France: extreme heat causes hundreds of thousands of losses in poultry farms

The heatwave affecting France has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of birds on farms, putting significant strain on carcass collection services. In the hardest-hit areas, temperatures have exceeded 40°C.

According to Yann Nedelec, president of the French association ANVOL, at least several hundred thousand birds have died, both in indoor and outdoor systems, although it is still too early to provide a definitive estimate. The Chambers of Agriculture of Brittany and Pays de la Loire have reported “massive” mortality events in the two regions, which together account for nearly 60% of France’s poultry population. France is the third-largest poultry producer in the European Union, after Poland and Spain.

Among the affected farmers is Clément Blanchard, in Pays de la Loire, who reported losing around 700 chickens in just a few days, compared to a normal mortality of one or two animals per day. “Animals suffer enormously from the heat and, at times like these, mortality increases abnormally,” he said.

Stéphane Delapré, a farmer from Beauvoir-sur-Mer, reported losing about half of the 17,600 chickens on his farm during the day of June 22, describing the event as unprecedented in his 42 years of activity.

The high number of carcasses has overwhelmed collection services. For this reason, French authorities have exceptionally authorized on-farm burial of dead animals. Farmers have also been advised to spread sawdust or wood shavings over the carcasses to absorb liquids.

As veterinarian Dominique Balloy pointed out, poultry do not have sweat glands and dissipate heat by breathing through their beaks. As temperatures rise, their respiratory rate increases, making these animals particularly sensitive to heat.

The heatwave is also affecting dairy cattle farms. According to reports from western France, high temperatures are reducing feed intake, increasing water requirements, and leading to a drop in milk production of between 15% and 20%.