What is factory farming ?. Factory Farming is a way of producing meat and other animal products quickly and cheaply. The animals are kept in small cages. They get special food, so they are growing faster. The main products of this industry are meat, milk and eggs for human consumption. Advantages: Cheaper prices With the use of factory farms, the prices of food became very cheap. The main reason for this is that the food can be processed very fast. Also, the food for the animals is very cheap, because they buy it in mass orders. Enough animal products for the market Factory farms use vitamins, minerals, and other substances that make animals grow faster and so they can produce much more food. Big farms also have modern tools which helps to produce meat, milk, eggs and other products very quickly and in an efficient way.
Disadvantages: Very bad living conditions In many factory farms the animals are kept in small cages, where they don’t have any space to walk around and do what they naturally do. The animals are usually kept indoor, so they don’t get any fresh air or sun. The cages are not cleaned as often as it is necessary, so the living conditions for the animals are very bad.
Bad for people’s health Factory farms are bad for people’s health in two ways. One of these is the pollution what they produce, which harm the health of the people who are living next to them. The other way is through the antibiotics that they give their animals to make them immune against illnesses. These can be transmitted to people from the meat and other animal products.
Small farming businesses haven’t a chance against factory farms Many factory farms are owned by corporations, who have the possibility to buy modern tools, equipment and larger spaces for the animals. They’re able to sell their products at a lower price. Smaller farms usually don’t have the resources to buy faster and bigger machines and therefore they can’t compete with their larger rivals.
