dispose of infected birds in the event of an outbreak of avian flu here.

Carbon dioxide, the department’s method of choice for the experiment, is an “aversive” gas causing distress, panic and gasping. If it were pumped into a room full of people they would be fighting to get out.

The slaughter apparently took 10 minutes to complete and department staff monitored the reactions of the chickens as they suffocated in their sealed poultry house. The veterinary inspector is quoted as saying the exercise had been humane and was a success. Perhaps he would explain how such a procedure can be described as “humane”.

Margaret Baker

Carrigaloe

Cobh

Co Cork.