Factory husbandry

Numerous animals are exploited in the production of meat, milk, eggs and other animal products. In factory farming, the animals are withheld, which meets their natural needs. But animals also suffer in other areas.

The average German citizen eats over 1,000 animals in his life, most of them come from factories of factory farming. In addition, there are numerous other animals that are exploited in the production of milk, eggs and other animal products. But animals also suffer in other areas. They are hunted, used for clothing, demonstrated as an attraction in the circus and zoo, or abused as research objects.

Factory husbandry in Germany

Every year, 60 million pigs are slaughtered for meat production in Germany. 38 million laying hens and over 4 million dairy cows are also exploited in the egg and milk industry. The fact that these figures have risen in recent years while meat consumption is falling is mainly due to the growing export business of German companies in factory farming.

The term factory farming was in the 1970s by the Frankfurt zoo director Dr. med. Vet. Bernhard Grzimek shaped chickens for the cage posture and has since been synonymous with miserable animal husbandry.
Intensive animal husbandry in a confined space

In factory farming, the animals are withheld, which meets their natural needs. As a rule, there are only a few square meters available, so that you cannot live out your urge to move.

Pigs, for example, spend 8 hours a day in the wild with the search for food and run a distance of 30 kilometers. This is not possible and also not desired in masting systems of so -called modern animal husbandry with 1,000–5,000 pigs, as they should quickly gain weight.

Mutilation of the animals

Cows have naturally horns with which they tell other cows how far they can approach them. Due to the risk of injury in the narrow stalls of factory farming, horns are removed during veal age by a burner iron or by means of a caustic medium.

The same applies to the beaks of chickens, with which the animals could also injure each other. In order to minimize the risk of injuries to factory farming, the little chicks are usually cut off the beaks with a hot knife without anesthesia. At this point, however, male chicks are usually dead. Since they cannot lay eggs and are not suitable as mast chicken, they are already killed by scratching or shredding shortly after hatching.

Source: vebu.de / Proveg International