Extreme heat in France has killed hundreds of thousands of poultry and overwhelmed carcass disposal systems, agricultural organisations said. A severe heatwave continues to disrupt farming, energy supplies and daily life across Western Europe.

Authorities in France’s two biggest poultry-producing regions are now considering allowing on-farm burial after rendering services were unable to cope with the surge in animal deaths.

In Pays de la Loire, France’s second-largest poultry region, farmer Clément Blanchard said he lost around 700 chickens in a matter of days, compared with a normal rate of one or two per day.

“We’re faced with the same thing with our animals as we are ourselves, they suffer enormously from the heat,” he said, adding that mortality rates had risen sharply during the heatwave.

Yann Nedelec, head of industry group ANVOL, estimated that at least several hundred thousand poultry had died across indoor and outdoor farms, though he said it was too early to give a precise figure.

Overwhelmed disposal systems

Agricultural chambers in Brittany and Pays de la Loire described the deaths as “massive,” noting that together the regions account for nearly 60% of France’s poultry production.

Carcass collection systems, which normally send animals for rendering, have been overwhelmed by the volume, leading authorities to advise temporary measures such as covering carcasses with sawdust or wood shavings to absorb fluids.

On-farm burial could be permitted following environmental and technical checks, according to the agricultural authorities.

Agricultural impact

The heatwave is also affecting cattle farmers, with high temperatures reducing feed intake, increasing water demand and lowering milk yields.

Frederic Vincent, a dairy farmer near Angers with around 70 cows, said milk production had dropped by 15% to 20% as animals struggled with extreme heat inside barns.

“They’re standing there with their mouths wide open, just trying to find air,” he said, describing how cows were gathering under ventilation points as fans ran continuously.

The conditions come as Western Europe experiences a broader heatwave that has killed dozens of people, forced school closures, disrupted power supplies and pushed farmers to harvest grain at night to avoid peak temperatures.

Read more:

• What is an omega block and why is it fuelling Europe's heatwave?
• What do France's heatwave terms really mean?
• Europe scorched by early summer heatwave as temperatures near 40°C

Tags

News poultry France heatwave Extreme weather Europe El Nino agriculture