Factory farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), are a modern industrial method of raising farmed animals , who are collectively known in industry parlance as livestock. ... CAFOs can also be used to farm animals for non-food purposes, such as minks farmed intensively for their fur.
What is an example of a factory farm?
A “factory farm” is a large-scale industrial operation that houses thousands of animals raised for food—such as chickens, turkeys, cows, and pigs —and treats them with hormones and antibiotics to prevent disease and maximize their growth and food output. ... 2 in 3 farm animals in the world are now factory farmed.
What qualifies as a factory farm?
: a large industrialized farm especially : a farm on which large numbers of livestock are raised indoors in conditions intended to maximize production at minimal cost .
How big is a factory farm?
According to the EPA’s definitions, a large factory farm/CAFO will house at least 1000 cattle, 2500 hogs or 125,000 chickens .
What is a factory farm called?
Factory farms, also called industrial livestock operations or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) , are large agricultural enterprises where animals are raised in confined settings.
Are people aware of factory farming?
People may also be unaware that over 95% of farmed animals are chickens and fish, and those populations are more likely to be factory farmed than pigs and cows. Chickens and fish are very small compared to pigs and cows, which means there are far more of them.”
What is the alternative to factory farming?
Good free-range and organic farms are already keeping animals in conditions close to their natural environment, by: Farming traditional breeds which have better resistance to disease and to parasites. Growing animals at a natural rate without unnecessary antibiotics or hormones just to increase productivity.
How many animals are killed in factory farms each year?
More than 400,000 animals died in fires on factory farms in the United States last year. Approximately 80,000 horses are trucked from the United States to Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered for human consumption each year.
Why do factory farms still exist?
The answer is simple: scientists, economists, and farmers agree that factory farming is still the only way to keep up . The fact of the matter is that, while the demand for commercially produced, affordable meat may be decreasing, it is still high, primarily because there are more people on the planet than ever before.
How common are factory farms?
How common are factory farms? 66% of the population of the world’s farm animals are raised on factory farms . That number is even higher for the United States. In the US, 99% of all farm animals are born and raised on factory farms.
How many animals are raised in factory farms?
Global growth of factory farming
About 70 billion animals are farmed for food worldwide every year, the majority in factory farms. And the numbers keep rising.
How are animals killed in factory farms?
In industrial slaughterhouses, chickens are killed prior to scalding by being passed through an electrified water-bath while shackled. This method can be used for sheep, calves and swine. The animal is asphyxiated by the use of CO 2 gas before being killed. In several countries, CO 2 stunning is mainly used on pigs.
How many animals live in factory farms?
Factory farms continue to take over the agricultural landscape of the United States. There are currently 1.6 billion animals in our nation’s 25 thousand factory farms (see Figure 1 on page 2).
Is factory farming cruel?
On factory farms, animals are subjected to routine mutilations, extreme confinement , and are otherwise manipulated to benefit human consumers. These practices are generally harmful to the animals.
What companies use factory farms?
According to a new report released by Environment America, five major animal agribusinesses — Tyson, JBS, Cargill, Smithfield, and Perdue — produce a combined 162,936,695 tons of manure every year.
Is factory farming illegal?
California: Demand End to Factory Farm Animal Torture! Scores of pigs, chickens, turkeys and cows held against their will in California’s factory farms are being subjected to horrific cruelty. ... This law does not specifically exclude farmed animals, which means these operations are therefore illegal .
