This involved putting a funnel down the ducks' throats and forcing a large quantity of food into their stomachs.
After this force feeding the ducks huddled into a corner with their heads hung low, obviously in a state of great discomfort.
This pro
cess continues for weeks on ducks and geese, often confined in small cages. It causes damage to the birds' throats and oesophaguses.
It is done to deliberately cause a liver complaint that causes the liver to swell up to a possible 982g, compared to 76g of a normally fed bird. This is then made into a pate, a portion of which was eaten and enjoyed by Rick Stein with apparently total disregard to the suffering the birds had to endure for its manufacture.
Some birds die due to the treatment before being slaughtered. This process of force feeding was made illegal in England many years ago.
Many animal lovers are boycotting French produce due to this very cruel practice. The World Society for the Protection of Animals, of which the RSPCA is a founder member, is running a campaign on the issue of force feeding in France.
J. W. Drake