Viva! USA PO Box 49023 Atlanta GA30359 Tel: 404 315 8881 Fax: 404 315 8685 email: info@vivausa.org	Statement - May 3, 2001 Viva! hopes that the liberation of ducks from the Duck Laboratory at Cornell University draws more awareness to all animals used in experiments and those killed for food. In the U.S., 24 million ducks are intensively farmed and killed for food. In addition to this, thousands are experimented on to further push these animals to their limits. North Carolina State University carried out a number of experiments from 1990 – 1995 to “examine several general management practices” (e.g. photoperiod, male/female ratios, density, light intensity, temperature, nutrition) and their effects on reproductive and economic performance of duck breeder flocks. In 1992, over a thousand ducks died in a dietary study. "The that fact that ducks have their bills trimmed so that they can be raised intensively, and have their food withdrawn in order to lay more eggs has appalled the public," said lauren Ornelas, U.S. campaigns Director for Viva! "To find out these gentle creatures are dying in experiments would make people lose their lunch." Viva! launched its campaign against the factory farming of ducks in September of 2000. A full report on duck farming in the US as well as photos of duck farms can be seen at www.vivausa.org.