COUNCILLOR Christian Vassie should find out more about a subject before launching into a tirade against Coun Paul Blanchard's campaign towards a more caring society.

It is astonishing that Coun Vassie is so basically confused regarding animal husbandry. Broiler chickens (the meat-type birds destined to live for only six weeks) are rarely de-beaked, and are not "holed up" in battery cages.

Battery cages are for laying hens, many of which are de-beaked, so compounding their year-long suffering.

I hope that, in future, Coun Vassie will check his facts before holding forth on matters about which he knows very little.

Clare Druce, Farm Animal Welfare Network, PO Box 40, Holmfirth.