Living Conditions, Diet And Reproduction Is Not The Only Problems Associated With Commercial Farming

Many people feel that animal slaughter is immoral. They are outraged that anyone eats meat. They feel that raising animals for human consumption is animal cruelty.

There was a disturbing undercover video of gruesome animal abuse at more than a dozen Lily dale chickens supplier farms exposes management standing by while workers torment animals with crude sex acts and rough handling, including punching and throwing birds, and ripping the legs off conscious animals. There was shocking hidden-camera footage obtained by Mercy for Animal reveals horrific cruelty to animal to animals, including turkeys violently slammed into metal shackles before being painfully shocked with electricity and having their throats cut open while still conscious and able to feel pain. They are 250 cows are killed every hour at the typical beef slaughterhouse . because workers are in a rush to stay on schedule and kill such a large number of animals in such a short period of time, the animals are often treated rater cruelly To accustom themselves to life at the slaughter workers must become desensitized to the animals suffering and conceive of these sentient creatures as mere objects; this conceptualization obviously leads to inhumane treatment. Moreover, the turnover rate at slaughterhouse is so high that there are a lot of new, inexperienced technicians who cannot properly sedate cows, among other things. Although cattle are supposed to be conscious, struggling cows are hung upside down. Their throats are then cut. The pigs are hung upside down by their back legs to be slaughtered. Because swine

Slaughtering horses for human consumption in the United States started in the early 1970's. Americans do not eat horsemeat; we consider horses to be favored animals, just like dogs and cats. The idea of eating a horse, a cat, or a dog just goes against our very culture. It was foreign interests that brought the horse slaughter industry to the United States and built equine slaughterhouses here. By the 1990's, there were at least sixteen equine slaughterhouses operating all across the United States. At that time, most Americans did not even realize that such an industry even existed in their country. Over the years, the industry grew larger and people began to use slaughter as an opportune way to get rid of their undesired horses. Rather than take responsibility for their horses by either taking the time to place them in a horse sanctuary or by paying a licensed veterinarian put them down humanely, owners would ship them to a slaughter house and get paid for doing so. In today’s United States there is a debate ensuing on whether to lift the ban on equine slaughter which was enacted in 2007. There are practical as well as commercial arguments that can be made in favor of horse slaughter, and there are ethical and environmental reasons to oppose it. In this paper I plan on addressing both sides of the debate as well as explaining each sides main points.

When it comes to the treatment of animals, many people don’t know what to think because they simply don’t know anything about their conditions or how they are being treated. But truthfully, when it comes down to it, many animals in farms are treated terribly. Especially in factory farms. A factory farm is a large, industrial operation that raises large numbers of animals for food and over 99% of farm animals in the U.S. are raised in factory farms, which focus on profit and efficiency at the expense of the animals’ welfare. As you can obviously tell, “at the sake of the animals welfare” isn’t a good thing because you already know that they are living in bad conditions. According to the ASPCA, “Factory farms

Consuming animal meat has been an issue that has been debated about for decades. No matter which side of the fence you are on, it cannot be denied that animals are subjected to inhumane treatment when they are used for factory farming. This practice, also called as industrial animal agriculture, produces 78% of cattle, 99.9% of chickens, 95% of pigs, and 99% of turkeys sold in the United States. The animals in factory farms are placed in cramped living spaces, do not receive proper medical care, and are killed using brutal methods.

For centuries the welfare of our world’s animals has been an ongoing issue. Even in our modern, civil, and advanced society animals are still treated unfairly living horrible lives for our own “benefit”. When the term animal abuse comes to mind, it often brings up images of puppies or kittens being hit or left out on the streets to die, although this is abuse that presents a massive ethical issue there are many others as well. Many fail to realize that at the root of their juicy burgers, or tasty ice cream cones lays the deep dark secret life of cows. The welfare and lives of cows on industrial factory farms that produce meat and dairy for our society present a big contemporary ethical issue. Countless cows die every day due to the conditions, and ongoing torment that goes on in the industrial factory farms. Although the United States has created laws to try to help these animals, many of the laws are either vague or poorly regulated or enforced; this is proved by the typical life of a cow used for food. From the time a cow is born to the time it dies, its life is full of countless trials and tribulations of poor welfare and lack of rights, which is unethical in more ways than one.

After reading Singer and Mason, “The Ethics of Eating Meat,” I do not feel prepared to change any of my eating habits. Although the authors provide profound insight on the treatment of animals in America on Factory Farms versus Polyface Farms I am still skeptical about how one could be more humane than the other when in both cases the animals are produced to be slaughtered and sold for human consumption. Because there is not really a way to ensure the slaughter of cattle is humane or not I do not see myself becoming a conscientious omnivore. On the other hand, I agree that some aspects of Factory farming should not be acceptable. I strongly believe that laws should be put in place to help regulate better treatment of animals during the duration of their lives on Factory Farms.

Today, “Over 56 billion farmed animals are killed every year by humans” (Animal Equality, n.d). For hundreds of years’ animals have been killed so that people can source meat for food products. “Human population growth and hunting…invariably lead to major extinctions,” (John Alroy, 2001) and through this the discussion as to if animals should be killed so that the growing population can consume meat products begins. The ethical consumption of animal meat poses two major questions a) is it wrong to raise and kill farmed animals for meat produce and consumption b) does it become ethical if the process is done in a humane manner? (Eating Animals, 2014)

This is a form of animal abuse because killing animals is done in a cruel and inhuman way. As stated before 10 billion animals were slaughtered last year. This can be considered as 10 billion cases of animal abuse in America alone, Animals are usually killed by being decapitated which is considered cruel. Animals that do not meet the “requirements” are killed and or thrown in the trash (Site source later). Another way animals are killed when they do not meet the requirements are that they are incinerated. Animals can be orphaned after their parents have been killed for consumption (Site source later). When cows are killed their calf’s can die from not being nurtured by them. Animals need should have the right to not be killed in such an inhumane way. Most humans do not have a problem with eating meat, even though most of them do not know how brutally the animals are killed. People need to be properly informed on what the process is from the farm or cage to a plate. Animals are innocent and humans are slaughtering so that they can eat them, some people will actually eat then animal while it is still living. Animals do not deserve to be killed so that the world can eat meat, Animals are usually experimented on with things that make them more desirable for restaurants to buy. Animals that are consumed can be experimented on with chemicals that will make them

I don’t believe that anyone sits down to eat a steak dinner thinking about the fact that a sentient being was slaughtered and you are about to eat their meat. This disconnection with where and who our food comes from could be causing many kind people to continue promoting the consumption of animal products. Recently there seems to be a push for people wanting their meat to be slaughtered humanely. “Originally passed in 1958, the law that is enforced today by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was passed as the Humane Slaughter Act of 1978. This Act requires the proper treatment and humane handling of all food animals slaughtered in USDA inspected slaughter plants.” (Humane) Humane is defined as being characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, especially for the suffering or distressed. Slaughter is the killing or butchering of cattle, sheep, etc., especially for food. In my opinion, those two terms do not go together very well. Whether you believe it is humane or not, slaughtering an animal for food is still killing a sentient being. On Wednesday, December 14, 2016 it was estimated that 116,000 cattle were slaughtered under Federal Inspection. (Estimated) Within factory farms overcrowded conditions can lead to animals having higher stress, lower immunity, and become more susceptible to diseases. (Bhumitra)

While almost all farm animals face the same fate as each other, they do not get the treatment they rightfully deserve. Farm animals, just like humans, deserve to live a life with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, in the chaos of producing the greatest amount of food possible, the agriculture industry has transformed into an industry of mistreatment. Every day, animals grow up in conditions such as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), “homes” where animals stand knee deep in their own manure with no room to move. While large farms and meat packaging plants argue techniques like CAFOs are necessary evils, I advocate that farm animals currently live in a state that is unacceptable and sickening. The agricultural industry needs to refine its techniques to treat animals in a morally correct way. To improve the agricultural industry’s treatment of farm animals, consumers need to purchase food products that were raised properly, where animals and plants do not live in deplorable conditions that flaunt inhumane treatment. In the face of mistreatment, we need to refine butchering techniques that kill an incomprehensible number of animals every day; provide animals with a clean environment, that producers could boast of; and decrease the artificial modification of animals, to improve our health and animals’ health.

While health may be a larger issue for some, other people are concerned about more than that, and focus on the ethics of eating meat. At National Beef, 400 cattle are slaughtered an hour. Most of them fed with cheap corn or the remnants of their predecessors, and stand in ankle deep manure in feedlots with hundreds of other cattle. Most of them become sick due to their corn-based diet (cows are meant to eat grass, not corn). Even animals that aren't bred for meat live in nightmarish environments, such as hens that are forced to lay eggs in small, wire cages with 6 other hens. A lot of people are concerned about the suffering of the animal, and the 5 percent error rate McDonald's allows for their beef. The cows are killed quickly and virtually painlessly with a 6-inch bolt shot through a "stun-gun" into their forehead, and then processed, but about 20 cattle an hour suffer a lot more when the 5 percent error rate is put into action. Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) probably pay attention to these issues more than others. While I consider some of their ideas and beliefs radical and their methods for saving animals hypocritical at best, I do agree with them on the side that something is wrong with America's meat.

The treatment of factory farmed animals has always been questionable. These animals are born and bred to be killed and consumed. Although, these animals are obviously going to be eventually killed and eaten, the treatment of them while they are alive, and during their execution is unethical and should be illegal. With the rise of documentaries exposing the unethical and, quite frankly, disgusting treatment of factory farmed animals, the issue has never been more prevalent than it is in the present.

Hypocrisy comes to mind as I grudgingly watch a woman eat a cheeseburger while wearing a t-shirt with the phrase "My Favorite Breed is RESCUED" blasted on the front. With every bite I delve deeper into the question of what exactly is animal cruelty and why does society differentiate between which animals are worthy and not worthy of liberation. Humans have not only been hidden skillfully from the atrocious truth that is factory farming, but many choose to remain ignorant as it is easier to ignore the cries of cattle than to give up a delicious cheeseburger. Selfishly, we have become content with our socially programmed sheltered view of the world. Fortunately, for us, we can escape the shelter willingly, for the animals in factory farming, however, the cruelty is almost impossible to escape. Animal cruelty's controversy should not only focus on domesticated animals but should become accepted in its literal meaning, which is: inflicting physical pain, either through neglect or abuse, thus causing unnecessary suffering or death to an animal.

America has changed in the past decades becoming more innovative, efficient, and industrialized. Due to the changes in how our industries (Food; in this case) function, small family-owned farms have disappeared leaving large, industrialized production units that grow livestock in masses for the benefit of the Large Corporations such as Tyson Foods Inc. The legal definition of Animal Cruelty is…”Acts of violence or neglect perpetrated against animals” (Animal Cruelty). The red barn with white framing, the bright green pasture with cows grazing, and the respectable family who owns the land as seen in many commercials is a myth. Farming mechanisms have changed to increase production of livestock but what are the consequences faced by these