UNDER the heading ‘A chilling experience’ the Mayor of Hereford described his visit to the new Cargill plant (Letters June 25) as inspirational and was astonished by the technological excellence he saw, all taking place in the most clinically clean conditions.

He was impressed by the faces of the happy and dedicated workforce whom he described as cared for and well trained.

I am sure I am not the only reader who noted no concern for the 1.5 million chickens being processed each week – indeed I found the letter a chilling experience.

Anyone who has kept or observed a few chickens in a free-range environment will have noted their individuality, their friendships and enmities – their different characters. This is a far cry from the way most chickens are reared for meat.

Chickens can live for about six years but their ‘factory’ life is nearer six weeks, indoors, in crowded conditions where they are unable to exercise their normal behaviours. If pet birds were treated in this way there would be an outcry.

Mahatma Gandhi said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” If we accord dignity to our pets it is illogical and immoral to deny this to equally intelligent and sensitive creatures.

JOSEPH COCKER Castlefields, Leominster