Nor are the problems of industrial agriculture limited to bad housing.
As a result of selective breeding, broilers – the chickens reared for meat – have been pushed to grow so quickly that their legs and hearts cannot support the over-developed bodies. Consequently, each year tens of millions die of heart failure and suffer from painful, sometimes crippling leg disorders.
Not only does factory farming inflict poor welfare on animals and aid the spread of disease, it also threatens human health and damages the environment.
As a result of selective breeding, broilers – the chickens reared for meat – have been pushed to grow so quickly that their legs and hearts cannot support the over-developed bodies. Consequently, each year tens of millions die of heart failure and suffer from painful, sometimes crippling leg disorders.
Not only does factory farming inflict poor welfare on animals and aid the spread of disease, it also threatens human health and damages the environment.
Human health
A number of studies show that eating too much red meat is associated with an increase in the incidence of certain cancers, heart disease and obesity. As a result, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends choosing
"predominantly plant-based diets" rich in vegetables, fruits, cereals and pulses.
Antibiotics are routinely fed to intensively reared animals to prevent the spread of the infectious diseases which would otherwise be inevitable when large numbers of animals are kept crammed together, often in unhygienic conditions.
A number of studies show that eating too much red meat is associated with an increase in the incidence of certain cancers, heart disease and obesity. As a result, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends choosing
"predominantly plant-based diets" rich in vegetables, fruits, cereals and pulses.
Antibiotics are routinely fed to intensively reared animals to prevent the spread of the infectious diseases which would otherwise be inevitable when large numbers of animals are kept crammed together, often in unhygienic conditions.
The overuse of antibiotics on farms is leading to the development of bacteria which are resistant to some of the antibiotics used to combat serious illness in humans.
Environmental degradation
Once animals are taken off the land, they need to be given large amounts of protein-rich feed. This feed is often produced intensively, with the aid of artificial fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides, all of which are damaging environmental pollutants.
Although in reasonable amounts animal manure can enrich the soil, the excess nutrients in the liquid slurry emanating from factory farms are a serious pollutant.
Environmental degradation
Once animals are taken off the land, they need to be given large amounts of protein-rich feed. This feed is often produced intensively, with the aid of artificial fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides, all of which are damaging environmental pollutants.
Although in reasonable amounts animal manure can enrich the soil, the excess nutrients in the liquid slurry emanating from factory farms are a serious pollutant.