The Negative Effects of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

In the US today cattle are part of everyday culture. With more than 93 million cattle in the dairy and beef industry, and tens of thousands in the rodeo business, cattle are definitely a huge part. Lately, there has been many concerns with the bovine friends along with multiple misconceptions. Rodeos may look tough on animals, and todays society is not educated well enough on the beef and dairy industry. People don’t realize that these animals are happy, healthy, and very well cared for.

In the past century there has been a substantial change in the way human beings raise and keep animals meant for food. While in the past there were great numbers of widely spaced small individual farms, now there are relatively few, but extremely large industrialized farms. And as the numbers of animals kept and slaughtered for human consumption increases, these industrialized farms, known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFO's, are having more and more of an impact on the environment and people around them. The concentration of animals causes a major problem with the waste products they produce, as well as the gases, chemicals, and other types of byproducts. And the increased use of antibiotics in the animals is beginning to have a profound effect on the health of not only the environment but the communities that exist around these industrialized farms. CAFO's, and their secondary industries, are also a large consumer of oil, gasoline, and other fuels which can have an indirect, but devastating effect on the environment. Luckily there are some who have come to recognize the problems, and potential future problems, involved in this type of animal farming and have begun to inform the public to the dangers these farms pose. And in response to this information, the public is beginning to force changes in the way these CAFO's operate and the impact they have on the environment and

Most people do not take a second thought about where their food came from. Whether it be chicken, steak, or pork, the meat was most likely raised in a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). Hundreds to thousands of animals in horrid conditions from birth to slaughter at these factory farms. While damaging animals, CAFOs also damage the environment and the effects of these farms are worsening, with more farms resorting to these methods. Popular brands using these methods include global producers like Smithfield Foods and Tyson Foods. The United States Department of Agriculture defines a CAFO as an Animal Feeding Operation that houses “...more than 1000 animal units...” (nrcs.usda.gov). These “units” are later defined as “...an animal

Also based on these studies, along with others that document similar contamination issues, deplorable treatment of animals, and human health issues across the country, I think that the use of CAFOs in the United States should be limited. They are another example of why we need to move away from our love affair with meat and adopt more sustainable and healthy dietary

Every year, an average American will consume approximately one hundred-twenty six pounds of meat. This meat can be traced back to factory farms where the animals are kept to be tortured to turn into a product for the appetite of humans. The terrible treatment these animals are forced to endure is the outcome of the greed and want for a faster production of their product. The industry of factory farming works to maximize the output of the meat while maintaining low costs,but will sadly always comes at the animals’ expense.

According to a website spiked “in defense of factory farming”, the CEO Gary Corbett from Fair Oaks dairy farm in Indianapolis said that the cows lives better than other animals. The cows have their own Scientifics that created

Stress? Cattle? Do they not just lie around and chew their cud? The stereotype of lazy cows soaking up the sun perhaps is far stretched. Cattle are associated with this stereotype because it is what people see. An average citizen’s only interactions with cattle are seeing them in the field grazing; however a farmer understands to keep his profit and cattle healthy he must reduce stress.

A poll conducted by the ASPCA revealed that 94% of Americans believe that production animals, specifically those raised for food, deserve to live a comfortable life free of cruelty and neglect. Despite this belief, many factory farm animals are abused and neglected in such ways that, if witnessed by consumers, would not be accepted. Over 99% of the United State’s farm animals live on factory farms that use them for means of profit, many of them violating the Animal Welfare Act and other laws put in place to protect the humane treatment of animals (ASPCA). This abuse is not limited to any specific type of farm animal. Although different animals are used for different purposes, they all share a common suffering and a need for humane care.

The conditions in which meat livestock live in is not exactly that of a large open green field in which they are free to roam and be merry. In the Economist article, Cows down: The beef business (2008) the effects of the ill conditions cows talks of how a

This consumer lives in a large city, has no agriculture background, and believes all that they see on different types of media. As this consumer, I would agree with the Chipotle. Chipotle makes an impressive case against antibiotic use in livestock. I would begin to believe that what they say is true. However, when I again don my muck boots, I know that antibiotics are not used to increase production or combat effects of overcrowding. Antibiotics are used only to help an animal just like humans get over a sickness when necessary. Chipotle also claims they serve pork from pigs allowed to freely root and roam outdoors or in deeply bedded barns (Chipotle np). Activists claim they want animals to be raised this way, however, this strategy does not eliminate sickness. Contrary to Chipotle’s statements, statistically, no data is present to assist their claims. Removing antibiotics from farms and ranches is simply dangerous to our ability to continue raising healthy

Industrial agriculture is currently the predominant food production system in the United States. It is distinguished by large-scale monoculture, abundant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and meat production in CAFOs. CAFOs are ‘Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations’, otherwise known as factory farms, which aim to cram as many animals in one space to boost efficiency and profit at the expense of animal suffering and environmental hazards.

Farming practices like the use of growth hormones in cattle has created a new dilemma when considering welfare and health of factory farm animals. Moving even beyond the farm to the actual dinner plate, the effect consuming factory farm raised animals is still under debate but the fact still remains that the animals display compromising health issues. For instance, dairy cattle are given a growth hormone called BST, or bovine somatotropin, is given to dairy cattle during lactation cycles to sustain milk production. The fact that cattle are producing more milk by administering a naturally occurring hormone is not really the

Our initial purpose of researching this topic has been inspired by the growing concern for the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease and it's various forms. We believe that it is imperative that we take our research and implement it to others along with facts in order to generate concern for other countries regulations, United States regulations, health concerns and economical awareness.

The health of consumers will not be endangered if we treat the animals humanely. Antibiotic resistance caused by factory

Corn is the number one grain used to feed animals for slaughter. Feeding cows corn instead of their natural diet lead to the unintentional creation of 157H7 E. coli, a deadly bacteria that can kill. The film reveals how food standards have dropped, with only 9,164 safety inspections from the FDA each year as compared to over 50,000 in 1972. The food industry has become consolidated to the point of a few companies having a great deal of power and influence via the government. The USDA is no longer able to shutdown plants with contaminated meat. A bill titled “Kevin’s Law” had the intent of changing that, but, after 6 years, the bill still has not been passed. Food companies have made some attempts to reduce E. coli by cleaning their meats in an ammonia solution. However, unhealthy food is being subsidized and contributing to American obesity and the rise of type 2 diabetes in adolescents.