Extreme heat in France has caused heavy losses in the poultry sector, with agricultural organisations reporting that hundreds of thousands of birds have died during the ongoing heatwave.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The situation has badly affected farms in Brittany and Pays de la Loire, the two largest poultry producing regions of France. Together, these regions account for nearly 60 percent of the country’s poultry flock.
According to French poultry industry group ANVOL, the exact number of deaths is still being assessed, but early estimates show that losses have reached several hundred thousand birds. Both indoor and outdoor poultry farms have been affected by the extreme temperatures.
Farmers say poultry are suffering badly in the heat, resulting in unusually high mortality rates. Clement Blanchard, a chicken farmer in Pays de la Loire, said he lost around 700 chickens in just a few days, while normally only one or two birds die per day.
The large number of dead birds has also created pressure on carcass collection and rendering services. Authorities are now considering on farm burial in affected areas after technical and environmental checks.
Farmers have been advised to use sawdust or wood shavings over carcasses to absorb liquids until proper collection or disposal arrangements are made.
The heatwave is also affecting dairy farmers in western France. High temperatures are reducing feed intake, increasing water demand and lowering milk production. One dairy farmer near Angers reported that milk output from his herd had dropped by 15 to 20 percent.
The crisis highlights the growing impact of extreme weather on livestock and poultry farming. Heat stress can quickly affect animal health, productivity and farm economics, especially in regions facing prolonged high temperatures.