ATLANTA - Contrary to what the animal rights advocates say,
there's a lot to be said for locking hens up in cages, officials
with an egg producers group told SN. What many people don't
realize is modern confinement systems offer a measure of
protection against deadly bird flu, said Jeff Armstrong, the
dean of the college of agriculture and natural resources at
Michigan State University and chairman of the United Egg
Producers' scientific advisory committee. "The way to prevent
bird flu is to limit contact between wild and domestic birds,"
said Armstrong, who chaired UEP's animal welfare advisory
committee. "It's frustrating when some animal protection groups
that have an agenda to remove animal products say confined egg
laying facilities will spread bird flu." The United States does
not have the type of avian influenza strain that's cropped up in
Asia and Europe, and industry officials credit the standard
practice of housing poultry indoors under strict biosecurity
procedures and surveillance for preventing t