Martin Gould
@martinvgould.bsky.social
Working on farm animal welfare research and grants at Open Philanthropy🐔📈 Views my own. Interested in economics, policy and bouldering
A grim new study: Researchers starved chickens for up to 10 days (nearly a quarter of their 42-day lives) to save on feed
Didn't even bother to measure welfare. They call it an “efficient” approach
Didn't even bother to measure welfare. They call it an “efficient” approach
November 17, 2025 at 3:29 PM
A grim new study: Researchers starved chickens for up to 10 days (nearly a quarter of their 42-day lives) to save on feed
Didn't even bother to measure welfare. They call it an “efficient” approach
Didn't even bother to measure welfare. They call it an “efficient” approach
Canada really lags other high income countries when it comes to the share of egg-laying hens out of cages
As an example, Costco is 97% cage-free in the US but only 21% in Canada
As an example, Costco is 97% cage-free in the US but only 21% in Canada
November 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Canada really lags other high income countries when it comes to the share of egg-laying hens out of cages
As an example, Costco is 97% cage-free in the US but only 21% in Canada
As an example, Costco is 97% cage-free in the US but only 21% in Canada
This lolsob via Vasile Stănescu via Seth Ariel Green's great blog:
October 31, 2025 at 11:56 AM
This lolsob via Vasile Stănescu via Seth Ariel Green's great blog:
Meat company Tyson has a "Open Prairie: Natural Meats" brand which you might assume means the animals are on an: "open prairie" in their "natural" environment
But in Tyson's own FAQs...
But in Tyson's own FAQs...
October 31, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Meat company Tyson has a "Open Prairie: Natural Meats" brand which you might assume means the animals are on an: "open prairie" in their "natural" environment
But in Tyson's own FAQs...
But in Tyson's own FAQs...
"...preventing an hour of intense pain in chickens costs less than a hundredth of a cent"
October 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
"...preventing an hour of intense pain in chickens costs less than a hundredth of a cent"
Exciting to see farm animal welfare philanthropy covered in the
@ssir.org, and to read the reflections of @davidcomanhidy and @CampionShan on how donors can make a difference
@ssir.org, and to read the reflections of @davidcomanhidy and @CampionShan on how donors can make a difference
October 29, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Exciting to see farm animal welfare philanthropy covered in the
@ssir.org, and to read the reflections of @davidcomanhidy and @CampionShan on how donors can make a difference
@ssir.org, and to read the reflections of @davidcomanhidy and @CampionShan on how donors can make a difference
New comparison showing how small the farm animal movement is — there are many many opportunities for outsized impact
October 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
New comparison showing how small the farm animal movement is — there are many many opportunities for outsized impact
"...bird flu cases are again starting to increase, suggesting we may be headed into another ramp-up in infections. If rising egg prices catch us off guard this winter, it’ll be quite an achievement—after all, we changed nothing and somehow expected a different result."
October 17, 2025 at 4:15 PM
"...bird flu cases are again starting to increase, suggesting we may be headed into another ramp-up in infections. If rising egg prices catch us off guard this winter, it’ll be quite an achievement—after all, we changed nothing and somehow expected a different result."
Was the Consumer Reports analysis of protein powders bad science?
1. Their daily lead limits are nonsensically low
2. They don't compare protein powders to the protein/foods they replace
3. They only test each powder 2-3 times, which isn't enough given variation between batches
1. Their daily lead limits are nonsensically low
2. They don't compare protein powders to the protein/foods they replace
3. They only test each powder 2-3 times, which isn't enough given variation between batches
October 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Was the Consumer Reports analysis of protein powders bad science?
1. Their daily lead limits are nonsensically low
2. They don't compare protein powders to the protein/foods they replace
3. They only test each powder 2-3 times, which isn't enough given variation between batches
1. Their daily lead limits are nonsensically low
2. They don't compare protein powders to the protein/foods they replace
3. They only test each powder 2-3 times, which isn't enough given variation between batches
Touching story of a father and daughter realizing they want nothing to do with one of the cruelest practices in modern farming
October 10, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Touching story of a father and daughter realizing they want nothing to do with one of the cruelest practices in modern farming
As we enter the cooler months, we may see an uptick in bird flu cases, after the lull of summer
October 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
As we enter the cooler months, we may see an uptick in bird flu cases, after the lull of summer
The European Food Safety Authority has advised a return to slower-growing breeds, which suffer fewer health problems
When even industry leaders describe broilers’ lives as “painful,” it's clearly time for a change: www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
When even industry leaders describe broilers’ lives as “painful,” it's clearly time for a change: www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
October 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
The European Food Safety Authority has advised a return to slower-growing breeds, which suffer fewer health problems
When even industry leaders describe broilers’ lives as “painful,” it's clearly time for a change: www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
When even industry leaders describe broilers’ lives as “painful,” it's clearly time for a change: www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
And the parent birds ("breeders") are "forced to endure chronic hunger" lest they grow too big to do any breeding
October 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
And the parent birds ("breeders") are "forced to endure chronic hunger" lest they grow too big to do any breeding
The world’s dominant chicken breeds grow to slaughter weight roughly three times faster than chickens in the 1950s
This speed comes at a cost: chronic leg pain, heart failure, and muscle disorders leading to "woody breast" and "spaghetti meat"
This speed comes at a cost: chronic leg pain, heart failure, and muscle disorders leading to "woody breast" and "spaghetti meat"
October 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
The world’s dominant chicken breeds grow to slaughter weight roughly three times faster than chickens in the 1950s
This speed comes at a cost: chronic leg pain, heart failure, and muscle disorders leading to "woody breast" and "spaghetti meat"
This speed comes at a cost: chronic leg pain, heart failure, and muscle disorders leading to "woody breast" and "spaghetti meat"
A striking quote in Bloomberg from the president of the World’s Poultry Science Association, an industry group, about modern meat chickens:
October 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
A striking quote in Bloomberg from the president of the World’s Poultry Science Association, an industry group, about modern meat chickens:
There aren't many groups who support overturning US state-based cage bans, which provide hens and pigs with more room to move and express natural behaviors
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 AM
There aren't many groups who support overturning US state-based cage bans, which provide hens and pigs with more room to move and express natural behaviors
Study here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
August 21, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Study here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
New research finds little shelters for chickens (pic below), increase welfare and don't cause the chickens to produce less meat
Easy win for welfare if the industry wants to take it...
Easy win for welfare if the industry wants to take it...
August 21, 2025 at 9:58 PM
New research finds little shelters for chickens (pic below), increase welfare and don't cause the chickens to produce less meat
Easy win for welfare if the industry wants to take it...
Easy win for welfare if the industry wants to take it...
One potential fix is better technology. For example, electron-beam vaccines can prevent bacterial infections in crowded farms. This could help the 225 million US chickens who die annually from bone infections caused by rapid growth. Support for adoption is needed though
August 21, 2025 at 11:57 AM
One potential fix is better technology. For example, electron-beam vaccines can prevent bacterial infections in crowded farms. This could help the 225 million US chickens who die annually from bone infections caused by rapid growth. Support for adoption is needed though
The problem is getting worse. On farm broiler deaths rose from 3.7% to 6% over 12 years and pig mortality jumped from 8.5% to 10.5% since 2016
August 21, 2025 at 11:57 AM
The problem is getting worse. On farm broiler deaths rose from 3.7% to 6% over 12 years and pig mortality jumped from 8.5% to 10.5% since 2016
Factory farm mortality rates are so high that 4.4 million tonnes of US animal feed are wasted and produce zero meat
Post by @robert_yaman
Post by @robert_yaman
August 21, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Factory farm mortality rates are so high that 4.4 million tonnes of US animal feed are wasted and produce zero meat
Post by @robert_yaman
Post by @robert_yaman
A new survey of 986 U.S. chicken consumers shows how little people know about the meat they eat
Only 10% knew what “stunning" is, the process meant to render chickens unconscious before killing. 3.5% could name the methods used (electric shock or gas)
Only 10% knew what “stunning" is, the process meant to render chickens unconscious before killing. 3.5% could name the methods used (electric shock or gas)
August 20, 2025 at 10:30 PM
A new survey of 986 U.S. chicken consumers shows how little people know about the meat they eat
Only 10% knew what “stunning" is, the process meant to render chickens unconscious before killing. 3.5% could name the methods used (electric shock or gas)
Only 10% knew what “stunning" is, the process meant to render chickens unconscious before killing. 3.5% could name the methods used (electric shock or gas)
Pig can't be kept as pets in most US cities, due in part to the lack of an approved pig rabies vaccine
USDA approves vaccine -> more people have pigs as pets -> farm animal welfare movement grows
USDA approves vaccine -> more people have pigs as pets -> farm animal welfare movement grows
August 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Pig can't be kept as pets in most US cities, due in part to the lack of an approved pig rabies vaccine
USDA approves vaccine -> more people have pigs as pets -> farm animal welfare movement grows
USDA approves vaccine -> more people have pigs as pets -> farm animal welfare movement grows
This article from 2010 helps you appreciate how far we've come. The share of hens in cages in the US is now 54%
August 8, 2025 at 9:56 PM
This article from 2010 helps you appreciate how far we've come. The share of hens in cages in the US is now 54%
A new 5-tier welfare label is being proposed. The report recommends a simple and honest scheme, with realistic images (not feel-good cartoons). And in-store explainers
82% support a new scheme, 76% say it would influence what they buy
It's time for the UK government to act
82% support a new scheme, 76% say it would influence what they buy
It's time for the UK government to act
June 27, 2025 at 12:59 PM
A new 5-tier welfare label is being proposed. The report recommends a simple and honest scheme, with realistic images (not feel-good cartoons). And in-store explainers
82% support a new scheme, 76% say it would influence what they buy
It's time for the UK government to act
82% support a new scheme, 76% say it would influence what they buy
It's time for the UK government to act