Livestock: Not Just Food

When you go out to dinner and order a hamburger, have you ever thought about the cow whose life was taken so that you could eat that meal? According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 9 billion animals are killed in factory farms every year, and the Sentience Institute estimates that 99% of animal products in the US come from factory farms. Many of those creatures live their entire lives in tiny crates, receiving little to no care and as much food as their bodies can hold. When their time is up, they’re sent to the slaughterhouse. Factory farms are essentially giant warehouses designed to produce and kill the maximum number of livestock they can, under controlled conditions and using intensive methods. Factory farming began in the mid 20th Century, to keep up with the increasing demand of meat. However, in the process of making that meat cheaper and more easily accessible, we have lost sight of the fact that animals are sentient beings — they want to avoid harm and stay alive. The factory farming industry is a cruel and inhumane place for animals.

The above image displays young chickens cramped into a large warehouse.

This project is all about educating myself and others on a topic I’m passionate about, and I chose to work with factory farms.

I have been a vegetarian for years. I chose to stop eating meat because of the inhumane cruelty that goes on in the meat production industry, as well as the climate and environmental issues. While the safety of the environment is very important to me, for this project I chose to focus more on the wellbeing of the animals.

My family has friends who own a small farm. Growing up, we visited a lot, and I saw firsthand what humane farming looked like. The thought that an animal could be raised any other way, especially in the harsh conditions of factory farms, was distressing. This issue became very important to me.

Warning: The following video contains graphic content which some people may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

The cruel methods used in factory farms are like no other. In many of them, animals live in too-tight cages and too-packed pens. They receive minimal medical care if any, and according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s statistical service, roughly 10 percent of the livestock die even before reaching the slaughterhouse. No matter the animal, chances are that in most large factory farms, they will be mistreated. For example, chickens raised for meat are forced to grow so large that oftentimes, their legs can’t support them. To force them to eat and fatten faster, bright lights shine almost 24/7 so that they stay awake. The end of egg-laying hens’ beaks are cut or burned off to prevent them from pecking each other. Pigs are stuffed into crates so small that they can’t turn around. Because they are highly intelligent creatures, their stark surroundings can cause abnormal behaviors like chewing on their tails. This can lead to infection, so workers sometimes cut off the tail, or even a pig’s teeth, usually without painkillers. Sows are moved between their gestation stalls and farrowing crates to give birth, both of which are small and restricting. Cows raised for beef usually live in sparse pastures with many other cattle, typically without shelter. Practices like branding and castration often cause them pain and discomfort. Dairy cows have unnaturally high milk production rates, and they usually have most of their tail and horns removed without painkillers. These cows are artificially inseminated once a year so they keep producing milk, and once they give birth their calves are taken away from them, which causes extreme stress for both creatures. The female calves are the next dairy cows, and the male calves are used for veal. When dairy cows have passed prime, they are slaughtered for beef. Turkeys are forced to grow so big so fast that it can cause pain and other physical illnesses. Because of their disproportionate bodies, turkeys cannot physically mate anymore. They face year-round artificial insemination, even though turkeys are only meant to reproduce once a year. Many fish meant for food are raised in overcrowded farms. There are very few regulations on fish farming, because fish are often not seen as sentient beings even though they are. Because of this, fish usually aren’t stunned before they are killed. Some of the processes used to kill fish are bleeding them out, blunt force, suffocating them or freezing them.

This image shows pigs, each confined to a crate so small that they can’t turn around.

Going forward, I’d like to research more about the steps people and organizations are taking to end this inhumane treatment in the food industry. So far, my research has made me more and more determined to spread awareness and take action against factory farming. Learning about the harsh conditions and treatment these animals have to face has been hard, but it is an important issue that I think everyone should learn about. No animal deserves to live in a cramped cage their whole life, rarely going outside, and being forced to eat the most food they can contain. Moreover, while it may cost more money and take more work, every animal deserves the right to lead a happy and healthy life. If factory farms continue functioning the way they are currently, almost every animal product you eat will come from an animal that led a painful, harrowing, and traumatic life, right up until the end.

Here is my annotated bibliography.