The transition from traditional farms to large-scale industrial factory farms in the United States began in the early 1930s due to increased demand for meat products. Factory farming is often viewed as an efficient alternative to increase production for a higher profit. The highly industrial operation is referred as either AFO (animal feeding operation) or CAFO (confined animal feeding operation) in the United States.
As factory farming became more popular, other countries, such as China and Argentina, followed the United States’ approach to produce cheaper food in larger quantities. Unfortunately the protection of animal rights is very limited. The UK Farm Animal Welfare Council published the Five Freedoms of animal welfare as followed:
“1. …show more content…
Selective breeding is a common technique used in factory farms to raise livestock, which results in a loss in biodiversity. Other pressing concerns include the development of new pathogens, pollution and deforestation, and the dependence on fossil fuels. More recently, the Avian Flu outbreak in 2015 caught attention as the H5N2 strain affected 50 million hens in the United States due to factory farming.[ii] Diseases are easily spread throughout a factory farm as a result of the confined conditions. Other outbreaks in the past include the H1N1 strain of swine flu that threatened international producers such as Tyson Foods and Hormel Foods in 2009. According to a report made by the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) initiative published in 2016, the swine flu outbreak in 2009 resulted in 171 affected countries with a total of 14,738 animal deaths by January …show more content…
For instance, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) is used as a hormone to stimulate high production of milk in cows in a few countries, including the United States, but is banned in 27 others. The hormone was replicated by Monsanto through the combination of cow DNA and E. coli through a process called gene splicing, which involves inserting a foreign sample of DNA into another to create recombinant DNA. The rBGH hormone concerns the general public because producers are not required to label their products, and it can require further antibiotics because it risks infections in the cows’ udders. In addition, animal feed used on factory farms usually comprise of genetically engineered corn and soy meal, which can be transferred to people during
As factory farming became more popular, other countries, such as China and Argentina, followed the United States’ approach to produce cheaper food in larger quantities. Unfortunately the protection of animal rights is very limited. The UK Farm Animal Welfare Council published the Five Freedoms of animal welfare as followed:
“1. …show more content…
Selective breeding is a common technique used in factory farms to raise livestock, which results in a loss in biodiversity. Other pressing concerns include the development of new pathogens, pollution and deforestation, and the dependence on fossil fuels. More recently, the Avian Flu outbreak in 2015 caught attention as the H5N2 strain affected 50 million hens in the United States due to factory farming.[ii] Diseases are easily spread throughout a factory farm as a result of the confined conditions. Other outbreaks in the past include the H1N1 strain of swine flu that threatened international producers such as Tyson Foods and Hormel Foods in 2009. According to a report made by the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) initiative published in 2016, the swine flu outbreak in 2009 resulted in 171 affected countries with a total of 14,738 animal deaths by January …show more content…
For instance, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) is used as a hormone to stimulate high production of milk in cows in a few countries, including the United States, but is banned in 27 others. The hormone was replicated by Monsanto through the combination of cow DNA and E. coli through a process called gene splicing, which involves inserting a foreign sample of DNA into another to create recombinant DNA. The rBGH hormone concerns the general public because producers are not required to label their products, and it can require further antibiotics because it risks infections in the cows’ udders. In addition, animal feed used on factory farms usually comprise of genetically engineered corn and soy meal, which can be transferred to people during