Eggs produced through methods that eliminate the mass killing of newborn male chicks are now appearing on shelves in grocery stores across the country, and a leading pet food company, Evermore Pet Food, has pledged to incorporate these innovative eggs into its products as well.
What This Means for Farm Animals
Many pet owners may be unaware that eggs serve as a frequent ingredient in pet food formulations, alongside meat components.
Regrettably, conventional industrial egg production relies on a standard procedure known as male chick culling, where virtually every male chick is euthanized on its first day of life. These vulnerable chicks are typically processed alive through grinding or exposed to gas, despite their capacity to experience pain and distress. The sheer magnitude of this practice is devastating: more than 300 million male chicks meet this fate annually in the United States alone.
Thankfully, a promising alternative exists to eradicate this cruel custom: in-ovo sexing technology. This advanced method detects the sex of embryos directly within the egg, allowing male embryos to be identified and culled humanely before they develop further or hatch. As a result, only female chicks emerge from incubation-those destined to mature into productive egg-laying hens-preventing the unnecessary pain and suffering inflicted on male chicks. Eggs derived from this superior hatching technique are presently offered nationwide by the NestFresh™ brand and are actively being integrated into Evermore Pet Food’s manufacturing processes.
How These Eggs Advance Evermore Pet Food’s More Humane Sourcing
Evermore Pet Food has earned recognition through the ASPCA’s Pet Food Progress initiative and offers several welfare-certified options tailored for dogs and cats.
In a recent development, Evermore publicly committed to sourcing 100% of its eggs from hens hatched via in-ovo sexing by the conclusion of 2026, aligning seamlessly with NestFresh’s goal to apply this technology across its entire egg production. This positions Evermore as the pioneering pet food company to make such a comprehensive pledge toward better-hatched eggs.
Nancy Roulston, senior director in the ASPCA’s Farm Animal Welfare Department, commented on this significant achievement: “Now that in-ovo sexing technology is accessible in the U.S., every company incorporating egg ingredients bears the obligation to eliminate male chick culling from their supply chains. We commend Evermore Pet Food for taking the lead within the pet food industry, and we are confident that compassionate pet owners will join us in applauding this forward-thinking, humane decision.”
