Feather extraction

 

Feathers and down from waterfowl (geese and ducks) are a unique natural resource of high quality. Used as filling for quilts, pillows and clothing, this material is distinguished by qualities such as breathability, humidity transport and thermal insulation together with a low weight. These special features account for the homogeneous distribution of feathers and down, for instance, in a quilt as well as for the fact that already small amounts of feathers and down are sufficient for the filling of a quilt.

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How the harvesting feathers and down from the live animal at the moment of moulting has to be carried out, is laid down e. g. in the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes (see also: first publishing of the German translation of recommendations by the Standing Committee of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes on February 7^th, 2000 in the Bundesanzeiger [German Federal Gazette], volume 52 No. 89a, issued on May 11^th, 2000 and in the standard concerning the harvesting of feathers and down from the live animal and the keeping of geese for the purpose of plucking.).

 

Although we have triggered this process, we merely forwarded the topic to a working group of experts, in order to have it dealt with on a supranational European level.

 

This convention specifically forbids inflicting any harm or injury on farm animals. Thus, it is forbidden to harvest feathers and down from live animals outside the moulting season, for example.

 

 

As far as we know, ducks are not live-harvested, but only those geese, which are kept for the purpose of laying eggs and breeding. Throughout every year, these animals undergo several moulting seasons, the hormonally induced process of shedding their old plumage. Harvesting the feathers and down from the live animal at the moment of moulting is a technique which has in former times been also applied for the purpose of landscape conservation. In order to avoid that a flock of, say, 100 mother geese shed their old feathers and down and that these fly around the landscape and entangle themselves in bushes, trees, buildings etc., the farmers were requested to contribute to the landscape conservation by collecting the loosely attached material. The animals are an important resource for the farmers. To treat this resource properly means to secure their income in the future. Cruelty to animals does not mean a secure income in the long run.

 

 

He cannot recognize it by the finished product. However, as a rule down and feathers harvested from the live animal are much more expensive (huger personnel expenditures, larger down, huger expenditures as regards logistics) than the material deriving from the animal after slaughtering anyway. This amounts to ca. 98% of the total supply.