In the US, large farms are defined as those housing more than 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows, or 1,000 cattle. These are characterized by US officials as concentrated animal feedlots (CAFOs). By 2021, the number of UK farms meeting the US definition of a CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099, according to research. This figure is known to be an underestimate due to the omission of Scottish data, which was unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2020. Quick guide
Mega farms
projection What is a mega-farm? There is no UK legal definition of a large farm. The Environment Agency, and its regional counterparts, classify livestock farms as “intensive” if they hold at least 40,000 poultry or 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. In the US, larger concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, or 700 dairy cattle, or 1,000 cattle. There are now 1,099 mega-farms of this size in the UK. Why are they controversial? Large farms and intensive farms are controversial because they require tens of thousands of animals to be kept in a small space, which campaigners and independent experts say can inhibit their ability to express natural behaviors such as natural movement and nesting. Animals are often kept indoors throughout their lives, although some farms allow them access to outdoors at least part of the time. There are also concerns that animals on large farms may be overmedicated with antibiotics, as if one does fall ill the entire herd is generally required to be treated. Why do some people think we need them? Large farms and intensive farms take up much less space than traditional farms and allow animals to be kept safely away from predators and potential disease carriers. Their conditions are strictly controlled, allowing farmers to monitor the amount of daylight, water and feed for the animals, and if disease develops, the animals can be treated quickly. Thanks for your response. The path of these large US-style farms in the UK was revealed in a Guardian investigation in 2017, but updated data was published this week in a book, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future, by Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). In England alone, the number of large farms increased from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of these, 745 are domestic poultry and 199 are for pigs. There are four poultry farms in the UK registered for 1 million birds, with the largest breeding up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms house more than 20,000 pigs. There are also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of a “mega-dairy”. Cows kept in intensive dairies are “zero-grazed”, meaning they are not allowed out in the fields and are permanently housed in sheds. The largest in the UK appears to house 2,000 animals. In addition, nine large farms house 1,000 or more cattle. American-style beef feedlots, where cattle are fattened before slaughter, were first identified in the UK in a Guardian investigation in 2018. In the UK there are nine large farms that have 1,000 or more cattle where they are fattened up before slaughter. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism Industrial farming maximizes production while minimizing costs to produce cheap meat and dairy products – the UK slaughters 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million cattle each year – and the majority of UK farmed animals are kept in intensive production units. However, there are concerns that intensive agriculture is leading to climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negatively affecting local communities, including introducing potential health risks associated with ammonia pollution. Intensive livestock farming has also been blamed for increasing the risk of disease. In Europe, the Dutch government recently introduced plans to radically reduce the number of animals to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming. Animal welfare activists say animals on large farms are deprived of the ability to express natural behaviors. Keeping animals in “crowded, largely infertile conditions” and using fast-growing breeds of chicken and farrowing cages for pigs “challenges our claims to be an animal-loving nation,” said Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming. Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association said big doesn’t necessarily mean bad: “Larger farms are often able to provide more resources, such as more stock, a dedicated vet… that really make animal welfare easier.” . The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, said that all production systems in the UK include good welfare: “Systems considered to be ‘higher welfare’ require more resources with lower efficiency and productivity, with accompanying environmental and cost impacts production.” A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “Regardless of the sector or size of farm, whether indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is an ongoing priority for all British farmers, as they know that the public values the high standards for the health and welfare of the animals on which the farmers work”. The UK is now home to more than 1,000 large farms with herds of up to 3,000 cattle at a time kept in grass-free paddocks for long periods. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism A spokesman for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the vast majority of cattle and dairy cattle in the UK “graze outdoors throughout the year as long as the weather permits”. As UK agriculture changes, there are calls for reform. The Scrap Factory Farming campaign is taking it to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government is failing to protect the public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from factory farming. “Let’s stop denying that factory farming is inherently cruel and a key driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Lymbery told the Guardian. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all farms, regardless of size, had to comply with UK animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary medicine and environmental legislation. “The Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it an offense to either cause unnecessary suffering to any captive animal or to fail to provide for the animal’s welfare needs – and we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet these standards.” Subscribe to the Animals Farmed monthly update to receive a roundup of the biggest farming and food stories around the world and follow our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts to [email protected]
title: “Uk Has More Than 1 000 Large Livestock Farms Survey Reveals Animal Welfare Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Curtis Boyer”
In the US, large farms are defined as those housing more than 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows, or 1,000 cattle. These are characterized by US officials as concentrated animal feedlots (CAFOs). By 2021, the number of UK farms meeting the US definition of a CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099, according to research. This figure is known to be an underestimate due to the omission of Scottish data, which was unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2020. Quick guide
Mega farms
projection What is a mega-farm? There is no UK legal definition of a large farm. The Environment Agency, and its regional counterparts, classify livestock farms as “intensive” if they hold at least 40,000 poultry or 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. In the US, larger concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, or 700 dairy cattle, or 1,000 cattle. There are now 1,099 mega-farms of this size in the UK. Why are they controversial? Large farms and intensive farms are controversial because they require tens of thousands of animals to be kept in a small space, which campaigners and independent experts say can inhibit their ability to express natural behaviors such as natural movement and nesting. Animals are often kept indoors throughout their lives, although some farms allow them access to outdoors at least part of the time. There are also concerns that animals on large farms may be overmedicated with antibiotics, as if one does fall ill the entire herd is generally required to be treated. Why do some people think we need them? Large farms and intensive farms take up much less space than traditional farms and allow animals to be kept safely away from predators and potential disease carriers. Their conditions are strictly controlled, allowing farmers to monitor the amount of daylight, water and feed for the animals, and if disease develops, the animals can be treated quickly. Thanks for your response. The path of these large US-style farms in the UK was revealed in a Guardian investigation in 2017, but updated data was published this week in a book, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future, by Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). In England alone, the number of large farms increased from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of these, 745 are domestic poultry and 199 are for pigs. There are four poultry farms in the UK registered for 1 million birds, with the largest breeding up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms house more than 20,000 pigs. There are also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of a “mega-dairy”. Cows kept in intensive dairies are “zero-grazed”, meaning they are not allowed out in the fields and are permanently housed in sheds. The largest in the UK appears to house 2,000 animals. In addition, nine large farms house 1,000 or more cattle. American-style beef feedlots, where cattle are fattened before slaughter, were first identified in the UK in a Guardian investigation in 2018. In the UK there are nine large farms that have 1,000 or more cattle where they are fattened up before slaughter. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism Industrial farming maximizes production while minimizing costs to produce cheap meat and dairy products – the UK slaughters 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million cattle each year – and the majority of UK farmed animals are kept in intensive production units. However, there are concerns that intensive agriculture is leading to climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negatively affecting local communities, including introducing potential health risks associated with ammonia pollution. Intensive livestock farming has also been blamed for increasing the risk of disease. In Europe, the Dutch government recently introduced plans to radically reduce the number of animals to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming. Animal welfare activists say animals on large farms are deprived of the ability to express natural behaviors. Keeping animals in “crowded, largely infertile conditions” and using fast-growing breeds of chicken and farrowing cages for pigs “challenges our claims to be an animal-loving nation,” said Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming. Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association said big doesn’t necessarily mean bad: “Larger farms are often able to provide more resources, such as more stock, a dedicated vet… that really make animal welfare easier.” . The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, said that all production systems in the UK include good welfare: “Systems considered to be ‘higher welfare’ require more resources with lower efficiency and productivity, with accompanying environmental and cost impacts production.” A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “Regardless of the sector or size of farm, whether indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is an ongoing priority for all British farmers, as they know that the public values the high standards for the health and welfare of the animals on which the farmers work”. The UK is now home to more than 1,000 large farms with herds of up to 3,000 cattle at a time kept in grass-free paddocks for long periods. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism A spokesman for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the vast majority of cattle and dairy cattle in the UK “graze outdoors throughout the year as long as the weather permits”. As UK agriculture changes, there are calls for reform. The Scrap Factory Farming campaign is taking it to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government is failing to protect the public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from factory farming. “Let’s stop denying that factory farming is inherently cruel and a key driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Lymbery told the Guardian. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all farms, regardless of size, had to comply with UK animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary medicine and environmental legislation. “The Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it an offense to either cause unnecessary suffering to any captive animal or to fail to provide for the animal’s welfare needs – and we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet these standards.” Subscribe to the Animals Farmed monthly update to receive a roundup of the biggest farming and food stories around the world and follow our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts to [email protected]
title: “Uk Has More Than 1 000 Large Livestock Farms Survey Reveals Animal Welfare Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-12” author: “Dionne Cosby”
In the US, large farms are defined as those housing more than 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows, or 1,000 cattle. These are characterized by US officials as concentrated animal feedlots (CAFOs). By 2021, the number of UK farms meeting the US definition of a CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099, according to research. This figure is known to be an underestimate due to the omission of Scottish data, which was unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2020. Quick guide
Mega farms
projection What is a mega-farm? There is no UK legal definition of a large farm. The Environment Agency, and its regional counterparts, classify livestock farms as “intensive” if they hold at least 40,000 poultry or 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. In the US, larger concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, or 700 dairy cattle, or 1,000 cattle. There are now 1,099 mega-farms of this size in the UK. Why are they controversial? Large farms and intensive farms are controversial because they require tens of thousands of animals to be kept in a small space, which campaigners and independent experts say can inhibit their ability to express natural behaviors such as natural movement and nesting. Animals are often kept indoors throughout their lives, although some farms allow them access to outdoors at least part of the time. There are also concerns that animals on large farms may be overmedicated with antibiotics, as if one does fall ill the entire herd is generally required to be treated. Why do some people think we need them? Large farms and intensive farms take up much less space than traditional farms and allow animals to be kept safely away from predators and potential disease carriers. Their conditions are strictly controlled, allowing farmers to monitor the amount of daylight, water and feed for the animals, and if disease develops, the animals can be treated quickly. Thanks for your response. The path of these large US-style farms in the UK was revealed in a Guardian investigation in 2017, but updated data was published this week in a book, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future, by Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). In England alone, the number of large farms increased from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of these, 745 are domestic poultry and 199 are for pigs. There are four poultry farms in the UK registered for 1 million birds, with the largest breeding up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms house more than 20,000 pigs. There are also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of a “mega-dairy”. Cows kept in intensive dairies are “zero-grazed”, meaning they are not allowed out in the fields and are permanently housed in sheds. The largest in the UK appears to house 2,000 animals. In addition, nine large farms house 1,000 or more cattle. American-style beef feedlots, where cattle are fattened before slaughter, were first identified in the UK in a Guardian investigation in 2018. In the UK there are nine large farms that have 1,000 or more cattle where they are fattened up before slaughter. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism Industrial farming maximizes production while minimizing costs to produce cheap meat and dairy products – the UK slaughters 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million cattle each year – and the majority of UK farmed animals are kept in intensive production units. However, there are concerns that intensive agriculture is leading to climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negatively affecting local communities, including introducing potential health risks associated with ammonia pollution. Intensive livestock farming has also been blamed for increasing the risk of disease. In Europe, the Dutch government recently introduced plans to radically reduce the number of animals to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming. Animal welfare activists say animals on large farms are deprived of the ability to express natural behaviors. Keeping animals in “crowded, largely infertile conditions” and using fast-growing breeds of chicken and farrowing cages for pigs “challenges our claims to be an animal-loving nation,” said Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming. Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association said big doesn’t necessarily mean bad: “Larger farms are often able to provide more resources, such as more stock, a dedicated vet… that really make animal welfare easier.” . The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, said that all production systems in the UK include good welfare: “Systems considered to be ‘higher welfare’ require more resources with lower efficiency and productivity, with accompanying environmental and cost impacts production.” A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “Regardless of the sector or size of farm, whether indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is an ongoing priority for all British farmers, as they know that the public values the high standards for the health and welfare of the animals on which the farmers work”. The UK is now home to more than 1,000 large farms with herds of up to 3,000 cattle at a time kept in grass-free paddocks for long periods. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism A spokesman for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the vast majority of cattle and dairy cattle in the UK “graze outdoors throughout the year as long as the weather permits”. As UK agriculture changes, there are calls for reform. The Scrap Factory Farming campaign is taking it to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government is failing to protect the public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from factory farming. “Let’s stop denying that factory farming is inherently cruel and a key driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Lymbery told the Guardian. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all farms, regardless of size, had to comply with UK animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary medicine and environmental legislation. “The Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it an offense to either cause unnecessary suffering to any captive animal or to fail to provide for the animal’s welfare needs – and we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet these standards.” Subscribe to the Animals Farmed monthly update to receive a roundup of the biggest farming and food stories around the world and follow our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts to [email protected]
title: “Uk Has More Than 1 000 Large Livestock Farms Survey Reveals Animal Welfare Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-24” author: “Catherine Murray”
In the US, large farms are defined as those housing more than 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows, or 1,000 cattle. These are characterized by US officials as concentrated animal feedlots (CAFOs). By 2021, the number of UK farms meeting the US definition of a CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099, according to research. This figure is known to be an underestimate due to the omission of Scottish data, which was unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2020. Quick guide
Mega farms
projection What is a mega-farm? There is no UK legal definition of a large farm. The Environment Agency, and its regional counterparts, classify livestock farms as “intensive” if they hold at least 40,000 poultry or 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. In the US, larger concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, or 700 dairy cattle, or 1,000 cattle. There are now 1,099 mega-farms of this size in the UK. Why are they controversial? Large farms and intensive farms are controversial because they require tens of thousands of animals to be kept in a small space, which campaigners and independent experts say can inhibit their ability to express natural behaviors such as natural movement and nesting. Animals are often kept indoors throughout their lives, although some farms allow them access to outdoors at least part of the time. There are also concerns that animals on large farms may be overmedicated with antibiotics, as if one does fall ill the entire herd is generally required to be treated. Why do some people think we need them? Large farms and intensive farms take up much less space than traditional farms and allow animals to be kept safely away from predators and potential disease carriers. Their conditions are strictly controlled, allowing farmers to monitor the amount of daylight, water and feed for the animals, and if disease develops, the animals can be treated quickly. Thanks for your response. The path of these large US-style farms in the UK was revealed in a Guardian investigation in 2017, but updated data was published this week in a book, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future, by Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). In England alone, the number of large farms increased from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of these, 745 are domestic poultry and 199 are for pigs. There are four poultry farms in the UK registered for 1 million birds, with the largest breeding up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms house more than 20,000 pigs. There are also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of a “mega-dairy”. Cows kept in intensive dairies are “zero-grazed”, meaning they are not allowed out in the fields and are permanently housed in sheds. The largest in the UK appears to house 2,000 animals. In addition, nine large farms house 1,000 or more cattle. American-style beef feedlots, where cattle are fattened before slaughter, were first identified in the UK in a Guardian investigation in 2018. In the UK there are nine large farms that have 1,000 or more cattle where they are fattened up before slaughter. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism Industrial farming maximizes production while minimizing costs to produce cheap meat and dairy products – the UK slaughters 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million cattle each year – and the majority of UK farmed animals are kept in intensive production units. However, there are concerns that intensive agriculture is leading to climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negatively affecting local communities, including introducing potential health risks associated with ammonia pollution. Intensive livestock farming has also been blamed for increasing the risk of disease. In Europe, the Dutch government recently introduced plans to radically reduce the number of animals to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming. Animal welfare activists say animals on large farms are deprived of the ability to express natural behaviors. Keeping animals in “crowded, largely infertile conditions” and using fast-growing breeds of chicken and farrowing cages for pigs “challenges our claims to be an animal-loving nation,” said Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming. Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association said big doesn’t necessarily mean bad: “Larger farms are often able to provide more resources, such as more stock, a dedicated vet… that really make animal welfare easier.” . The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, said that all production systems in the UK include good welfare: “Systems considered to be ‘higher welfare’ require more resources with lower efficiency and productivity, with accompanying environmental and cost impacts production.” A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “Regardless of the sector or size of farm, whether indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is an ongoing priority for all British farmers, as they know that the public values the high standards for the health and welfare of the animals on which the farmers work”. The UK is now home to more than 1,000 large farms with herds of up to 3,000 cattle at a time kept in grass-free paddocks for long periods. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism A spokesman for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the vast majority of cattle and dairy cattle in the UK “graze outdoors throughout the year as long as the weather permits”. As UK agriculture changes, there are calls for reform. The Scrap Factory Farming campaign is taking it to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government is failing to protect the public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from factory farming. “Let’s stop denying that factory farming is inherently cruel and a key driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Lymbery told the Guardian. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all farms, regardless of size, had to comply with UK animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary medicine and environmental legislation. “The Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it an offense to either cause unnecessary suffering to any captive animal or to fail to provide for the animal’s welfare needs – and we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet these standards.” Subscribe to the Animals Farmed monthly update to receive a roundup of the biggest farming and food stories around the world and follow our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts to [email protected]
title: “Uk Has More Than 1 000 Large Livestock Farms Survey Reveals Animal Welfare Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-02” author: “Tyrone Anderson”
In the US, large farms are defined as those housing more than 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows, or 1,000 cattle. These are characterized by US officials as concentrated animal feedlots (CAFOs). By 2021, the number of UK farms meeting the US definition of a CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099, according to research. This figure is known to be an underestimate due to the omission of Scottish data, which was unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2020. Quick guide
Mega farms
projection What is a mega-farm? There is no UK legal definition of a large farm. The Environment Agency, and its regional counterparts, classify livestock farms as “intensive” if they hold at least 40,000 poultry or 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. In the US, larger concentrated animal operations (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 egg-laying hens, 2,500 pigs, or 700 dairy cattle, or 1,000 cattle. There are now 1,099 mega-farms of this size in the UK. Why are they controversial? Large farms and intensive farms are controversial because they require tens of thousands of animals to be kept in a small space, which campaigners and independent experts say can inhibit their ability to express natural behaviors such as natural movement and nesting. Animals are often kept indoors throughout their lives, although some farms allow them access to outdoors at least part of the time. There are also concerns that animals on large farms may be overmedicated with antibiotics, as if one does fall ill the entire herd is generally required to be treated. Why do some people think we need them? Large farms and intensive farms take up much less space than traditional farms and allow animals to be kept safely away from predators and potential disease carriers. Their conditions are strictly controlled, allowing farmers to monitor the amount of daylight, water and feed for the animals, and if disease develops, the animals can be treated quickly. Thanks for your response. The path of these large US-style farms in the UK was revealed in a Guardian investigation in 2017, but updated data was published this week in a book, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future, by Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). In England alone, the number of large farms increased from 818 in 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of these, 745 are domestic poultry and 199 are for pigs. There are four poultry farms in the UK registered for 1 million birds, with the largest breeding up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms house more than 20,000 pigs. There are also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of a “mega-dairy”. Cows kept in intensive dairies are “zero-grazed”, meaning they are not allowed out in the fields and are permanently housed in sheds. The largest in the UK appears to house 2,000 animals. In addition, nine large farms house 1,000 or more cattle. American-style beef feedlots, where cattle are fattened before slaughter, were first identified in the UK in a Guardian investigation in 2018. In the UK there are nine large farms that have 1,000 or more cattle where they are fattened up before slaughter. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism Industrial farming maximizes production while minimizing costs to produce cheap meat and dairy products – the UK slaughters 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million cattle each year – and the majority of UK farmed animals are kept in intensive production units. However, there are concerns that intensive agriculture is leading to climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negatively affecting local communities, including introducing potential health risks associated with ammonia pollution. Intensive livestock farming has also been blamed for increasing the risk of disease. In Europe, the Dutch government recently introduced plans to radically reduce the number of animals to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming. Animal welfare activists say animals on large farms are deprived of the ability to express natural behaviors. Keeping animals in “crowded, largely infertile conditions” and using fast-growing breeds of chicken and farrowing cages for pigs “challenges our claims to be an animal-loving nation,” said Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming. Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association said big doesn’t necessarily mean bad: “Larger farms are often able to provide more resources, such as more stock, a dedicated vet… that really make animal welfare easier.” . The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths, said that all production systems in the UK include good welfare: “Systems considered to be ‘higher welfare’ require more resources with lower efficiency and productivity, with accompanying environmental and cost impacts production.” A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “Regardless of the sector or size of farm, whether indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is an ongoing priority for all British farmers, as they know that the public values the high standards for the health and welfare of the animals on which the farmers work”. The UK is now home to more than 1,000 large farms with herds of up to 3,000 cattle at a time kept in grass-free paddocks for long periods. Photo: Bureau of Investigative Journalism A spokesman for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the vast majority of cattle and dairy cattle in the UK “graze outdoors throughout the year as long as the weather permits”. As UK agriculture changes, there are calls for reform. The Scrap Factory Farming campaign is taking it to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government is failing to protect the public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from factory farming. “Let’s stop denying that factory farming is inherently cruel and a key driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Lymbery told the Guardian. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all farms, regardless of size, had to comply with UK animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary medicine and environmental legislation. “The Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it an offense to either cause unnecessary suffering to any captive animal or to fail to provide for the animal’s welfare needs – and we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet these standards.” Subscribe to the Animals Farmed monthly update to receive a roundup of the biggest farming and food stories around the world and follow our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts to [email protected]
