Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
“Is it more profitable to grow the biggest
bird and have increased mortality due to
heart attacks, ascites, and leg problems, or
should birds be grown slower so that birds
are smaller, but have fewer heart, lung and
skeletal problems? . . . [S]imple calculations
suggest that it is better to get the weight and
ignore the mortality.”
13
“Forget the pig is an animal. Treat him just like
a machine in a factory.”
14
“The breeding sow should be thought of, and
treated as, a valuable piece of machinery
whose function is to pump out baby pigs like a
sausage machine.”
15
“Male dairy calves are used in the veal
industry. Dairy cows must give birth to
continue producing milk, but male dairy calves
are of little or no value to the dairy farmer. A
small percentage are raised to maturity and
used for breeding.”
16
that use controlled atmosphere killing, a method found to be far
less inhumane than the customary electric stunning slaughter of
birds.
Moving industry away from systems that clearly abuse animals
has been challenging, but the tide is turning. Our work, however,
doesn't end with on-farm victories. Compared to the “produc-
tion” period—which constitutes the vast majority of an animal's
