Battery egg production is a disgraceful way to farm chickens. It involves incarcerating birds in tiny cages, not allowing them to spread their wings or to lead a natural life.

Newborn male chicks unsuitable for egg laying are killed by gassing or being put into a mincer. Appar- ently, they have no use for the cruel farmer.

Farm Talk (October 29) mentioned that 61 per cent of eggs sold are still from the battery system, regardless that the purchasers of these eggs must know of the cruelty involved in their production.

The managers of the catering and food-processing sectors who buy these eggs, and include them in the food they sell, appear to be immoral, unthinking, unconcerned people, inflicting their produce of cruelty on unaware customers.

Instead, they could be taking responsibility for ensuring the food they offer for sale is not from a battery- egg production system, deemed to cause so much suffering to the poor caged birds that it is going to be banned throughout Europe.

Decent-thinking people already refuse to buy battery eggs, or food containing them.

Be aware, the battery egg producers and retailers are taking advantage of the public, and inflicting extreme suffering on the chickens they're supposed to be caring for. It's sad, unethical and wrong.

C Davies Somerset