Secret filming at Cambria Farm in Taunton, Somerset (Picture: SWNS)

This disturbing footage reportedly shows a chicken producer which supplies Asda, Lidl and Nando’s breaching animal cruelty laws.

Undercover filming at Cambria Farm in Somerset, claims to show a worker dumping a live chick in a wheelbarrow full of dead birds.

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The chick was left for an hour before the same worker returns and snaps its neck, according to Animal Equality, a vegan campaign group.

The group say their surveillance also uncovered farm workers kicking chickens, lame birds struggling to walk and slowly dying on their backs because they were unable to stand and reach water.


Other images show chickens with red raw ammonia burns, ill and dying birds being left to fend for themselves and workers snapping chickens’ necks.



Footage is also said to show workers tipping scores of dead chicks into waste bins at the farm.

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A worker is seen carrying a bird by its legs (Picture: SWNS)

Workers can also be seen violently catching and crating birds for transport to the slaughterhouse, including carrying birds by one leg.

The poultry farm has suspended production following the undercover expose which was carried out between May and July this year.

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Animal Equality has passed the evidence to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for investigation.

Dr Toni Shephard, UK executive director of Animal Equality, said: ‘The birds were just a few days old when we first filmed, yet already hundreds of chicks were dying every day and the bins outside the giant sheds were full of tiny bodies, still with their yellow baby feathers.

‘Just a couple of weeks later, the skips were fuller still and many of the birds were suffering from painful lameness. By our last visit, the sheds were so crowded it was difficult to walk through them.

‘Some birds were on their backs slowly dying as they were unable to stand up, while others had large sores from constantly sitting in the ammonia-soaked litter as they were in too much pain to walk.

Dead chicks in a container at Cambria Farm in Taunton (Picture: SWNS)

‘These distressing scenes suggest we are not ‘leaders in animal welfare’ as claimed in the current row over US imports.’

Cambria Farm currently houses more than 150,000 birds in four giant sheds. The farm supplies Faccenda, the second largest chicken company in the UK, which sells chicken on to clients including Nando’s, Lidl and Asda.

A spokesman for Faccenda said despite being ‘disappointed’ with the footage, they had visited the farm and would still be using it as a supplier.

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He said they hoped to work with Animal Equality in order to ensure the welfare of animals on all the farms they work with.

Adding: ‘We’re obviously disappointed with the images that have been presented to us. Where there is a need for improvement in specific areas we will work with the farmer to make sure that it happens.

‘When we were notified of the allegations we immediately assigned an external vet to visit the farm and conduct an investigation.

The farm supplies Nando’s and Asda (Picture: SWNS)

‘Following his review of the facilities, and after meeting the team, he approved the farm for continued use.



‘We are not going to comment on individual pieces of limited footage but will make sure that the information from Animal Equality is used on all of our farms to help ensure that our high standards and expectations are maintained on every farm, every day.’

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Paul Vaughan-France, who owns the farm, said: ‘I will take the images as good feedback and will do everything I can to work on every aspect of my husbandry. I have had an independent vet on site to review my practices and he is satisfied with his findings.’

A Nando’s spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘Animal welfare is very important to us and we source 100% of our chickens from suppliers that meet the UK Red Tractor standards.

‘We were extremely concerned to hear the report that this farm was not meeting our standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation.

‘Nando’s will continue to insist all of our suppliers meet our strict animal welfare expectations, and is committed to only ever buying from farms that do.’