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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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Farmer Returns to SAPA

SOUTH AFRICA - The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has lifted the ban on one of its members.

SAPA has lifted the suspension of former North West agriculture MEC Jan Serfontein, who was accused of dodgy chick killing practices on his farm, Beeld reported on 15 September.

According to News 24, SAPA lifted the suspension of Boskop Layer Chickens (BLC), one of the biggest chicken farms in the country, after doing an independent investigation into the allegations.

An independent veterinary consultant said the manner in which Mr Serfontein and his son, Jan Serfontein Junior, were now killing the chicks was acceptable, SAPA said in a statement.

The chicks on the farm are now being macerated – fed into a high-speed grinder – a legal way to cull male chicks.

Last month, Beeld reported that animal rights groups were up in arms over the chick-killing practices at BLC.

It was alleged that male birds were being dumped in an empty dam to starve or suffocate, because they were 'economically worthless' to farmers breeding laying hens.

News 24 reports that the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had laid nine charges against Mr Serfontein and his son under the Animal Protection Act over the killing of the chicks.

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