Gavage is the practice of force feeding ducks and geese, usually associated with the production of pate de foie gras. The force feeding produces a disease called hepatic lipidosis, which results in an abnormally large liver, up to three pounds in weight. Animals involved in the production of diseased liver, er, pate de foie gras, are frequently penned up in cages little more than the size of their body.
A description from wikipedia describes the process, and the amounts that each animal is force fed.
In modern production, the bird is typically fed a controlled amount
of feed, depending on the stage of the fattening process, its weight,
and the amount of feed it last ingested.
At the start of production, a bird might be fed a dry weight of
250 grams (9 oz) of food per day, and up to 1,000 grams (35 oz) (in dry
weight) by the end of the process. The actual amount of food force-fed
is much greater, since the birds are fed a mash whose composition is
about 53% dry and 47% liquid (by weight).
(20–30 cm long), which forces the feed into the animal's esophagus; if
an auger is used, the feeding takes about 45 to 60 seconds. Modern systems usually use a tube fed by a pneumatic pump; with such a system the operation time per duck takes about 2 to 3
seconds. During feeding, efforts are made to avoid damaging the bird's
esophagus, which could cause injury or death
This agricultural practice for the production of food is common in at least one EU country, France and produced in others. To be fair a number of EU countries have banned Foie Gras production.
Gavage is not to be confused however with Garbage, an example of which is the false controversy of a visitor to the Canadian Arctic (in this case the Governor General) partaking in a traditional meal that consisted in part of sustainably hunted seal, a huge part of the 100 mile or local food diet, in this part of the country. A controversy generated by the Europe based International Fund for Animal Welfare, but in a climate created by the EU decision to ban seal products (and inexplicably reported on as "news" by Canadian News Organizations, whose job doesn't include parroting what every "official" tells them to "create balance"). These seal are taken in a humane, sustainable manner: no cages, no growth hormones, no pesticides (apart from those that are accumulating in the north thanks to southern agricultural practices and industrial pollution).
I suppose if the EU wishes to take away their citizen's ability to purchase seal products that is their prerogative. Even if it is misguided and led by problematic charisma. But really it is no business of theirs what a Canadian, even one of the Governor General's stature and profile, eats while in Canada, with Canadian products. Perhaps if they need something to occupy the time they spend on this nonsense they might turn their attention to several member countries of the EU, whose constant over fishing is helping to empty the worlds oceans.
Comments
5 responses
That is a little ironic considering how much horse meat they eat in Europe.
I love this post Clare. 🙂
Great post Clare. I linked to it on my blog if you don’t mind.
I stumbled on this blog via Manitoba Blogs. I absolutely love this post, and could not agree more!
There is a lot of irony in the whole campaign Rurality.
Thanks Amy
I don’t mind at all Darcy, Thanks
Thanks Vanessa, and welcome from one small town Manitoban to another.